A Great Succulentophile

Many people constantly ask me why I collect succulents as a hobby. Somehow, they don’t think I’m the type of person who would be interested in these plants. I’m a firm believer in living a balanced life. For me, one’s overall quality of life depends on how balanced one’s life is. And a critical part of a balanced life is having a hobby or two to get our minds and energy diverted from the usual rigors of work and family life. As I tell my friends, good, serious hobbies help keep me sane. And for me, I can escape fairly quicklyfrom the concerns of everyday life when I am with my plants or when I communicate with fellow succulentophiles.

One such succulentophile whom I have gotten to know better this past year is Bill Munkacsy. I have never met Bill personally, but we do communicate over the Internet from time to time. Bill is one of the great collectors and growers of rare cacti. As you can see from the photos, Bill grows some of the very best looking succulent specimens you will see anywhere in the world!

Bill lives in Alamo, California, which is close to the Wall Creek-San Jose area. He is the president of the Cactus and Succulent Society of San Jose and plays a leadership role in the Cactus and Succulent Society of California. He is a consistent show winner because of his fabulously grown cactus specimens. He is also the owner and proprietor of Planta Seca, a cactus nursery specializing in Ariocarpus, Mammillarias and other rarer cactus genera.

Bill is passionate about this hobby. He has a deep love and understanding for the growth behavior and requirements of his plants, with decades of experience. And the good thing about him is he is willing to share his knowledge with those who ask. For example, Bill was a guest on a popular radio show in the Bay Area where the host and listeners picked his brains on the do’s and don’ts of successful cactus culture.

I asked Bill to share some of his growing philosophies and techniques. Now, please bear in mind that Bill lives in a totally different environment from all of us here in the hot, humid tropics. Northern California is temperate, with very little humidity. But I am positive we can all learn a few things from Bill. Here’s what he had to say:

“I think a big secret in growing these plants is temperature.  Cacti need it hot (during the daytime) but they need it cool, especially at night, to grow.  The temperature here in Alamo averages around 55 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, so we cool down on summer nights and the plants continue growing. Otherwise, they won’t grow well if night temperatures exceed 65 degrees, and they then tend to rot. Light is the same as everyone else. I give them as much light as possible. I use Miracle-Grow for fertilizer and grow the plants in 50 percent organic potting soil mix and 50 percent perlite. I don’t use sand and rarely use pumice.

“I water every seven to 12 days from April through October (spring to autumn time in the US). I rarely water during the colder winter months. In fact, I may water only twice in April, but pick up the watering with the increasing heat. The water pH (acidity-alkalinity) level is a big deal, too. I sometimes acidify the water with some vinegar (two teaspoons per five gallons of water).  Our pH level in Alamo is around seven; best if the level is five, hence the vinegar treatment.  My plants were not looking so good one month ago and I gave them the vinegar water, and this really perked them up.”

The results of this cultural regimen are nothing short of amazing. Look at the photos of Bill’s rare Ariocarpus, Copiapoa, and Mammillaria collection. I can honestly say that these are among the very best cacti I have ever seen. The Ariocarpus retusus collection is quite fascinating. Note the different shapes, sizes and forms of this one species. One could make a really extensive collection by just focusing on this single species!

I do hope to visit Bill in person some day soon and see his vast and fantastic collection. I know that day will be one of the highlights of my life.

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E-mail the author at succulentophile@yahoo.com.