BCSS Macclesfield & East Cheshire Branch

Newsletter June 2007 - Trev's Topics

Carbon footprints, CO₂ emissions, greenhouse gases, global warming, maybe, like me you have heard arguments both for and against the suggestion that human activity is the main cause of extreme variations in weather patterns around the world. Certainly various experts have put forward views for and against the idea that we humans are mainly to blame. Personally, as I write this on a cold, wet and windy Bank Holiday weekend (global warming?!), I am not so sure, being inclined to believe that the world follows a pattern of warming and cooling down naturally over a period of thousands of years.

Whatever the truth, from the point of view of a grower of cacti and succulents, it's not all bad (so long as it does not go too extreme either way, hot or cold). Looking back over the last five or six winters, this last one 2006/2007 was the mildest for many years, and from the reduced need to use heat to protect the plants from the cold and frost, this can only be beneficial. I have used less heating in the greenhouse this winter than ever before and, of course, the money saved on heating costs can be used to purchase more plants. By using less heating we can also say we are doing our bit to help reduce global warming! Whether the resultant shorter winter rest giving way to a longer growing period will benefit the plants remains to be seen, but at the moment growth and flowering appear to be progressing pretty much as usual.

I always felt that the Mesemb Show held by Mid-Cheshire (Northwich) branch each October rounded off the main growing season very well. It combined a chance to see some well grown plants with the opportunity to buy and sell plants at the car boot sale, followed in the afternoon by an illustrated talk with Mesembs as the main topic. For anyone with an interest in these plants this event was a must. Sadly, a couple of years back, the organisers at Mid-Cheshire reached a point where they could no longer manage to produce the Show, and amid much disappointment it has not been held since. The good news is that Manchester branch have taken up the challenge and the new Mesemb Show will be held on Saturday 6th October 2007 at St Thomas More Church Hall on the corner of Mainway and Kirkway in Middleton, the regular meeting venue for Manchester branch. The Show will follow a similar format to the original, and further information and entry forms are now available (see myself, Philip Barker or Alasdair Glen or look on our information board for more details) I feel that this is really something to look forward to at the end of the main growing season, and will be well worth supporting with a visit or even an entry of plants.

Webmaster's note: The 2008 North West Mesemb Show will be held on Saturday 11th October. See the BCSS Events Page for up-to-date details.

That's all for now.

Enjoy your plants.

Trevor Shannon