Hobo Jungle

[sarge]

Yet, some nice, lean Kosher corned beef on a soft, moist rye (with seeds) and the right mustard and a pickle (preferably from The Gazebo, in Shadyside section of Pittsburgh)...Heaven , Kosher heaven. Indeed.

I like that sensory images that conjures.

Being allergic to cheese I can't partake the Philly Cheese-steak.

Simple can sometimes be the absolute best, a good hot-dog (A Hoffman's Coney at Heid's over Nathan's in my book) for example.

My wife and I are working on the replication of the classic Bacon Butty (in the UK) or Bacon Sanger (in RSA), more of a problem than one would think because the right kind of bacon isn't to be found here, although I'm exploring some of the local PA butchers. Closest thing in the chain markets is so-called Canadian bacon, but we're gonna nail it anyway.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Being allergic to cheese I can't partake the Philly Cheese-steak.

That being the case, here's the perfect shop for you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3KBuQHHKx0

[Rufus T. Firefly]

April 9 is . . . . . Winston Churchill Day and Name Yourself Day

[rogruth]

Rufus,

I think that cheese store is in Savannah.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Rufus,

I think that cheese store is in Savannah.

As long as you can get to the pralines, it doesn't matter.

[webenda]

The Purple Prickly Pear, Opuntia violacea var. santa-rita, in my back yard has opened its first flower of this global warming season.

[rogruth]

Wayne,

My usual WOW

Oh,why does the Purple Prickly Pear have yellow flowers?

[webenda]

Wayne,

Oh,why does the Purple Prickly Pear have yellow flowers?

I don't know. I found on the internet it is because bees like yellow, but I also found on the internet that bees can't see yellow. Yellow is a very common color for flowers in the Sonoran Desert. I don't know why.

Or are you thinking Purple Prickly Pear (Opuntia violacea var. santa-rita) refers to the flower color? It gets its name from the purple color of the cactus pads. Most prickly pear cactus are green with yellow flowers, this one is purple with yellow flowers.

[rogruth]

Wayne,

I thought it was something like that.

The four or fie trips I made to Arizona showed me how varied the area was/is.

My friends who have not been,and some that have,do not always believe me
when I tell them how varied the desert is.

I always wanted to see the Saguaro in bloom but we were always there in
July after the blooming season.I think we missed a lot of blooms.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Most prickly pear cactus are green with yellow flowers.....

Opuntia compressa - used as a ground cover as far north as the DE/PA line; I've got some in a garden bed here in No. VA. Nice yellow flowers that the bumble bees seem to find irresistable.....

I also have 2 Opuntia brasiliensis plants - 1 is over 30 years old not and stands about 8' tall, while the 2nd is about 5' tall. They have to winter inside, but love the DC area humidity and grow like weeds when I take them outside. Should be doing that this weekend...... But, I've never gotten them to bloom. Any suggestions on how to induce them to bloom?


April 11 is . . . . Eight-Track Tape Day!

[webenda]

Move farther south. Brasiliopuntia brasiliensis bloom in late summer or fall and go dormant in winter. I think (wild guess) yours are going dormant before they can bloom. They have become naturalized in Florida where they bloom and reproduce from seed.

You need local help. If you can find someone in your area whose Brasiliopuntia brasiliensis bloom, try to figure out what is different in the two environments.

Forum Moderator grows cactus. Maybe he has a Brasiliopuntia brasiliensis that blooms and can give advice.

You move an 8 foot cactus in and out? No way I could move Opuntia violacea anywhere except in small pieces.

Opuntia violacea

9ft tall 12ft wide.jpg (461.93 KiB) Viewed 2048 times

For Roger, this shows the color of Opuntia violacea pads. The sun turns them purple. Pads with more shade (lower down) are green.

Purple pads, purple pads

Purple Pads purple pads.jpg (350.61 KiB) Viewed 2050 times

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Move farther south.

Could happen...

Brasiliopuntia brasiliensis bloom in late summer or fall and go dormant in winter. I think (wild guess) yours are going dormant before they can bloom.

Not sure that mine ever go dormant since they never really winter over

You need local help. If you can find someone in your area whose Brasiliopuntia brasiliensis bloom, try to figure out what is different in the two environments.

Might be difficult, but worth trying

You move an 8 foot cactus in and out?

Mine is very "tree-like" and not a "bush-like". I prune about 18" off every year when I bring it in for the winter, so it just scrapes the ceiling. Takes 2 people, my son and I to get it inside. Have to wear good leather gloves, too!

[webenda]

Not sure that mine ever go dormant since they never really winter over.

If they don't start that 18 inches of yearly growth while indoors, good chance they are dormant.

Takes 2 people, my son and I to get it inside.

New sport, cactus wrestling?

[rogruth]

Wayne,

That is quite a plant.
Do you have an idea of its age?
How big can it get?

[webenda]

Do you have an idea of its age?
How big can it get?

I planted one pad from a neighbor's plant 17 years ago. So, does anyone know, would that make this one 17 years old or should I add about five years from the neighbor's plant making it 22 years old. Plus, I don't know if the neighbor started it from seed or a cutting from an even older plant. Let's just say it took 17 years to grow from one pad to a 9 or 10 foot height.

According to internet sources purple prickly pear can grow to 3 - 5 feet in height and spread.*

Reference: http://www.delange.org/PricklyPearPurpl ... Purple.htm


*I hate it when the internet lives up to Rufus' dim view of its accuracy.