MY COLLECTION IN SUMMER AND IN WINTER
photo 3/8
This is what the shade structure looks like when all
my epiphytic cacti are in the garden during the summer and are only sprinkled
by rain. As years go by, the leaves of the trees make up an increasingly
effective protection against hail.
On the high bars of the metallic structure, you hardly notice the Epiphyllum
which are masked by a Pyracantha I planted and which quickly grew ; its shade
is most valuable to me now because there used to be a maple tree there which
unfortunately died a few years ago.
On the left handside of the photograph, on the lower
bars, we can see some Schlumbergera (or Zygocactus or Christmas
Cacti). The other ones are behind those visible. There are also Hatiora
(Rhipsalidopsis or Easter Cacti, not to be seen on the photograph). In the
foreground, the Aporophyllum get the sunniest part.
I put the plants which are not hanging, on wood pallets whose height was
raised by plastic stools : mainly Schlumbergera, Hatiora and young
cuttings which are not yet in their final pot.
Raising the pallets is essential, I learnt this
at my expense : snails and slugs are dreadful summer predators for
epiphytic cacti. They can unearth the smallest and most tender plants which
are also often the rarest ones! Thus I decided that these pests would have
to climb the stools before pigging on my plants. This does not prevent me
from spreading some anti-snail pellets in the pots (as few as possible…).
To have an easier handling job, I place the pots which are on the pallets
in small blue plastic cageots in which cultivated mushrooms are sold
; the stores throw these cageots away after use.
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THE WATERING INSTALLATION OF MY COLLECTION
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