Garden2TableTV Episode 14 ~ Planting Prickly Pear Cactus! [subscribe -- free!]

[@halimhadjameur3585]

North Africa here great fencing idea just like I hoped . Thanks for sharing

[@TaLeng2023]

I heard people there are having problems with the cochineal eating the nopales. Apparently they are yet to use them for dyes.

[@PeachySoju]

im from new jersey and i never knew we have cactus but i recetntly learned we do have prickly pear! ive never seen one and i dont think a lot of people here know they exist here. i went to the beach the other day and saw a wild one! i took some pads, got cactus soil, and am now trying to propagate them. (of course i was naive and grabbed it with my bare hands and placed it in my pocket...ya big mistake lol. its been weeks n i still feel and find little spines every now and then in me.) This video was amazing ur so sweet and knowledgable

[@janbarnard6411]

South Africa, Planted approx 50 Pads, 3 different varieties about a year ago. Waiting patiently.

[@nelliecastillo4526]

thank you. i planted mine the same way. cut and plant i don’t wait. i just harvested fresh ones yesterday, cleaned,cooked and scrambled w eggs this morning. I added bone meal to base and mine are very green and plump 😅

[@rodneyhall1558]

I'm here in Oklahoma and I was mowing them over and than I saw how good they looked when they put yellow flowers on now I'm putting rocks 🪨 around them to protect them from me

[@5isalivegaming72]

Same! Haha I found 3 random leaves? Laying under a ceder tree when I was clearing out the edges of my property and let them be. Couple years later I put a border around the patch and I recently put up red brick. Mine are smaller and more bushy, they've been going in their patch about 7 years now haha. I live in south jersey

[@TanyaM-Lova]

My neighbourhood here in Phoenix, AZ has so many bushes of these . I finally picked some fallen off leaves and will try to propagate. Thank you for tips :)

[@rigovaldez2469]

“NO-pal-IS” salad 🥗 lmao 🤣 I can’t

[@JabulileChiliza-m8k]

Wow that's great. I'm using this plant with aloe vara , coconut oil and mineral oil to make tissue oil . Thank so much for sharing

[@texasRoofDoctor]

I have one now that started from one pad i found on the street in my neighborhood. Now it has 21 pads. The trick is to plant it in the ground so that it has room to build roots. I plant mine near the fence so that i can throw a tarp over them if we get a freeze. Sometimes i get sentimental and put a heater under the tarp if we get a serious freeze.

[@lorisiccia5914]

"Sometimes I get sentimental and put a heater under the tarp if we get a serious freeze" This made me smile. Cozy Cactus 🌵

[@francocastillo9693]

H town in Texas we eat them in nopal green blender with spinach and green apple al little bit of lemon in the morning before you eat any thing we eat them and can it too for winter time when they don’t put out we do canning with vinegar and water salt onions and garlic they are good for a year I witch I had all that that you have we do it raw salad with lemon and Tajín it is good try it thanks

[@tomscott3]

I like how you blow off the pure evil glochids. I'd rather get stuck 3 times with a full sized thorn than getting _one_ glochid buried in my skin. 😂 I just started eating these things in 2023. I have a friend who, to me, is Mr. Survivalist and introduced me to them. I've tasted about 5 species. Looks like you have what I call "reds" and which taste like persimmons, but are about 3 times sweeter and are like candy--too sweet for me. We have another species here that has much thinner paddles and produces my second-favorite watermelon-flavored "yellows." But my favorite pear--and perhaps now my favorite fruit of all--is one of 3 species of native "purples." This variety has the perfect amount of juiciness, sweetness, and "purpleness" and the seeds are smaller and less prevalent. My mom has a species in Florida (different from what we have here) that she propagated from one paddle to another plant. It has grown *_30 paddles in less than 2 years_* and is setting 50+ fruit this its second full year, which is surprising with all the rainfall there! I thought sure it would be much too tropical, but the soil there is like sugar. I'm going to bring a paddle from a yellow and my favorite purple next trip to plant them and hopefully have the trifecta there 😊 Very Best Regards, Tom Scott Author ● Speaker ● World's Leading Expert on the Corrupt U.S. Legal System _Stack the Legal Odds in Your Favor_ _Our American Injustice System_

[@prm7882]

I just moved to San Antonio, Texas. I was able to get some nopales from my aunt's 90 year old friend. These nopales are from her friend's grandmother. So these propagated plants are from plants in the 1800s, I love that!!! I will be potting them up today. My aunt does not want cactus in her garden so into pots they go until I have my own place. I love eating them cubed and cooked with some onion and eggs.

[@medardnhungwa685]

thank you. l'm watching from tanzania

[@flatflyeroz]

Originally South African, now an Australian. We grew up with them. Over her in Oz they are declared an invasive plant. I did manage to get my hands on a few pads and these are now proudly growing in my garden. I am waiting for my first fruits. Love your channel

[@purpledancerbmw5279]

Eight years, I'm 67. Guess I won't see my fence and then someone will knock it down. My other favorite Sega palms. Oh my grow grow grow.

[@raiderfrankdatank]

Great information

[@garygilliam1890]

Yes I planted some beside my greenhouse this pass summer in south Carolina

[@RyanSchneider-o8v]

You’ve helped me out a lot with this video. Thank you so much. Your plant is absolutely beautiful. I love how long it goes down your property. It’s just as beautiful as you.

[@Richard-g3z5y]

Gag. Simp much? Loser.

[@guybartlett9587]

We're on the coast in Guerrero Mexico, im planting a native forest with cactus, Thanks for the info, beautiful and so are the cactus! Ja ja ja subbed

[@FeralFeminine]

This is fantastic info! I want to plant them in my yard in El Paso!

[@darlenetomes4774]

I Loved your talk and would love to get some pads

[@PsychicIsaacs]

I grow Nopal in North Central Victoria, Australia. I have HUNDREDS of plants, some of them are about 10 feet tall. I have an Egyptian lady on one side, and a South American Indian lady on the other side. We ALL LOVE NOPAL!!! I planted a Nopal Hedge on the "Egyptian" property boundary of my land years before she moved in there, and I told her she was welcome to take the fruit and pads, even propagation stock (branches) from her side of the fence, any time she wanted to. She was so happy, her smile was a delight to see! I have 20 acres, BTW, so it's going to be a while before the land is all filled up, but as a pioneer species, they can't be beat! Another great pioneer that I propagate here is Agave americana. I have some mixed Agave and Prickly Pear hedges as well as pure Nopal hedges (and pure Agave hedges) and they all do well. Agave leaf pulp can be fermented into a silage for livestock feed and also the pulp can be boiled to make delicious Agave Syrup and then fermented to make various alcoholic beverages (Tequila, Mescale, Agave Beer). You can also ferment Tuna (Prickly Pear Fruit) to make Prickly Pear Wine or Vinegar or boil the fruit pulp in twice its weight in sugar to make a cordial. You can also bottle the strained pulp as a jam. All of the above are delicious and well worth the work! God Bless, and Thank You for your Work!

[@cornelioguzman1846]

Beautiful learning video Btw,beautiful blouse.

[@purpledancerbmw5279]

Love her gloves! In Aruba the fences are everywhere!

[@hoelik]

I love prickly pear, we used to eat them when we went to turkey to visit my family in the rural villages. I bought some a few weeks back and so excited for them to grow this big

[@mvisionable]

Thank you, from Pleasanton, CA

[@n7predator147]

Got some here in missouri on the side of my road. You bet I transplanted this.

[@CO84trucker]

I'm in SW Colorado... prickly pear cacti will grow in the mountains as high as 8000 ft.

[@Maxaliticalcom]

I am in Central Texas area killeen and temple. I like your video I was thinking of harvesting some and I had to know how to do it and you were very well in your presentation👍💯

[@moon._grass7200]

You are the first one I find that sounds intelligent about this beautiful plant. Thank you for your knowledge!

[@brianbarnes9635]

Great video. Wish I could pick your brain on my prickly pear dilemma!

[@T.H.G.761]

Massachusetts just trying to grow one beginning today from a piece I saw drop on a carpet in a store. I went back a month later to ask to save it, it had grown another piece. Amazing. Great video very informative,helpful and I'm excited ...

[@zacharyruben1852]

North Georgia here. Just ordered some pads off ebay. I love to eat this stuff. I hope im able to grow it

[@suematros592]

Thank you so much, I am in Yucca Valley, CA and going to do just what you said to do on my property. Your Prickly Pear hedge is gorgeous!

[@bobbiechinn9578]

So just saw this vid and I live in northern Kentucky just across from Cincinnati. I grow these year round in my front garden planted in the ground but I do mound gravel with a little bit of soil on the ground to plant them in. They THRIVE. This will be the first time I've eaten the fruit so I'll definitely leave a comment on the outcome 😁 they're budding now so I'll have to wait a bit longer.

[@YhwhKhaiMostHigh]

Freakin' awesome. Also, I don't see a house anywhere close. I'm sure you enjoy the peace, privacy and solitude. No nosey neighbors. Living in the city, this view is my dream.

[@garden2tabletv]

You're right... it's so awesome so be way out here in nature! This was my dream too, moving out from Los Angeles... took a while but dreams can come true! Set your sights and make it happen! So healthy and peaceful. Cheers, Catherine

[@arkiegold]

I grow the more cold hardy varieties of Opuntia in Arkansas. Some I ordered online and some from seed. The fruits aren't as sweet as the ones you grow there but make the best wine and vinegar. Love your videos!

[@garden2tabletv]

Interesting! Cactus wine and vineyard, amazing!

[@sewingrx8335]

If you have time to answer of course... What variety are you growing? How can people tell what variety is growing? Are any poisonous? Gosh, I have so many questions, and you seem to be a reliable source😊

[@garden2tabletv]

Mine are the fairly standard variety opuntia ficus-indica. I haven’t heard of any poisonous prickly pear cactus varieties (of course be sure to check with a local expert if you’ve got something really unusual). Some are tastier than others (fruit and the pads).

[@kathyjenkins4067]

I trash picked two huge prickly pear cactus today in Michigan! The garden nursery down the street though them out! Thank you for your very informative video!❤❤❤

[@mreverybody1150]

This is the most beautiful thing Ive seen today.

[@hola-munecas]

I’m in Nashville. Was able to successfully plant a baby nopal in my front yard. Now it’s time to propagate and use it throughout the entire front of the house!!! Thanks for the tips I was looking for ❤

[@carriepiquette-henderson3625]

Hi from oklahoma

[@vinaychandel2635]

Thanks for good info . Love from India🇮🇳

[@IRONWEED_]

Great hedge! The small pads are available fresh year-round in Mexican grocery stores. Probably these are from substantial mother plants that can keep on producing new pads as some are harvested?

[@nawarkass]

An awesome video! Thanks Catherine!

[@santach1]

Thank you for the tips! Going to plant some pads now in Yucca Valley, CA. Cheers!

[@massihmoghadam4353]

what an awesome plant and of course what a wonderful and fairy voice.

[@joaquinaromero9708]

❤THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION❤

[@HunterLenihan]

Wonderful video. Cateherine’s explanation is crystal clear and well organized. I’m ready to plant and eat nopales! Thank you.

[@geriabbatiello5929]

This was so clear and I am now ready to start New information that I will start to use today Geriello

[@KristenHeckman]

I just moved to San Tan Valley, AZ and will be planting my first prickly pear soon :) thank you for the tips and tricks. Those little spines have gotten me several times already 😂

[@louiseb5323]

Wow thank you so much for posting this my son brought me a peace of the cactus home for mothers day. However over the years its gotten hug and I wasn't sure how to move it or Transplanted. But after watching your video, I know now thank you so very much.. I also didn't know its eat able! PS I'm in Northern California

[@bobjames790]

Im in south Africa i like the way you are explaining things

[@numinous2506]

What a great video. I think I will try to grow some.EDIT: Ive got some and already have 7 tunas growing!

[@evb1601]

They are stunning. We are currently outside of San Miguel de Allende in Mexico and these cactus are literally 25 foot trees. I have never seen them like this. They literally have a trunk and right now, they are covered in gorgeous yellow and orangey-red flowers. I also just take a piece and stick it in the ground. It works just fine.

[@ludwig-vi6pi]

Beautiful cactus I love it. ❤

[@w-berheazeba9464]

Wow, interesting, I will bring one pad and plant it inside our compound, in my area (Tigray region, northern Ethiopia) only the cactus fruits are edible but not the pads, I can't wait to prepare and taste the cactus pad soon. thanks dear!

[@Chelarue]

Why are the pads not edible? I ordered Spineless Prickly Pear "Ellisiana" 2 years ago for my bearded dragons. I put the extra pads in an indoor container, not realizing these need cold temps to bloom, so I've never tasted the pears, but the beardies and I love the pads raw.

[@zacharyallen5008]

Great video! Very informative. Thank you, can’t wait to start planting

[@natashaflockhart9845]

Thank you for this lovely video. I am in New Zealand, recently moved into a property with a huge prickly pear plant with the most amazing flowers on. Now I know how to make more! Will go look for your videos with what to do with the different parts.

[@KyleLowery]

Hey Catherine! Thanks for the awesome video!! My wife and I plan to plant our roots in Las Vegas, Nevada and I am spending my time preparing and learning about the plants that thrive there. Prickly Pear has always had my attention and I can imagine wanting a massive wall of them around our future home one day. The ideas for salad and eating it really strikes my interest as well!!

[@garyknapp1191]

New to the cactus game. Where are you? What a beautiful cactus forest!

[@garden2tabletv]

Hi Gary! Central California -- great climate for cactus! Where are you? Have you planted this type of opuntia yet? Cheers, Catherine

[@ThyWill3B3Done]

Hi, from Miami!!! We have a very large prickly pear that needs to be moved. Your video was so helpful! we are going to break it up into various plants. Happy we found you. God Bless!

[@RobertMcMahan-y7p]

Great video. Very informative. I read quite a bit about this but your video showed me exactly what to do and how to do it. Thank you

[@angiehitch6807]

I recently moved to southwest Alabama and prickly pears are growing all over the place here!

[@garden2tabletv]

Wonderful! It will be interesting to sample the various cultivars/flavors. Let us know if you try them! Cheers, Catherine

[@staceylees23]

South African here. Thank you for your informative video! We found some prickly pear growing in our garden and now we have big plans for it

[@GibbsterA]

❤ love this video.

[@bluehorse357]

great content, excellent editing. So picturesque. Keep up the fantastic work.

[@ameliarose9868]

Good video!

[@mayarada2059]

Hello dear, wow absolutely looking fantastic you prickly cactus , but again is absolutely pretty amazing that I never seen ike that before , I absolutely truly enjoy warching to it and thank you for sharing and hope to see you more around , have a good week .

[@garden2tabletv]

Maya, So nice of you to say so! Your note makes me so happy! I'm working on some new videos to post soon, be sure to subscribe to my KZbin channel here! Best wishes, Catherine

[@PhillipHill-v5f]

I'm new Mexico. Learning about desert plants

[@rancidsa]

I live in south africa and just started planting my first couple.

[@garden2tabletv]

Best wishes from California -- I hope your opuntia flourishes in South Africa! Cheers, Catherine

[@erneststrawther8547]

God is so good. Look at that beautiful view

[@mitziegaynor5364]

Thanks for d info ian from jamaica

[@mitziegaynor5364]

Iam from jamaica

[@angelabuss8079]

'Had a HUGE prickly pear cactus in the back yard of our rental. I was late in harvesting the tunas......however they yielded a very tasty prickly pear jam and syrup.... somewhat a cross between watermelon and raspberry 😋. Love your channel!

[@garden2tabletv]

Angela, do you remember your recipe for the jam and syrup? Would love to know! And I'm so glad you're enjoying the channel. I've been distracted with other work lately but will refocus on this soon! Thanks for the encouragement. : ) Catherine

[@KyleLowery]

Just subscribed!! I appreciate your content.

[@judyrivera832]

Orlando, Fl. Thank you, and I LOVE you whole outfit, specially your gloves🥰

[@planetpreston7660]

Wow, that is an amazing cactus forest and you are such a great teacher!! Love these videos!! Thank you!!

[@garden2tabletv]

Glad you like them Planet Preston! I love your channel too! Everyone needs to subscribe to it. So positive, with great family role modeling -- great work, helping make the world a nicer and more thoughtful place!

[@iCandyFlip]

You are awesome in the way you give so much information, its the way it should be, you do not leave any uncovered stuff or mysteries behind the proccess. Youre briliant, thanx, subscribed.

[@garden2tabletv]

Thank you so much for the encouragement! Much appreciated!

[@normanhooten9445]

We have lost our lease & relocating to the country & now I'm confident we can take our Prickly Pear with us, thanks.

[@spawn00x]

Hello from El Paso Texas

[@garden2tabletv]

Hi Grendizer! Thanks for stopping by!

[@tonycolosimo7052]

You have totally impressed me with your passion for this incredible plant matching mine and maybe exceeding it. I'm an old hand at this but always keen to learn more, for instance eating the nopales is foreign in my circle and I will explore that, so will watch your other KZbins. Watching from Melbourne Australia, or as you folks say, "downunder". For what it's worth, your's is the only channel I've subscribed to this morning out of the heaps I've watched. Take care.

[@garden2tabletv]

Thank you so much Tony, your feedback makes my day! Have a lovely day downunder, and keep on planting! I hope you enjoy the nopales salad as much as some of us do!

[@allisonstacey]

I found a pad on the ground on a walk and didn’t realize that there were so many spines! I’m in south east Florida and it’s getting growth in less than 2 weeks! I’m excited for information about growing things that I can eat 😊

[@charmainetavares3098]

I learn something today.

[@garden2tabletv]

Wonderful! I'm so glad! Please subscribe, Charmaine... I would love to have you join us -- I promise to post more interesting and educational videos! Best wishes, Catherine

[@samslayerr]

Moving to Texas soon,this will perfect for my front yard porch area!

[@garden2tabletv]

Excellent! Yes it will really thrive there. Sami let us know how it develops and tastes! -Catherine

[@JakeDeSilva1]

About to start growing this species of cactus here at my home in Las Vegas and can't wait for the fruit to form!

[@garden2tabletv]

Best wishes Jake! Please keep us posted! -Catherine

[@sonialinsey8083]

Same! I just moved to Vegas and I can’t wait to plant one!

[@JAM-zb2vh]

That is beautiful I love cactus and it looks so peaceful out there I love it God Bless you and all of your family

[@garden2tabletv]

Thank you! You too! Thanks for stopping by to say hello. Sending you our best wishes as well! Cheers, Catherine

[@emmanuelzungu2142]

I'm loving your video, thank you so much. From South Africa

[@TheUntamedJournal]

Great! I was thinking of using them as a privacy hedge here in Portugal and I'm very happy to hear it's easy to cut and plant them as I've just moved to a new property where theres already some growing 😊

[@kepstein8888]

Thanks so much for sharing this. I inherited a few pads and just started planting them in our yard. NC is a wet state, but the PPs seem to love and thrive in the clay of Charlotte. I love their hardiness and simplicity. I've been spreading them around all summer, and look forward to having a PP forest in our back yard like you do.

[@garden2tabletv]

Interesting to learn they are thriving in your wet state. Good to know. Thanks for sharing, and best wishes with your PP forest! :))) -Catherine

[@victorramosjr2445]

Dont do it. They become like weeds after a while. They attract a pest that when you pop it, it give off like a reddish maroon dye, & they also attract a whitish pest that looks like white fluffy spider webs.

[@sonialinsey8083]

I saw them growing in Portland, Or when I lived there. They might not get as big as hers but they are so adaptable you should be able to get them going.

[@frankycarrillo8267]

Thank you for such an informative and well-filmed piece on nopals. I'm taking your advice and planting some with my son today. Have a great day from the Lake Hughes Ca area. I'm a new fan on your channel.

[@garden2tabletv]

Thanks so much Franky! So glad it's helpful. And love knowing where you're watching from -- thank you! Posting a new video today. :) -Catherine

[@garden2tabletv]

My pleasure Franky! Thanks so much for watching. I hope you and your son enjoyed a great day of planting. I hope you didn't need to pull too many spines out of each other afterward! But that's a good reason to plant via the buddy system. ;) Thanks for saying hello. I'm so glad you're watching and enjoying! Cheers, Catherine : )

[@purpledancerbmw5279]

SC where are you. That's beautiful.

[@garden2tabletv]

Hi! We’re in California.

[@purpledancerbmw5279]

Oh okay

[@micacook5438]

I’m in Michigan, so I’m quite sure I can’t grow outside. I have a few in the house.

[@garden2tabletv]

How do they do inside?

[@edgargoedhart7059]

You have a beautiful piece of land.

[@kentecklund]

Good video. I have an eight foot tall paddle cactus in my front yard, here in North Hollywood. I use my hose to spray off the bugs that make the red dye. If there are too many bugs they will harm the paddle. But what I was wondering about is cutting a very large paddle or branch. I don't want rot to set-in and spread down into the plant. Usually it stops at what's left of the paddle cut. But what do you think. My dad planted it too close to the fence. I have to keep trimming it back. I don't want to hurt the plant too much. Unfortunately it looks scared from trimming but I can't allow it to hang over the fence where people walking on the sidewalk could walk into the stickers. Do I dare cut off a branch?

[@garden2tabletv]

Ken I haven’t experienced any issues with the live pads rotting from being trimmed back. Unless it’s a very humid spot. Even still, I think it’s safe to cut some back. Try to cut or break the excess pads off right at the joint between the pads, rather than leaving partial pads. Let us know how it goes. Those cochineal bugs are amazing, aren’t they? A great topic for another episode. I’m glad not to have any here ... and I’m hoping they stay away. Fascinating how those mites are used to create the most incredibly vibrant red dyes, and cultivated in some areas for that reason. They do scar the cactus though.

[@charmainetavares3098]

Your vedio is very educational.

[@garden2tabletv]

Thanks Charmaine! Much appreciated. -Catherine

[@mikegreene7273]

The garden centres in Spain won’t sell opuntia ficus-indica but I’m hopeful to grow one from the fruit sold in the super markets. Have you ever managed to grow a plant by pushing a fruit into the soil?

[@garden2tabletv]

Mike I haven’t tried that myself. However I found sprouting seeds inside several fruit I harvested and forgot about a couple years ago. Trying to remember when/why that was. But they can certainly grow from seed. Certainly faster to propagate the pads themselves though. Best of luck there in Spain! -Catherine

[@888manifestations]

Sanitizer works perfectly

[@ms_happyness]

Ordered 3 large pads and planting them here in Hawaii. Originally my plan was to grow this for my baby sulcata tortoise but I’m probably going to make salads with this too. Thanks for the info ❤

[@garden2tabletv]

That is awesome! Keep us posted. Interesting idea for the tortoise.. .that makes sense... that the tortoise might like cacti. I hope you enjoy it too!

[@estebancorral5151]

The people who told you to let them dry until there is a scar at the cut surface are correct. This forces the plant to focus on the rooting faster. You were not on a schedule, but a farmer is. Also, you orient the pad surfaces facing East and West to maximize solar exposure. The wine made from the prickly pear is called Cochle. I told a Lebanese friend that one could make vodka from the pads provide that they were 27-29 cm long because this is where the sap has the high sugar content. He and his brother-in-law ran with my idea and made Arak, which is a distilled liquor flavored with anise.

[@sonialinsey8083]

My Mexican friend made like a stir fry dish with them, I really liked it. Never actually saw it on a menu anywhere 🤔

[@Vgp-rp4iu]

@@estebancorral5151 but she is clearly just cutting them off and sticking them in the ground so does it technically matter? Hers look like they are doing just fine and producing fruit and everything so I don't see why you have to wait when this works so well

[@estebancorral5151]

@@Vgp-rp4iu You obviously have good enough vision. However, you lack the mindset to process what your eyes are indicating. That hodgepodge cactus pads per plant is a detriment. It lacks proper formation. Though a cactus has much stamina, it is not invincible. The lower hanging pads are susceptible to both insect infestation and fungal infection. Your answers is no!

[@raidenuchiha6127]

Woah they look soo healthy. I've always wondered whether the plate of the opuntia carries the same age as the mother plant? - would that plate produce some new growth and then proceed to making fruit?

[@garden2tabletv]

Interesting question... I don’t know. If you find out, please update us here.

[@GarySchmidt-d6k]

Thank you for the advice! I was trying to find someone to give me a what to do whether I should sprout the cactus from seed but you solved me. Thanks for your help friend! God bless Weatherford, Tx