We are definitely in the midst of winter as nighttime temperatures are hovering in the 30s to 40s for the past month and a half. Not only do we have the chilly days and nights to contend with, but the amount of rainfall that we have received since January 1st of this year can be detrimental to the cacti. Our members live in such diverse geographical areas of the Inland Empire that most of us probably have good reason to worry about how the rain deluge will affect our outdoor, exposed succulents.
The winter-growing plants, like Aloes, Echeverias, and Aeoniums will likely go unscathed by the volume of water that has come down. It’s the summer-growing cacti and those succulents that need a “dry” winter rest that will be tested to their cold, wet endurance. They may look un-weathered now, but we may need a few more months to see whether they have survived the over-soaked ground. If you already have well-drained soil they will likely fare better. If your succulents are covered under dry and/or warm enclosures, remember to offer some watering for those plants which cannot be too dry during the winter rest period.
The 2023 cactus and succulent show and sale season will start this month with the first event beginning in San Diego. A listing of the tentative clubs’ Show and Sale schedule is in this newsletter and on our website. Mark your calendar. You will also notice a discrepancy with the date of our club’s event. The Gates CSS Show and Sale will be on May 12 and 13th, NOT May 5 and 6th! This is due to a schedule conflict with the facility use. May 12 and 13th will suit us better since it is Mother’s Day weekend and we will attract more vendors and attendees. We will have more details to share at the meeting.
As a friendly reminder to those members who have not had the chance to renew your 2023 membership yet, you can do so at the meeting.
Remember to bring your plants for the mini plant show. This month’s plant category are columnar cacti and haworthia / gasteria.
Phuc
Gates Cactus and Succulent Society 