A year of growing Prickly Pear — detailed seasonal notes

Here are my notes from twelve months of growing Prickly Pear:

Spring: rapid growth during the warm summer months. This was the moment that confirmed the whole venture. I focused on protecting from frost below -5°C even for hardy varieties during this period which set up the rest of the year.

spectacular but brief blooms that can appear overnight developed steadily through the warmer months. spider mites in warm dry indoor conditions appeared in summer and required prompt treatment. The plant in a greenhouse or conservatory staging performed better than I'd expected for the position. Overall: a rewarding year. The investment of attention is paid back generously.