My Blog List

Monday, June 16, 2014

MONDAY OBSERVATIONS

One of the first things I did when I got up this morning was to go outside and see if the echinopsis had bloomed. I have been watching it for a few days and with this flower if you don't catch it in the morning it will be closed by lunch time. Sure enough there it was.



It isn't quite the performance of June 6th 2012, but I see there are more buds developing so the next show should be better. Certainly worth the wait.


Close by was another budding cactus. By 1pm its bloom was opened and the Echinopsis had closed. Quite a symphony.


It was then that I spotted something I didn't like to see. Scale had invaded this poor cactus. This is not going to be easy. The plant is going into isolation so the scale do not spread to others. You can read all about diseases of cactus and their treatment here.


All the buds on the balloon cactus, Notocactus magnificus,  opened today.


Monday held some good and some not so good observations.

4 comments:

  1. They are beautiful. What a nice gift for a Monday. Sorry about the scale...such a disappointment. I discovered a bunch of tiny grasshoppers all over the lemon mallow and turk's cap. Argg...

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  2. I suppose it is a good thing however that you were watching closely for blooms and noticed the scale before it became widespread to other cacti. Those flowers are simply breathtaking.

    (I've only ever tried blasting scale off with a hose. That was only partially effective and I ended up getting rid of the plant. Do you remove the scale insects or do you also use a systemic insecticide in combination with removal? )

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    Replies
    1. I scraped off the scale as best I could with an awl. It seemed to work well but I will have to go back today and do more. Then I will give it a spray with insecticidal soap. I noticed scale on my prickly ear too.

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  3. These blooms on cacti are really spectacular! Hope the infected cactus can be rescued.
    Marian

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