This cactus used to look entirely different a week ago. A lot chunkier and healthier.

I've been noticing tiny flies around my house for some weeks (upstairs, downstairs). I figured it may be related to a dodgy spider plant elsewhere in the house.

But I noticed today that the tip had shrivelled up. On closer inspection, I saw that the flies were congregating on around the cactus (tapping it revealed a couple more).

Also of concern - prodding the cactus reveals it to be rather flimsy; feels hollowed out inside somewhat.

Is there any way to turn this around?! I'm beside myself, because I inherited this from a late friend.

On my father's advice, I filled a squirty bottle with water and some washing up liquid and sprayed the plant with that. In his experience, that's killed blackfly on leaves.

On Apr 10, 7:12�pm, parakeet
wrote:
[image:http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/4...bd2455xt3.jpg]

This cactus used to look entirely different a week ago. A lot chunkier
and healthier.

I've been noticing tiny flies around my house for some weeks (upstairs,
downstairs). I figured it may be related to a dodgy spider plant
elsewhere in the house.

But I noticed today that the tip had shrivelled up. On closer
inspection, I saw that the flies were congregating on around the cactus
(tapping it revealed a couple more).

Also of concern - prodding the cactus reveals it to be rather flimsy;
feels hollowed out inside somewhat.

Is there any way to turn this around?! I'm beside myself, because I
inherited this from a late friend.

On my father's advice, I filled a squirty bottle with water and some
washing up liquid and sprayed the plant with that. In his experience,
that's killed blackfly on leaves.

That soil doesn't look right for cactus, should be more sandy. You
may have over watered it. I would slice off that top portion and get
rid of it, it looks diseased. If with a sharp pen knife you pare out
one of those nodules, coat wit a little rootone, and plant it you can
make a new plant.

parakeet wrote in
news

[image:
http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/4...38044fb9bd2455
xt3.jpg]


This cactus used to look entirely different a week ago. A
lot chunkier and healthier.

it looks like you overwatered, or it was exposed to freezing.
i doubt the flies caused the problems.
is this the whole cactus, or a cutting? was it recently
repotted? what type of soil? how often do you water it?
lee
--
Last night while sitting in my chair
I pinged a host that wasn't there
It wasn't there again today
The host resolved to NSA.

In article , parakeet
wrote:

[image:http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/4...bd2455xt3.jpg]


This cactus used to look entirely different a week ago. A lot
chunkierand healthier.

I've been noticing tiny flies around my house for some weeks
(upstairs,downstairs). I figured it may be related to a dodgy spider
plantelsewhere in the house.

But I noticed today that the tip had shrivelled up. On closerinspection,
I saw that the flies were congregating on around the cactus(tapping it
revealed a couple more).

Also of concern - prodding the cactus reveals it to be rather
flimsy;feels hollowed out inside somewhat.

Is there any way to turn this around?! I'm beside myself, because
Iinherited this from a late friend.

On my father's advice, I filled a squirty bottle with water and
somewashing up liquid and sprayed the plant with that. In his
experience,that's killed blackfly on leaves.-- parakeet

The flies are devouring what already started to rot from too much
moisture. I doubt you can save the cactus but if any part of it seems
good, cut that off and give it to someone who has some experience rooting
cactus segments. You can try it yourself but there's a knack to it, seems
simple enough once you get good at it, but rarely works first couple
tries, especially with someone who couldn't keep a whole cactus alive. It
would've taken me at least three years to kill it!

-paghat the ratgirl
--
visit my temperate gardening website:
http://www.paghat.com
visit my film reviews website:
http://www.weirdwildrealm.com

(paghat) wrote in
:


The flies are devouring what already started to rot from
too much moisture. I doubt you can save the cactus but if
any part of it seems good, cut that off and give it to
someone who has some experience rooting cactus segments.
You can try it yourself but there's a knack to it, seems
simple enough once you get good at it, but rarely works
first couple tries, especially with someone who couldn't
keep a whole cactus alive. It would've taken me at least
three years to kill it!

three years? i have cactuses that have been around &
expanding for over 25 years. it was the one type of plant the
feline hordes left alone. unfortunately the same isn't true of
the current puppy horde... the Boston Terrier puppy *loves*
cactus.
anyway, it depends on the variety of cactus how hard it is to
root, & it's generally far easier to root a top segment or
'arm' than a slice. i've always had sucess by just placing the
piece to be rooted on damp cactus medium & ignoring it for a
while, just moistening the soil every other week or so. i've
also found bits of broken off cactus 'arm' on the floor behind
the pot with roots starting. i just pot those up.
the cactus in the photo looks pretty doomed though. the tip
is shriveled & s/he states the bottom part is mushy. i would
attempt cutting off the shriveled tip & potting that in damp
cactus mix in a pot with *good* drainage & seeing if it might
root. the key words being "cactus mix" (lots of sharp sand for
air & drainage), "damp" (not soggy!), & "drainage" (let the
poor thing dry out).
cactus thrive on neglect, for the most part. let them dry out
between waterings. if you *must* fertilize, use an extremely
dilute mix & do it only once/year (i do fertilize mine in the
spring before i kick them out the door for the summer).
and if you move them outside for the summer & you live in a
non-arid region, be prepared to move them under cover if it
rains.
most houseplant cactuses die from too much attention.
lee

--
Last night while sitting in my chair
I pinged a host that wasn't there
It wasn't there again today
The host resolved to NSA.

In article , enigma
wrote:

(paghat) wrote in
:


The flies are devouring what already started to rot from
too much moisture. I doubt you can save the cactus but if
any part of it seems good, cut that off and give it to
someone who has some experience rooting cactus segments.
You can try it yourself but there's a knack to it, seems
simple enough once you get good at it, but rarely works
first couple tries, especially with someone who couldn't
keep a whole cactus alive. It would've taken me at least
three years to kill it!

three years? i have cactuses that have been around &
expanding for over 25 years.

But that's not my definition of capacity to kill 'em them. A hardy
succulent killed from underwatering goes down slowly.

-paggers

it was the one type of plant the
feline hordes left alone. unfortunately the same isn't true of
the current puppy horde... the Boston Terrier puppy *loves*
cactus.
anyway, it depends on the variety of cactus how hard it is to
root, & it's generally far easier to root a top segment or
'arm' than a slice. i've always had sucess by just placing the
piece to be rooted on damp cactus medium & ignoring it for a
while, just moistening the soil every other week or so. i've
also found bits of broken off cactus 'arm' on the floor behind
the pot with roots starting. i just pot those up.
the cactus in the photo looks pretty doomed though. the tip
is shriveled & s/he states the bottom part is mushy. i would
attempt cutting off the shriveled tip & potting that in damp
cactus mix in a pot with *good* drainage & seeing if it might
root. the key words being "cactus mix" (lots of sharp sand for
air & drainage), "damp" (not soggy!), & "drainage" (let the
poor thing dry out).
cactus thrive on neglect, for the most part. let them dry out
between waterings. if you *must* fertilize, use an extremely
dilute mix & do it only once/year (i do fertilize mine in the
spring before i kick them out the door for the summer).
and if you move them outside for the summer & you live in a
non-arid region, be prepared to move them under cover if it
rains.
most houseplant cactuses die from too much attention.
lee
--
visit my temperate gardening website:
http://www.paghat.com
visit my film reviews website:
http://www.weirdwildrealm.com

"enigma" wrote in message
. ..
especially with someone who couldn't
keep a whole cactus alive. It would've taken me at least
three years to kill it!

three years? i have cactuses that have been around &
expanding for over 25 years.

I believe you skewed the gist of her post. Tuck your tongue in your cheek
and Google 'cactus death+irony'

Val

In article ,
enigma wrote:

cactus

Cactus in New Hampshire? Poor thing;-)
--

Billy

Impeach Pelosi, Bush & Cheney to the Hague
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/
http://rachelcorriefoundation.org/

In article ,
"Val" wrote:

"enigma" wrote in message
. ..
especially with someone who couldn't
keep a whole cactus alive. It would've taken me at least
three years to kill it!

three years? i have cactuses that have been around &
expanding for over 25 years.

I believe you skewed the gist of her post. Tuck your tongue in your cheek
and Google 'cactus death+irony'

Val
I strongly applaud the cactus' right to defend itself. That said, what
vengeance might they meet out to enigma, their captor of 25 years, for
the agony of the cold and damp? I'm sure they are planning their
retribution as we speak. I think it is enigma who is going to get
skewed;-)
--

Billy

Impeach Pelosi, Bush & Cheney to the Hague
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/
http://rachelcorriefoundation.org/

Billy wrote in

ct.net.au:

I strongly applaud the cactus' right to defend itself. That
said, what vengeance might they meet out to enigma, their
captor of 25 years, for the agony of the cold and damp? I'm
sure they are planning their retribution as we speak. I
think it is enigma who is going to get skewed;-)

well, they are taking over the available plant light space...
& there are a couple that are *daring* me to attempt
repotting...
but they're so pretty in bloom.
lee

--
Last night while sitting in my chair
I pinged a host that wasn't there
It wasn't there again today
The host resolved to NSA.

Billy wrote in news:wildbilly-
:

In article ,
enigma wrote:

cactus

Cactus in New Hampshire? Poor thing;-)

hey, there are cactus that are native to *Canada*! zone 3! (&
i need to get a couple, as they're one of my tortoise's
favorite foods).
but my cactuses are quite spoiled, with plant lights in
winter & summers outside...
lee

--
Last night while sitting in my chair
I pinged a host that wasn't there
It wasn't there again today
The host resolved to NSA.

In article ,
enigma wrote:

Billy wrote in news:wildbilly-
:

In article ,
enigma wrote:

cactus

Cactus in New Hampshire? Poor thing;-)

hey, there are cactus that are native to *Canada*! zone 3! (&
i need to get a couple, as they're one of my tortoise's
favorite foods).
but my cactuses are quite spoiled, with plant lights in
winter & summers outside...
lee

Cactus in Canada? :-0
--

Billy

Impeach Pelosi, Bush & Cheney to the Hague
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/
http://rachelcorriefoundation.org/

In article ,
enigma wrote:

Billy wrote in

ct.net.au:

I strongly applaud the cactus' right to defend itself. That
said, what vengeance might they meet out to enigma, their
captor of 25 years, for the agony of the cold and damp? I'm
sure they are planning their retribution as we speak. I
think it is enigma who is going to get skewed;-)

well, they are taking over the available plant light space...
& there are a couple that are *daring* me to attempt
repotting...
but they're so pretty in bloom.
lee

Thinkin' of gettin' me a prickely pear. Local CSA has a hundred foot row
of the planted in good ol' Sonoma County clay.
--

Billy

Impeach Pelosi, Bush & Cheney to the Hague
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/
http://rachelcorriefoundation.org/

Billy wrote in

ct.net.au:

Thinkin' of gettin' me a prickely pear. Local CSA has a
hundred foot row of the planted in good ol' Sonoma County
clay.

yes, prickly pears! the pads are good, the fruit is great!
they have an extremely wide range (to zone 3, if it's not too
soggy). try to find the variety that doesn't have the spines,
but remember those fuzzy little bits are just as nasty & wear
gloves when picking & peeling.
and if you have tortoises, they'll love the leftovers. i know
mine can deal with the spines, but i peel them anyway.

lee
--
Last night while sitting in my chair
I pinged a host that wasn't there
It wasn't there again today
The host resolved to NSA.

Jangchub wrote in
:

On Fri, 11 Apr 2008 23:13:27 -0700, Billy
wrote:


Thinkin' of gettin' me a prickely pear. Local CSA has a
hundred foot row of the planted in good ol' Sonoma County
clay.

I have a beautiful Opuntia which I think is 'Santa Rita'
and has pink hued pads with pale, creamy yellow flowers.
I'd be happy to send you a pad which will root in about a
month on the ground. I may even have some rooted pads.

could i beg one too?
i don't have as many daylilies as Cheryl, but maybe something
else?

lee
--
Last night while sitting in my chair
I pinged a host that wasn't there
It wasn't there again today
The host resolved to NSA.