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mauch1

Controlling Weeds in Winter Hardy Cactus Beds

mauch1
16 years ago

I have a hardy cactus beds (all Opuntia currently) and am in the process of expanding it (addig a few more Opuntias, chollas, Echinocereus (2), an Escobaria, and some succulents (Mesemb, sempervivum, and Sedum)).

I am having trouble with weed control. I have avoided using herbicide as I was afraid it would harm the cacti. I try to avoid herbicide, and when I do use it, I mainly use glyphosphate (RoundUp). I've tried flame weeding, but it is time consuming. The cactus spines burn (though the cacti seems unharmed), and the weeds as they are only top killed, seem to come back or aren't completely killed. Hand weeding is problematic because of the glochids. I tried using salad tongs, but have trouble getting a firm enough 'grip'.

What do you who have hardy cactus beds (particularly in the rainy east), do to control weeds?

Two other 'quick' questions:

1) My new cacti are small. I was planning on planting them in 6 in. clay pots and keeping them in my unheated dry garage. Any thoughts on this?

2) I know of 3 hardy cacti 'books'

John Spain "Growing Winter Hardy Cacti",

Amateur Digest "Cacti and Succulents from Seed".

Bruce Brethauer "Cactus in the Snow"

Any thoughts on these?

As to associations, I know of

Winter Hardy Cactus & Succulent Association

and

Amateur Digest.

Any thoughts/comments on these groups or other groups I should consider?

Thanks!

Comments (8)

  • biwako_of_abi
    16 years ago

    I'm not sure where you might find them, but I have a pair of long and thin tongs that operate something like scissors and really get a good grip on the weeds. I bought them at a meeting of the San Diego Cactus & Succulent Society. If there is such a society near you, you might try them.

  • webkat5
    16 years ago

    Well, have you thought of keeping Preen in the area? This will at least stop weed seeds from germinating....

    I hand weed mine...using the tongs to move the pads away from the weed I am pulling...

    Another option is a long-handled dandelion digger which would help you to dislodge the weeds and then you can easily pick them up with the tongs....

    Hope that helps...getting ready to create a new bed for my new hardy cacti...

  • sjv78736
    16 years ago

    What is your bed top dressed with? You could...
    Pull everything away from all plants w/in the bed. Invest in good quality garden fabric and stakes, then cover w/the topdressing of your choice: lava rock, river stones, pea gravel, whatever suits your eye. If you wish to go back and add more plants to the bed, simply push the rocks away from the area, cut an X through the cloth where you want the plant placed, roll back the four points, do your thing and put it all back, anchoring again well. If you don't want "just" rocks for topdressing, There are a number succulent ground covers you can use for 'color spots' to breakup the rock look: cold hardy sedums come in all type leaf shape and shades of gold, red, lite, dark, variegated and tricolored greens. As well as Aptenia Cordifolia (tho it dies back in winter). At any rate, the initial expense in time, effort and $ will give you better weed control over a longer period of time, eventually saving you time, effort and $. HTH - Jo

    btw -
    you can save money on garden fabric by using newspaper BUT
    1)still use the stakes to anchor them down
    2)make the layers of paper Thick - like a whole section at once - and make VERY sure you overlap all edges
    3)For extended life of your project, use paper under and garden fabric over, all anchored, then cover w/an aggregate.
    This 3-step method w/guarantee many years with little/no weeds.

  • dufflebag2002
    16 years ago

    I also hand weed. You have excellent advise to your question in the previous responses. Rainbow Garden book store may have the tools that you need. Use heavy leather gloves when working with Opuntia. Sometimes I actually need to dig up the plant in order to get the weeds out of it, turning the plant upside down, to get at the roots of the weeds, or your wasting your time if you don't get the complete roots out. You can't stop the wind or birds from bring seeds in each year. Round Up can do big damage to you and the soil, as well as the plants. Norma

  • mauch1
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Thanks for the info. I'm not looking forward to putting down the landscape fabric (which I already have), but it looks like the way to go.

    Thanks!

  • sjv78736
    16 years ago

    Well, as my gardening granny always said 'get the trouble outta the way...do it right the first time so you can enjoy it instead of regretting what you shoulda done.' Grannies are funny that way, no?
    Post us a b4/after of your project. Jo

  • cactusfriend
    16 years ago

    Hi! I am new to this forum, but I have found a pretty good solution to this problem. I have just created a new bed with industrial landscape fabric and pea gravel. However, to weed my previous bed I use medical calipers - you know, those things that look kind of like scissors, but clamp tight when you close them? I got my set (three different lengths, one with a curved end) on ebay a few years ago, but if you can't find any there, maybe you could find some at a medical supply store? They work pretty well and, if I'm careful, I rarely get stabbed! Leslie

  • mauch1
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    I've redone the original bed, added one new bed, and am adding a second. Here's some pictures of what I did to clean up the bed:

    First what the bed looked like

    {{gwi:570672}}

    Actually some weeds had been removed at this point.

    And a long shot of what the overall area where the bed is:

    {{gwi:570673}}

    Then I removed the original gravel mulch (as much as I could):

    {{gwi:570674}}

    Then I placed the landscape fabric. This was fiddling, working it around the plants and anchoring it down. Got a number of glochids:

    {{gwi:570675}}

    I also outlined one of the new beds:

    {{gwi:570676}}

    This shot was taken in the opposite direction (looking west) from the original long shot.

    Note a 'dirty secret' of mine. I don't make my 'mound' fully of cactus mix. I mound some of my regular soil at the bottom of my bed. My 'theory' is that the boundary will shed the water better.

    The mix I use for my new beds:

    {{gwi:570677}}

    It's 1/3 soil (a clay loam), 1/3 sand, and 1/3 gravel.

    I'll follow up with some more pictures later.