Under the bench

[EdMcKenna]

Having relocated and downsized my new greenhouse, I find myself a bit pushed for top shelf space.
So I'm looking for suggestions of which cacti (mainly) and succulents prefer to spend their summer under the bench or one shelf down.

[AllanA]

Hi Ed, Haworthias are quite happy in the shade and there are some striking hybrids.

[EdMcKenna]

Hi Allan thanks for the reply, this year is the first time I have included Haworthia and Gasteria in my collection. I have noticed that some of them did not like the south facing window ledge so that confirms that they will all spend the summer under the greenhouse top bench.

[AllanA]

Hi Ed, don't worry if some of your Haworthias go red in summer, it is natural. They will green up again next winter.

Allan

[ianstrutt]

Gasterias take up the majority of the space under my bench.

Other dormant plants also sit under there. All my conos are currently under the bench and will only be moved when they’re watered late in the summer.

[RayW]

Gymnocalycium and some Notocactus/Parodias are fine in slight shade and under the bench is as good as anywhere for that.

[EdMcKenna]

Thanks for the replies, much appreciated.
I think I will have to keep a good on things as we progress into the growing season.
I added some more staging last week into my 10 x 8 greenhouse, done a bit of shuffling of stuff and felt pleased. Until I remembered the tall cacti, the Euphorbia, the less hardy cacti and the newly added Haworthia still have to be accommodated .
We're into above 10 oC overnight now so I will start doing this today. The bubble wrap has still to come down so under the staging should get a bit more light, it still looks a bit dark which is why I posted this thread. As every summer, a work in progress

[Herts Mike]

I must say I only put the dormant stuff, Pelargoniums, Bulbine etc under the bench. I’ve always grown Haworthias and Gasterias in the full glare of the sun reckoning that our sun is nothing like the strength of their homeland sun.
Nothing has burnt so far!

[AllanA]

Hi Mike, Sun may be stronger in SA but a lot of these plants grow in shade, so I prefer to give them shade, espescially the younger ones.
I find that the sun in spring is the worst as it has been dull for so long and then suddenly all day sun whic burns new growth.
As you can tell I am a causious grower
Once they are red they stop growing, which would save on some of the watering in summer I suppose.
I am assuming you don't use cool glass to provide any shade.

[Herts Mike]

You are quite right Allan about spring sunshine. I can remember at my old house a big high pressure weather system in March which meant days of unbroken sunshine which burnt some cacti on the most exposed side. The Haworthias were on the other side and were fine.

Mine have never been red but the colours on Haworthia mutica are wonderful and I’ve never used coolglass.

None of this is of any use to Ed to whom I apologise.