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Sun, Oct 14, 12 at 7:29
| I've been contemplating these for ages now, but something tells me it would be a mistake. I know there are a least a few species of cactus native to MN, so they should survive our winters, but would they be worth it?
Has anyone in cold winter climates used any of these in the garden with success? I can imagine they are absolutely deadly to work around with all those spines, but do the blooms make up for that? Just to be clear, I'm talking about the species which stay outside through the winter like Opuntias - not ones that summer outside and are brought back inside for winter. Kevin |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by coolplantsguy z6 Ontario (My Page) on Sun, Oct 14, 12 at 11:11
| I had O. humifusa for several years. It was more of a novelty than a true ornamental, although I likely didn't have it in the best spot. Spines were not a problem for me. |
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- Posted by mad_gallica Z5 Eastern NY (My Page) on Sun, Oct 14, 12 at 12:08
| We've had a spineless Opuntia for years. I agree totally with coolplantsguy that it is more of a novelty than anything else, and we don't have enough sun or sand to put it in a best spot. By far the hardest part of dealing with them is weed control. Normal mulch is bad because it holds too much moisture, but we have them in normal enough soil that weeds are perfectly happy there. |
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| A gravel or sandy mulch might be best. |
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- Posted by ctopher_mi Z5 MI (My Page) on Mon, Oct 15, 12 at 18:35
| Yes, weed control can be a problem, and with those spines they are really difficult to weed around without getting stabbed all the time. I love the idea of stone mulch - I wish I had thought of that before throwing all of mine away. Also love the idea of spineless cactus. |
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