Great blooms Andrea!

Lily, those are so cool! Do all of those plants stay outside all year in Z6?

Yes they do. Most of these are hybrids and are more cold and moisture tolerant.

Really nice blooms. Do you keep those plants under cover (protected from rain/snow) during the winter?

Thank you, Andrea! I was so surprised, I forgot to look @ your real name before. LOL!

Baja_Costero said: Really nice blooms. Do you keep those plants under cover (protected from rain/snow) during the winter?

No, I do not. I did lose an agave and a couple of yucca though. I tried putting some of the barrel types out in my cactus and succulent garden, but they died out there. They seen to do just fine in those pots up next to the house. That is the second winter for them.

Uh-oh, I have plenty of space outside when it's cold...

I would like to leave this out but am unclear about hardiness. I can put it where it won't get rained on but will be in direct sun until just before noon. During warm weather, I don't move it out of the rain unless it's going to rain a 2nd time, too soon.
Arizona Ruby Rainbow Hedgehog Cactus (Echinocereus rigidissimus subsp. rubispinus)

The temperature is not as important as the moisture. It is more likely to rot when the shallow roots get oversaturated.

Thank you very much! I've assumed that is a factor in my mini gardens, which are protected from direct rain at the edge of the porch area. I do water them over winter, but only at the beginning of a warm spell. Maybe I will include Ruby next time I redo one of them.

IrisLily said: The temperature is not as important as the moisture. It is more likely to rot when the shallow roots get oversaturated.

Andrea, what do you mean by oversaturated? Are you saying that you never water them till saturated ? Tx.

I rarely water the ones planted in the ground at all. I only water the ones on the pots in the summer when it gets too dry. I do not water in the winter at all, because it rains and snows on them.
It really depends on your climate and how much precipitation you get where you live.

A bloom, most of the main plant, and a few year old seedlings of Opuntia cespitosa.