A few days ago we passed 600 pads in the ground, all varieties. A detailed count has to be taken, later to correlate to actual cultivars in addition to species.
The weather has been hot due to a high pressure heat dome. Watering is being done on a 3 to 4 day basis by hose.
No indication of when the monsoons will start, though there is cloud cover and higher humidity.
The chicken coop continues to be worked on at a very slow pace.
I planted some derelict pads this morning. Most of what's left is going to be planted flat on the outside perimeter.
There is light predation on some of the young pads that are from three inches up to five inches. Younger ones are not affected. They seem to prefer some plants as a lot of adjacent plants with fresh pads are ignored.
Sunizona, Arizona, USA: Site #0001
This is the first grow site and plant breeding site. Expansion is under way to have a stock of four thousand (4,000) growing opuntia ficus indica and other varieties.
Our main goal here is to create hard freeze resistant stock and to open a nursery (wholesale and retail).