About Eirinn A. ÒBhrìaìn Expertise I have a great deal of experience in the propagation, culture and appropriate placement of native plants for both wildlife and the environment. Whether your question is about making new native plants from seed, cutting, grafting or any other area of propagation, I can be of assistance. I enjoy working with people to discover which plants are best for their region, habitat and property. This includes questions on planting natives to control erosion or for other environmental reasons, or planting to attract and provide food/shelter for wildlife. I am a strong advocate for organic gardening methods and can answer questions in this area, as well. I can answer questions in the following areas: plant propagation of nearly any plant and all methods including: seed starting, grafting, growing from cuttings of all types, layering, etc.); landscape design (in any climate and for both residential and commercial design); growing plants indoors and/or in a greenhouse; plant breeding and hybridizing; plant identification; plant problem and disease diagnosis; seed collecting and preservation; Water gardening; Xeriscaping, Shade/Woodland gardening; Container gardening; Vegetable/Fruit Culture; Rose Culture; Native Plant Culture; Gardening for Self-sufficiency and Homesteading; Bog gardens; etc.
Experience I have more than 25 years experience in gardening. I am a Master Gardener, a professional consultant on rose care (especially wild or species roses)propagation and garden design, a professional Landscape Designer and specialize in designing organic and sustainable landscapes for both residential and commercial clients. I have created a nationally certified Wildlife Habitat of my property and frequently have gardening and wildlife classes here. I have worked in East and Southern Africa both as a Humanitarian worker and as a post-war agricultural development specialist. I am from the north of Ireland and have gardened there, in Africa and extensively in the United States. I work (voluntarily) with University of Illinois Plant Science Program in the Conservatory with the rare plant exhibits. I am also a volunteer consultant to the Champaign, IL Park District. I am a frequent public speaker on gardening issues throughout the state of Illinois.
Organizations American Horticultural Society; Illinois Master Gardeners; Nature Conservancy; Amnesty International
Education/Credentials A.S. Medical Specialist, Owens Technical College. B.A. University of Toledo, concurrent studies with University of Nairobi. Individualized Program. Major: African Studies and Sustainable Development; Minor: International Law. M.S. Horticulture, in progress. Certifications: Master Herbalist, Austral-Asian College of Health Sciences Master Gardener Consulting Rosarian Rose Hybrizer/Breeder, American Rose Society
Awards and Honors Teamwork Award, Illinois Master Gardeners: For developing the first Plant-A-Row For the Hungry Program for Moultrie-Douglas County. I developed a new system for distributing fresh produce to each small town in the two counties, whose towns are quite distant from each other. The method of distribution enabled those in isolated communities to easily reach the distributed fresh produce. Lisle Foundation Scholarship to facilitate and research organic and sustainable gardening in Uganda, East Africa. Human Rights Worker of the Year, 1988 Peace and Aid for Africa
Expert: Eirinn A. ÒBhrìaìn Date: 2/8/2008 Subject: Night Blooming Cereus
Question QUESTION: A friend on the west coast sent me some stems from her night blooming cereus with the suggestion that I root them and start my own plant.
I live in MN where this will be a houseplant.
After several months, I finally have hair roots on all of the stems and now want to plant them. Can you give me advice on what the best method of planting them would be, type of soil, etc.
Thanks for your help. I'd love to succeed in getting these to "take off"!
ANSWER: Hi Andrea! You have excellent taste in plants - Night Blooming Cereus is beautiful and scented.
Your plant will do best in very well-dreined soil mix (ex. equal parts good potting soil without moisture-retaining additives, course sand and vermiculite). It does really well in filtered sun, but can take some direct sunlight. The pH should be neutral 6.5 - 7.5. Although it likes plenty of water, you have to let the soil go dry between waterings or the plant will turn to mush. Do feed it 2-5 times during the growing season - the time when the plant would naturally be blooming in its native habitat.
It's actually a very easy plant to care for. My advice to anyone who adopts a cactus or succulent is: Don't love it to death. Less is more with these types of plants.
Best of luck - I know you'll do great!
Erin
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: I'm a real rookie with plants--so I'm encouraged by your response. How do I measure the pH of the soil? When I begin to feed it--what do you suggest I use/how much/etc?
Answer Hello again, Andrea! You can measure soil ph with a meter from a garden store, litmus paper or make your own very cheaply (a good idea if you're not going to be doing ph tests frequently!).
Here's how to make your own ph meter at home:
You start by getting a Red Cabbage from your grocery store. It contains a pigment molecule which is called anthocyanin which changes colour based on the ph of what is added to it.
Your list of materials is:
red cabbage
blender or juicer
boiling water
coffee filter
a clear glass pyrex measuring cup, beaker or other clear heat resistant container for the cabbage juice.
Procedure:
Put about 2 cups of chopped cabbage in a blender and add cover it with boiling water and blend it all together.
Let the mix sit for 10 minutes.
Filter out the cabbage plant material and pour the juice into a clear container. The cabbage juice should be a red-blue-purplish colour.
Now, take a couple of tablespoons of the soil you're using to grow the cereus and moisten it. Then, start with a teaspoon of the soil/water mix and put it into the cabbage water. Keep adding bits of the soil until you see a colour change.
Here's the colour chart which tells you the ph of your soil in cabbage juice:
The pH is 2 4 6 8
When the Colour is Red Purple Violet Blue
So, ideally, the colour will be a violet-blue, which is about neutral.
Now on the plant food: Any balanced plant food with NPK numbers 10-10-10 will do. I only use organic plant foods personally, but that's a matter of choice for you. It doesn't require any special plant food. Just follow the directions on the container, but start feeding it at half-strength, so as not to burn the new root growth. Do this for a month or so. Then go to the few times per year feeding regimen I spoke about earlier, don't over-water it, but when the soil's completely dry drench it with water and let it drain. Never feed it before watering it.
If you have any more questions, feel free to let me know, and have a great time with your new Plant Friend!
Erin
