Pete, that's about 1/4 of my collection. If you want some more, am happy to send you some cuttings in autumn. (anyone else for that matter)
Pete, Conophytum are definate winter growers. Best to dry them out, and let them sheath over from beginning of April. And then start watering again in early September.
I've had these for a number of years and tended to water from June till September, sometime onto October, but never after that. To be honset I treat them an the Lithops almost the same. They get almost no heat in winter, so I think they might rot if I watered them then.
Pete, Have a look here: http://www.smale-conophytum.co.uk/grow_conos.htm Terry suggests watering from July, but I never start that early. But your method seems to be working for you.
Strange how he says he doesn,t water at all during the summer, but then goes on to say he starts watering at the end of July. Maybe the couple I have just put up with what they get given.
Terry is one of the most well known Cono experts in the country, so I guess that watering in July works for him. As they are winter growers, I find that mine do better with watering in early September.
Id just worry about those damp roots during cold cloudy winter days. As I said, I think, mine only get frost free treatment, so it's quite cold in the greenhouse on many winter days.
Conos are actually quite tough. I kept a Cono bilobum going in a coldframe over winter, as an experiment. My greenhouse is kept at 5*C.
