august 2014 - Poots Cactus Nursery

STOCKTON CACTUS & SUCCULENT SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER
AUGUST 2014
MEETINGS: Fourth Thursday each month, 7:00 p.m.
* Unless otherwise noted
WHERE:
San Joaquin County Building
2707 Transworld Drive
Stockton, California
*NEXT MEETING: Thursday, August 28th, 2014
PRE MEETING DINNER: Denny’s Restaurant
Arch Road location 5:30 p.m.
STOCKTON CACTUS & SUCCULENT SOCIETY
C/O BRIAN POOT
1180 BOXWOOD WAY
TURLOCK, CA 95380
THE BIRTHDAY CREW
2014 BOARD:
President:
Vice President:
Treasurer:
Secretary:
Board Members:
Newsletter:
Roelyn Poot (209) 599-7241
[email protected]
Dianne Van Order (209) 406-4512 [email protected]
Lori Mace (209) 556-7506
[email protected]
Pam Fish (209) 887-9190
[email protected]
Steve Roberts, Maybelle Abplanalp & Dawn Dalyce
Brian Poot (209) 664-9232
[email protected]
BOARD MEETINGS: Please note, board meetings will now be held the second Tuesday of
each month, at 7:00 p.m., except in December, or if that date conflicts
with something else. Anyone is welcome to attend, but please call first
to let them know you will be coming to make sure of the date. Thanks!
We can always use new ideas & opinions for the club, as well as help
with behind the scenes stuff. If you are interested, please come to a
board meeting. Thx!
MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION: Individual
Family
Contributing
Patron
$20/yr
$25/yr
$35/yr
$50/yr
All dues should be sent
to the treasurer before
the February general
meeting.
Membership runs January-December. Complimentary Jan. & Feb. issue if unpaid.
CALENDAR:
August
12th - Board Meeting at the Poot’s 7:00 p.m.
28th - General Meeting 7:00pm: Elton Roberts –
New slide show of cacti flowers
September
9th - Board Meeting at the Poot’s 7:00 p.m.
25th - General Meeting 7:00pm: Country Store
OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS: (not club related)
**We will also be listing other clubs shows, sales, and speakers, as well as cacti related events that may be of
interest to our members. If you know of something that should be listed, please let the editor know. Thanks
SUNSHINE REPORT: by Kathy Zumbrunn
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to: Roelyn Poot & Lesley Slayter.
THIS MONTHS MEETING: Elton Roberts
This month’s speaker will be Elton Roberts who will present a new slide show of cacti flowers. Most
people walk into the nursery in Walmart, Home Depot, Orchard Supply or even the local hardware store
and sometimes the grocery store; where they see cactus plants. These plants are sometimes in bloom
with flowers that remain in bloom for quite some time. That is because they are straw flowers. Most
people never see what beautiful flowers the plants really put out. They may only last a few hours as
some Frailea or they may last only a day or a night if they are night blooming; some will last as long as
five days. People that collect cactus for their back yard 6 foot by 8 foot greenhouse only see a few
cactus in flower and usually when they see a few cactus flowers they are hooked. The flowers are from
about an 1/8 inch in diameter to as large as a large saucer.
*Reminder to the Brian Poot (drinks) & Mary Bertken (snacks), this is your month to bring refreshments.
*Reminder to Kathy Zumbrunn, this is your month to be greeter.
*Reminder to bring your own boxes for any plants that you win in the raffle.
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS:
Robert & Sharon Johnstone
3232 Nightingale Drive
Modesto, CA 95356
(209) 578-1371 & (209) 602-4632
[email protected]
BD: 11/19 & 5/22
Glenn Young & Sherry Cosgrove
P.O. Box 96
Keeler, CA 93530
(760) 876-9234
[email protected]
BD: 06/08 & 02/12
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE: by Roelyn Poot
It is this time of the year when we need to be looking for volunteers to serve on the club board for 2015. We
will have many positions to fill so please eagerly give us your name. We will need a President, Vice-President,
Treasurer and Secretary. We also need 2 or 3 board members. The positions do not require a lot of time but you
must be committed to the board meetings which happen only 5 times a year. It is also important to faithfully
attend the club meetings. Some of us have served many times over and would like a well-deserved break.
Serving the club in this way gives you the opportunity to implement new ideas and get a good feel as to what
happens behind the scene. Diane Van Order has served on the board for one year but has asked to be relieved of
the position as she was recently voted in to serve on the Mother Lode Chapter of Flying Samaritans. Diane also
serves as a nurse at clinics held in San Quitin, Baja, Mexico several times a year for Flying Samaritans. Thank
you Diane for being willing to serve us on the board and at the club meetings. We are glad you can still attend
our meetings.
At last month’s meeting, Pam Fish presented the idea of making a quilt out of fabric the Poot's are giving the
club to use. Three ladies have offered to help. If more of you could help that would be great. Please sign the
"quilt" clipboard at the August meeting. In last month’s newsletter I expressed a thank-you to Tim Taylor for
helping the board with necessary paper work for the I.R.S. I mistakenly identified Tim as a C.P.A. his correct
title is enrolled agent.
Sorry for the mistake and thanks again for your precise and timely assistance, Tim. Many thanks also to Lori
Mace and Pam Fish for their assistance with the I.R.S. paperwork. It is great to have it done. Hopefully our Tax
Exempt status will be reinstated. See you on August 28 for another great program!
JULY MINI SHOW RESULTS:
Novice Division, Cacti:
1st - Dawn Dalyce
2nd - Dawn Dalyce
w/ ?? crested
w/ Ferocactus sp.
Novice Division, Succulent:
1st - Dawn Dalyce
2nd - Dawn Dalyce
3rd - Dawn Dalyce
w/ Euphorbia millotii
w/ Euphorbia platyclada
w/ Cyphostemma juttae
Novice Division, Blooming:
1st - Dawn Dalyce
2nd - Joan Stewart
3rd - Dawn Dalyce
w/ Lewsia sp.
w/ Gymnocalycium friedrichii
w/ Haworthia limifolia
Advanced Division, Cacti:
1st - Barbara Coelho
2nd - Barbara Coelho
3rd - Steve Roberts
w/ Myrtillocalycium polyp
w/ Eulychnia castaneae monstrose
w/ Gymnocalycium pflanzii
Advanced Division, Succulent:
1st - Steve Roberts
2nd - Steve Roberts
3rd - Barbara Coelho
w/ Euphorbia clandestina
w/ Euphorbia mauritanica
w/ Haworthia cuspidata
Advanced Division, Blooming:
1st - Barbara Coelho
2nd - Barbara Coelho
3rd - Kathy Zumbrunn
w/ Gymnocalycium michanovich
w/ Copiapoa tenuissima monstrose
w/ Euphorbia millii
Open Division, Cacti:
NON ENTERED
Open Division, Succulent:
NON ENTERED
Open Division, Blooming:
NON ENTERED
Allied Interest:
1st - Barbara Coelho
2nd - Barbara Coelho
3rd - Kathy Zumbrunn
w/ Mixed planter
w/ Echinopsis sp.
w/ Agave xylonacantha in wheelbarrow
MONTHLY MINI SHOW: OPEN TO ANY CLUB MEMBERS THAT WANT TO SHOW PLANTS!
The mini show, held at the general meetings, is a time when you can bring your plants,
to compete against other members’ plants. There are 10 categories: Cacti & Succulent,
(Open, Advanced & Novice Divisions), Bloomers (anything in bloom, also three divisions)
& Allied Interest (dish gardens or natural planters). You may bring up to 2 from each
category. The forms for judging are available to take home so that you can fill them out
prior to the meeting if you wish, or there will be some at the meeting as well.
The plants are judged by the members attending that meeting; whoever receives the most votes wins that
months mini show & will get their name in the next newsletter. The person(s) receiving the most votes at the
end of the year will receive a gift from the club.
WE ENCOURAGE ALL MEMBERS TO BRING PLANTS TO SHOW THROUGHOUT THE YEAR!
FYI: The mini show categories are Novice - those with fewer than 5 years of showing in the mini-show.
Advanced – those who have shown for more than 5 years in the mini-show & does not sell more than $300 in
plants a year. Open – those who sell more than $300 in plants a year. Also you must own the plant for at least
6 months before you can show the plant in the mini show.
Brian Poot, Mini show coordinator
FIND PRICKLY PLANTS AT POOT’S HOUSE OF CACTUS: by Kyla Cathey
08/07/14
What’s the attraction: Poot’s Cactus Nursery, also called Poot’s
House of Cactus, got its start more than 30 years ago as a hobby,
but has since grown into one of the largest retail cactus nurseries in
Northern California. Located on Highway 120 just outside Ripon,
the nursery has greenhouses full of cacti and succulents, from aloes
and barrel cacti to fuzzy, pink-spined or strangely shaped plants.
With more than 200,000 plants from more than 300 species, and
the help of knowledgeable owners Bill and Roelyn Poot, there’s
something for everyone.
In addition to the greenhouses full of cacti for sale, the Poot’s
have a desert garden full of their own cacti, which often feature
stunning flowers throughout the summer months. As California’s
drought drags on, their garden shows that a yard can be gorgeous even without water-hungry lawns and shrubs.
Any plant or cactus lover will be able to spend hours browsing the Poot’s collection and choosing which plants
to take home. They have both small cacti that can be grown in sunny windowsills and large cacti ready to be
planted in landscaping.
Grab a bite: After a morning exploring the nursery, avoid the afternoon heat by heading to one of several
fruit stands nearby on Highway 120. Stock up on locally grown pluots, cherries and more. If you’re looking for
something a little heartier, head into nearby Ripon, Manteca or Escalon to eat at locally owned diners or
Mexican restaurants.
Dig a little deeper: If after a visit to the nursery, you find yourself entranced by cacti, the Poot’s help run the
Stockton Cactus and Succulent Society, which meets on the fourth Thursday of every month in Stockton. The
club brings in guest speakers, holds a “mini-show” at each meeting, and maintains a library and a monthly
newsletter, and more. More information about the club is available on the Poot’s Cactus Nursery website and on
Facebook. Poot’s Cactus Nursery also allows school groups and garden clubs to tour their private collection, as
long as visits are arranged in advance.
More information: Poot’s Cactus Nursery is located at 17229 E. Highway 120 just outside of Ripon. The
nursery is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, call 209-599-7241 or
visit www.pootscactusnursery.com.
2014 INTER-CITY SHOW - BEST OF SHOW WINNERS
ALOES OFFER A WIDE RANGE OF COLORS & SIZES: by Joe Truskot
08/08/14
By now, most American consumers have come across aloe
products. They seem to be everywhere in cosmetics and
herbal supplements. For any of us who burn in the sun, Aloe
vera gel is just about the only practical relief we can get. It
works well for plain old itchy skin, too. It has a clean, crisp
fragrance that never over powers. Mixed with fruits and
vegetable essences, you are sure to find it in various soaps,
creams, and cosmetics. While scientific proof of aloe vera's
healing properties as an internal herbal medicine are
inconclusive, the garden varieties have long since proven
their utility and are increasingly popular in succulent
displays. They need little water, minimal grooming and good
drainage. New cultivars continue to push the limits by providing a diverse range of new cultivars that
vary leaf and flower color, pattern, and sizes. "Aloes love California," said Robin Stockwell, owner of
Castroville's Succulent Gardens which a terrific source for the latest varieties. "Aloe arborescen is
beautiful here. That's the aloe that blooms all over the Monterey Peninsula and along the shoreline in
Pacific Grove."
In addition, Aloe arborescen blooms at Christmastime with dark green leaves and bright red flowers.
It has an expansive root system so it stabilizes cliffs, slopes, and sandy ravines. It looks its best with a
monthly watering in the summer months. It's best to plant Aloe arborescen in an open spot where it can
grow undisturbed from high traffic. Stockwell noted, "It also attracts hummingbirds all winter long."
Essentially, there are three types of growth patterns for aloes: trees, clusters and trailers. The growth
patterns are topmost on Stockwell's mind as he currently is preparing landscape displays for the
Succulent Extravaganza which the nursery will host on September 26-27. "We've invited landscape
designers to create beds using aloes and some other plants and want to have them ready for the event,"
said Stockwell. He's also always thinking about how to serve customers better. Interactive signage is
one of the projects that Stockwell is working on for the nursery. "People will just have to point their
iPhones at one of the display plants and the software will identify it for them."
Types of aloes
Top tree aloes include the exotic fan aloe, Aloe plicatilis, which is slow growing, but an attractive
and unusual looking, large plant for the rear of a permanent succulent garden. Another popular tree
aloe is, Aloe dichotoma, which is sold for home gardens under the name, Aloe x. hercules. Aloe
barberae is truly a botanical garden favorite growing to thirty feet with gray trunk and a crown of
branching leaves. There are about 15 varieties of tree aloes. A few varieties hug the ground, Aloe
perfoliata, once called Aloe distans, is a good trailing species for the landscape. It tends to overflow the
pot it's in and head out across a shelf. It's great for growing on the top of a low wall where it will
cascade over the edge.
The specimens which form attractive miniature clumps have been expanded by hybridizers such as
Southern California's Kelly Griffin. He's created eye-catching specimens such as Aloe x.Christmas
carol and Aloe x.green gold. For the clustering aloes, there are also Aloe nobilis variegata, Aloe
rooikappi, Aloe x.delta lights and Agave geminiflora. Aloe vera barbadensis is the popular house plant
version that's also widely grown commercially. "The growers," Stockwell noted "remove all the the
babies it puts out and sell them to nurseries." The growers like to keep the plant's energy going to its
main leaves. In the commercial fields in Texas, it grows to about 3 1/2 feet tall. It's a good houseplant
but outside, it's cold-sensitive. With California facing two years of drought, it is vital for enthusiastic
gardeners and all homeowners to cut back on water usage and embrace more succulents about their
homes. By selecting a wide variety of aloes, the blooming cycle will continue throughout the year.
Ernesto Sandoval provides tips on growing succulents: by Joe Truskot
07/27/14
Growing cactus and other succulents doesn't have to be literally
a thorn in your side. In fact, if you always wear gloves and long
sleeves and you follow some basic rules in planting a cactus
garden, you won't have to do too much maintenance. Succulents
grow at differing rates but eventually your garden will sport a few
drop dead beautiful specimens. Ernesto Sandoval, director of the
Botanical Conservatory at the University of California, Davis, is
an expert at growing succulents and at designing attractive garden
beds using them. Sandoval addressed the July 20 meeting of the
Monterey Bay Area Cactus and Succulent Society at its regular
meeting place — the VFW Hall on Freedom Boulevard,
Watsonville and offered a wealth of entertaining and practical
advice. When he arrived at the Conservatory more than a decade
ago as a student worker, Sandoval found most of the specimen plants growing in pots. By placing succulents
into appropriately prepared garden beds — a more natural environment for them — the results were
magnificent. "I'm here," Sandoval laughed, "to convince you to liberate your plants. Get them out of those pots
and into the ground."
At U.C., Davis, he set about creating mounded beds, assembling compatible specimens, and through some
trial and error, altering the landscape of the Conservatory and other parts of the campus. "During the entire
summer, I only water the beds once a month," he said. "Just like the drenching they might get in a
thunderstorm." Throughout Sunday's meeting, Sandoval named specific Central Coast-loving succulent genera
(that's the plural of genus, by the way, and a really useful Scrabble word). They included aloes (Sandoval's
favorite), echeveria (the other favorite of Sandoval), agave (perhaps his most loved succulent), echinopsis (a
cactus that's won him over as nearest and dearest) and many other absolute personal favorites.
In creating a garden bed, Sandoval recommends combining deciduous plants with succulents. In the winter,
this will give the succulents more sun than evergreens. He also recommends keeping pine trees away from
succulents. "Have you ever tried to pull pine needles out of an agave?" he asked. "Oxygen is important to
roots," Sandoval continued. He highly recommends a crushed rock called "red lava fines." It's not the lava rocks
used as garden covering but is instead a finely crushed pumice which has lots of air pockets. Microscopically,
beach sand has very smooth sides. When it's mixed with a heavy clay soil, it binds closely and blocks out air.
Red lava fines is frequently used in the outfields of baseball diamonds. It's ideal as the under layer of a raised
succulent bed. It doesn't break down like organic material will. It provides great drainage, easy digging, a stable
pH, and just three inches of it will give the bed good drainage.
Many of the varieties that do well in our area need a bit of protection in the winter. Sandoval does not
recommend covering them with plastic. "It draws moisture out of the plant and that moisture freezes and will
damage the leaves," he said. "It's better to use old towels, sheets, rags, or even doubled paper bags. They will
not draw moisture but will provide some warmth — just like putting a hat on your head." The combination of
our need to move toward gardens with less water demanding plants and our relative ignorance of home
gardening with succulents, The Salinas California will publish a regular series of articles to appear right here in
the Home & Real Estate section every Friday which describe the main classes of succulents. We'll focus on a
different genus each week, provide horticultural suggestions, name hearty cultivars, offer basic advice from
knowledgeable sources and show you lots of pictures. In his final comments, Sandoval pointed out that
succulents when faced with lack of water and fertilizer, often do their best. "Stress is not bad for succulents,"
Sandoval concluded. "Less water equals more color. Yay succulents!"
Practical Advice
Sandoval provided the following advice for growing succulents in clay soil:
1. raise garden beds to insure better drainage
2. look around your neighborhood and see what succulents are thriving
3. ask garden centers for plants to replace water loving ones
4. combine Mediterranean plants with succulents to add variety of shape, form, color, and bloom times
5. pick a sunny spot, few succulents do well in the shade
6. learn about the many non-spiny succulents that are on the market
The Potted Desert Garden: Tips for Planting Successful Succulents: by Marylee Pangman
08/05/14
It is so hot in August that very few people want to even think about outdoor
activities like gardening. But now is actually the perfect time to start planning
our fall gardens; after all, the season is (thankfully) just around the corner.
In the desert, it’s best to contemplate low-water plants, like succulents. In my
quest to keep your plants (and your money!) out of the compost heap, here are
eight tips to safeguard your investment in these plants. But first, a clarification:
All cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti. Of course, the bestknown succulents are cacti.
Now for those tips:
1. Buy your plants from a nursery that grows its plants in the weather in
which you will be planting them. In other words: Purchase locally from
the growers, if possible. Some nurseries may not grow their own plants, but you can always ask where they
were grown. Make sure the answer is either here or another desert climate!
2. Plant each cactus with the same orientation to the sun in which it was grown, to avoid sunburn.
3. Location is critical when choosing plants. Be sure each location and sun exposure is appropriate for the plant.
4. Plant succulents in purchased cactus soil—not native desert soil. This will limit exposure to bacteria and other
disease organisms in ground soil.
5. When planting a succulent, bring the cactus soil level up to an inch or two below the original soil line on the
stem of the plant. This will give you room to add rock to the top of the soil.
6. Here’s why you want to add that rock: It helps retain moisture and speeds top-level drainage. Too much water
around the top of the planted stem can lead to root rot.
7. Allow the newly planted succulent to rest out of direct sunlight for a week or two before watering it. This
allows any roots that were damaged to heal, as unhealed wet roots are susceptible to bacterial or fungal
infections.
8. Do not overwater! Most succulents (aloes are a notable exception) are dormant in the winter, so potted
succulents only need water once a month. In the summer, every two weeks will work. If you are going to be
away, no worries; they can wait three to four weeks for water.
Jade plants come in a wide range of shapes and sizes: by Joe Truskot
08/14/14
It's a toss up. The first succulent I ever grew was either a sanseveria (common name: mother-in-law's tongue) or a
crassula (jade plant). Both were given to me by my grandmother. I can't recall which was first, but it doesn't matter. I
loved them both and through them I learned to love living things. They are easy to care for and fun to watch grow. The
jade plant became my favorite. I pretended it was a miniature forest and set up fierce battles between cheap plastic
soldiers beneath its limbs. Even today, when I see a jade plant in pot I think it's a cheater's bonsai. The genus crassula
contains more than 100 identified species. Most are versatile and easy-to-grow plants which continue to be expanded
as new hybrids are introduced. Many are available at local nurseries.
Let's start with the common jade plant, Crassula ovata. I have it growing in two different locations. The one that
came with the house grows around the Smart Meter and hides its ugly metalness. The other grows in half wine barrel.
It came from a friend who got it from an elderly neighbor of his who was downsizing. It must be decades old as its
trunk is about six inches in diameter. They bloom in January. Crassula ovata is tender. When there's a frost alert, I haul
out blankets and old towels and cover them up. Most crassulas are native to the cape side of South Africa and not
surprisingly they love the California coast. In the wild, they grow in rocky crevices, enduring both drought and
monsoons. Modern cultivars have worked to emphasize leave colors and shapes. They are among the succulents you
should consider for dish gardens.
Crassulas are easy to propagate simply by breaking a piece off the main plant and setting it in some loose sandy soil
to rest for a week or so before you give it a drink. They are among the most attractive succulents for dish gardens,
offering seasonal flowers, attractively patterned or edged leaves, and eye-catching plant shapes. Most crassulas do not
have spines or thorns and are therefore a safe bet for high traffic areas where someone might fall into them. Because
jade plants are found in so many homes, poison control centers receive numerous calls annually regarding their
toxicity. I haven't seen any specific warnings about them being poisonous and suspect that if a jade plant contained any
toxins or irritants, we'd all have heard about them years ago.