Saguaro

Saguaro is a genuinely satisfying plant to grow, but I want to be upfront about one thing: spider mites in warm dry indoor conditions. I've dealt with it twice now and it takes consistent attention to manage. Beyond that, architectural sculptural form that needs no flowers to impress makes it one o…

I nearly gave up on Saguaro after three months of mediocre results. Then I focused properly on using pure mineral grit for drainage in the soil mix and within a few weeks the difference was dramatic. It now lives in a greenhouse or conservatory staging and has genuinely transformed that spot. remar…

Here are my notes from twelve months of growing Saguaro: Spring: offsetting and pup production in spring. This was the moment that confirmed the whole venture. I focused on watering sparingly and only in the active growing season during this period which set up the rest of the year. architectural …

I had a serious problem with root rot from any waterlogging in winter on my Saguaro earlier this year. Caught it late and had to work hard to bring the plant back. The experience was frustrating but educational. Now that it's healthy again I can fully appreciate architectural sculptural form that n…

After growing Saguaro for over a year here is what I'd tell a beginner. First: providing the sunniest window or outdoor position available is not optional — it's the foundation everything else depends on. Second: slow growth frustration for impatient growers will happen and you should know how to h…

I've grown several varieties within the Saguaro family and have some observations to share. remarkable drought tolerance once established varies noticeably between them, more than catalogue descriptions suggest. The care fundamentals are shared — watering sparingly and only in the active growing sea…

I started with one Saguaro and now have four, all from propagation. The process is straightforward once you understand protecting from frost below -5°C even for hardy varieties — something I picked up from trial and error rather than any guide. I display them in a dry garden rockery or gravel bed w…

I'd had Saguaro for about eight months with acceptable but unremarkable results. Then I started really paying attention to protecting from frost below -5°C even for hardy varieties and the difference over the next two months was dramatic. architectural sculptural form that needs no flowers to impre…

The first few months with Saguaro were underwhelming. Almost no visible growth and I questioned my decision repeatedly. Then something shifted — I think getting watering sparingly and only in the active growing season right was the turning point. extremely long-lived with minimal intervention becam…

I've been growing Saguaro for a full year now and want to capture what each season offered. flowering in late spring to early summer was the clear high point — everything you're told about Saguaro at that time of year is true. But the plant has something to offer in every season, which I hadn't expe…