As fall is approaching my basket of cacti are having their fruit become quite ripe. Soon it will be time to pick them and remove the spines and eat some. There are seeds inside but the flavor of the fruit is quite nice. Something to me like a cross between a strawberry and watermelon. I have grown them to the point they have fruited in the past, so its always a treat getting them big enough where they finally produce edible sweet fruit.
They just started turning red a few weeks ago, I think they are going to plump up more before done. But worst comes to worst I can just pick them before the frosts start to save the fruit for eating.
Many of the transplanted pines are growing and seem to be entering a period of stability before their winter dormancy activates. Hopefully they will be fine in those pots, seem like hardy plants.
I do not really see any noticeable difference in the ones where I adding the mycorrhiza powder. That is what the orange marker indicates. The others are planted without the powder used.
One of them has a little bit of yellowing, but I hope that just occurred when they were in little pots and will now grow out of that issue with their large seven gallon cloth pots.
Some have these long pine needles coming out, they only did that once they were transplanted. A sign they are happy in their new pots.
I will leave them outside during the winter, and hopefully they will come out the other side on the spring and grow big and strong. Eventually they will go into the ground, but I am hoping to grow them a few feet tall before I give them their final transplant into ground.
Its always funny seeing the cacti grow over their baskets and flow out, this prickly pear paddle reached out and is now laying on the decking full of fruit.. lol
Seems they are forming just fine like that. Maybe next year I will trim off the pieces hanging off and plant them somewhere.
My lavender seedlings are growing into quite the plants.
I saw lots of growth shortly after planting, seems now they are just adding more leaves. Hopefully next spring they will grow even more.
Starting these seeds almost a year ago, they were just a pack of tiny seeds. They went into the refrigerator for a few weeks to simulate the cold weather period. Then grew them in little cell pots, moved them to bigger ones and finally these. So they have gone through many stages to get these lavender plants to where they are now.
Next year I hope they will grow big enough they can go out into the ground. I really love the smell of them and would love to enjoy the smell every day when the sun hits the leaves releasing the herbal goodness inside. Its hard to say if they will be ready next year, just like the pine trees. But at least they have some big pots now they can get bigger in. Hard to say how far the roots go down on these, but with the cloth pots I should be able to see signs of them trying to poke through the fabric if it gets really bad with root balling. Hopefully I will catch them early and that will truly be the time they will go into the ground at that point, once they have outgrown these seven gallon cloth pots.
I met that cactus plant when I had an injury on my foot at the height of the heel, and I had to peel and put my foot on top so that its sap would reduce inflammation or take away the pain, then they told me that this plant was eaten in salads. How great nature.
Prickly pear! We used to have those in our backyard when we lived in Texas.
This cactus seems to have an interesting flavour profile. I almost tried a variety of cactus fruit on a trip to the American south, but the person who was in charge grabbed them with his bare hands, and the spines pricked him, so he got mad and threw them away. :D
I love prickly pear cactus fruit! In Arizona I had them in my yard, it was great! They taste amazing, and you can go out an collect them all over in the wild out there. The good old days! The pines and lavender both look great, I agree on loving the smell of lavender. I should plant some in my back yard this next year.
Prickly pears were a serious pain when I was prospecting with a metal detector though! Here's a bunch I ran into and found a small gold nugget nearby, they were lucky cacti!
thanks for the reminder to plant lavender for the new place - the bees here love it.
That cactus is one of the things that invaded Australia when, despite warnings to not import it. Farmers walked off their properties as they just couldn't control it. Millions of hectres of land in Queensland succumbed until they finally brought it under control.
Watching your cactus and your pines settle in must feel amazing. II want also to plant cactus in my garden.
How beautiful the pines! I love you, but I have none at home, I hope to have the opportunity to buy some for the garden.
You dedicated a lot of love to your cacti, pines and lavender, and love conquers all. That's why they grew up healthy and pretty.
It's so nice to see your plants growing so well and healthy. It feels like just yesterday I saw the cactus in flower. Before I knew it, the fruit was ready to be picked😅
The pine tress are so cute. we have a lot of pine tress here in our province but same with you, I am growing pine trees to bring them to other province where my parents live.
This documentation is so unique. It just makes me believe that everything has different stages in life. It's was nice watching your cactus grow
Fantastic results you've achieved in just one year!
I'm sure their growth will surprise you without you even noticing.
Congratulations!
really amazing plants .
I actually wouldn't have known that cacti eat fruit if you hadn't mentioned it in this content. The few lavender plants in the garden are growing well.
Looks like everything is coming right along really well. I can't wait to see how the pine trees do after a year or so.
Prickly pear cactus fruit looks great, also i didn't eat this,as you say Prickly pear cactus fruit teast as like strawberry and watermilons. Btw hope you collect it before the winter season.
i have seen your withness in the withness board.. i follow you there.Thanks dude.
Nice photos!
How fantastic, I've never seen a flowering prickly pear, thank you.
Wow, you're amazing! Your cactus has produced fruit! 👍👍👍
I can't wait to see your pine tree produce pine cones! 🤗
I'm curious—can your lavender also bear fruit?😊
I never try this fruit … this plant looks interesting… hope soon you will enjoy the fruit 😀
Even if some show little issues, it’s inspiring how hopeful you are that they will grow stronger in their bigger pots. Wishing your cacti and pines more healthy growth and bring you even more joy in the future.