A pointed argument for cacti

Cacti lovers love the plants' prickly spines and weird growth patterns. They'll also love the Virginia Beach Master Gardener Spring Plant Sale Saturday at the Virginia Beach Farmers Market.

The master gardeners were fortunate that Leonard Kaplan's large collection of cacti and succulents was donated to the group by his widow, Sylvia. A master gardener, Leonard Kaplan kept his collection in a greenhouse at Virginia Beach's North End.

Even the master gardeners, more masters of gardening than most of us will ever be, have been stymied when it comes to identifying some of the cacti. But the lack of a name only makes the plants more mysterious.

For sure, the master gardeners know they have a large collection of aloes, the plant that many keep in the kitchen because its sap helps heal burns. Aloes, less cactus-looking than most, are a good houseplant for people who want to stay away from more formidable cactus spines.

Dozens more species also will be for sale, including tall, skinny cacti covered with tiny spines; round, barrel-shaped plants armored to the teeth; and cacti ready to bloom or finishing their bloom.

Kaplan's collection also included an oddity that is a favorite of mine, a pregnant onion, which consistently puts out little baby onions from its bulb. The babies can be pulled off and transplanted to other pots. The pregnant onion blooms on the end of very long, curving stem for weeks in winter.

The master gardeners' sale also will feature many plants for the garden such as aquatics, perennials and grasses. But since only prickly pear cactus, with its pretty yellow blooms, is native to Virginia, most cacti in the sale are houseplants. They will do well outside in summer, but, like other houseplants, need to be brought inside in winter.

Master Gardener Betty Villers recalled that Kaplan had a series of steps built against his fence to house his summering cacti. That way, when the plants were watered, they did not drip down on each other.

Water is the cacti's big buga-boo. They are among the easiest of houseplants to raise if they have good, bright light, well-drained soil and are not watered too often.

According to an article in The Virginia Gardener Newsletter (January/February 2006), over-watering, which causes stem and root rot, especially in the nongrowing season, is the big mistake gardeners make with cactus.

The same caveat goes for fertilizer, according to the article, "Caring for Succulents and Cacti" by Jerry Williams of Virginia Tech. Fertilize at half strength only during the growing season.

Because cacti need a minimum amount of water, I have found they are a great houseplant for a cottage I have in Charlottesville. I couldn't stand being in a house without plants, but I can't be there enough to keep most houseplants watered. The cacti don't miss me at all and do just fine between my monthly visits.

Good plants to have, both home and away.

Mary Reid Barrow, barrow1@cox.net