On Thu 03 Mar 2005 11:41:48a, Katra wrote in rec.food.cooking:

> What kind of cacti?
> I'm just getting started on it in my greenhouse and have a nice small
> collection of mixed cacti, and several San Pedros. I've also managed to
> start some Trichocereus peruvianus from seed. I think I've got at least
> 50 of those that are nearly an inch tall now. :-) They eventually reach
> 5 to 6 meters.

Uh, don't ask me for the Latin names! :-) We're currently in a rental
house, but we brought all of our specimen pieces from our previously owned
house and will relocate them again next winter when we move into our own
home. We have a 12' saguaro, three varieties of prickly pear, a large
cluster of snowpoles, a totem pole, 2 jumping cholla, 3 teddy bear cholla,
an Arizona barrel, 3 golden barrel, 5 varieties of agaves, and a large
pencil plant (the last two are succulents, I believe). We left behind our
orange, lemon, and limes trees, as well as our several varieties of palms.
Not enough room here, and both the move and interim maintenance would have
been a headache.

> Honestly, if you can grow cacti, you can grow herbs! They like warm
> temps. Mine are on the West side of the house where they stay fairly
> warm during the winter. Most of them are pretty easy as most herbs are
> "weeds". <G> Try some rosemary and sage at first. Those are friendly to
> a desert environment! So is dittany of crete, a type of oregano.
> Most parrot food mixes have dried chiles. :-)

Until we move again, I haven't the space, time, patience, or inclination to
take on an herb garden. Too, while they might like warm temps, our
shadeless 110-115 degree summers might be pushing the envelope. It's
something I'd like to think about when we have our own place and I can
dedicate and customize space for a garden.

>
> Parrots, like humans, don't make their own vitamin C so it needs to be
> in their diets. Peppers have vitamin C in them, and parrots love them! I
> also give her fresh citrus. Oranges and grapefruits. She loves them!
>
> Most predators (cats and dogs) make their own vitamin C so it does not
> need to be supplemented.
>
> Animal health 101. <G>

Hmmm... I guess I never knew all that. I have owned nothing but cats
(currently 4) over the past 40 years.

--
Wayne Boatwright
____________________________________________

Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day.
Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974