Each monthly issue of the Henry Shaw Cactus and Succulent Society Digest includes club updates, columns and articles by members on their favorite aspects of cactus and succulent culture. Digest Editor Jolie Krupnik and various club contributors always provide plenty of plant material to ponder.
Follow the links to right to view a sample copy of the digest or read individual articles. Join HSCSS to receive every newsletter in print and/or electronic form.
Part 2: Building a Raised Bed – By J. Eric Driskill – In this article, I will explain how to build your own raised bed, beginning with a smaller bed. My guess is after you see the results the first year, you will be expanding yours before you start putting plants in there the second year. Your first task is to find the ideal location for your bed. You can do a lot of research …
We need your photos for this year’s club T-shirts. The shirts will feature a non-cactus succulent or group of succulents on the front. If you have a great high-resolution picture or two you would like to be considered, post image files to the chatroom in the HSCSS online forum or e-mail files to jemerk2@yahoo.com. …
Part 1: The Science Behind It – By J. Eric Driskill – I have consistently used a raised bed after I saw such amazing growth results for so many plants. I know a raised bed works, but biology, botany and horticulture articles discuss how differences in container size, including raised beds, affect plant growth. Data in these articles can broadly apply to any plants, including succulents. …
By Jason Chretien – While not formally surveyed, I have found that many people who grow plants as a hobby are naturally curious. Thinking about plant growing with a beginner’s mind is about being curious, open to innovative ideas, eager to learn – not based on preconceived notions or prior knowledge, but approaching what we do with a sense of wonder. …
At HSCSS’ December Winter Holiday Party, Jerry Jost humbly accepted the Martin Schweig Appreciation Award for 2022. Named for longtime HSCSS advocate and volunteer Schweig, the award honors members who freely offer their time, energy and skills for the betterment of the club. …
The new year will take Henry Shaw Cactus and Succulent Society back to its historical home at Missouri Botanical Garden. The January 8 club meeting will be held at the Commerce Bank Center for Science Education, an MBG facility located at 4651 Shaw Blvd., several blocks west of the main garden entrance. …
By Mike Hellmann – There are a few key points to remember when preparing to limp your plants through the winter. First is to grow them well to become healthy over the summer so they are better able to overcome the long, punishing season indoors. Second is remembering the fact that you want your plants dormant (except for winter growers) during their stay indoors. …
By Emily Hall – When I first began collecting succulents, it was all about the spines. Perhaps my Midwestern suburban life was too dull, and I craved the kind of danger that only plants that could take out an eye would provide. It was cacti for me, and the spinier the better. Gradually, however, my collection has softened. A row of Adenium obesum, spineless and charming, now sits in my south-facing kitchen window. …