Hi all,

I wonder if you could help me please as my son thinks his cacti are beginning to die and he really loves them.

They have been in his bedroom for about 4 years and nothing I can think of has changed (watering habits same, temp same, etc etc).

Yet, as can be seen from the first pic, they seem to be going brown from the bottom - and the second pic shows that his big one is now going the same way (just moved it downstairs to try and save it) ...

Any clues please? We have some black mould in the shower and on some windows - would this be it??? Room is North facing.

Thanks!
Sword

On 10/01/2011 17:19, Sword wrote:
Hi all,

I wonder if you could help me please as my son thinks his cacti are
beginning to die and he really loves them.

They have been in his bedroom for about 4 years and nothing I can think
of has changed (watering habits same, temp same, etc etc).

It has been very cold recently and the first leafy stemmed one looks to
me like a succulent Euphorbia and they are somewhat tender. I suspect
frost damage from cold air drafts running down the inside of the window
(actually below 4C is probably enough). You could try taking a cutting
in early spring in case the thing is rotting at the roots.

Beware of the white latex sap when taking cuttings it is caustic and
incredibly irritating to the eyes. Pieces will usually come away where
it joins the main stem with only a tiny wound. Take care!

Go easy with the water. In a centrally heated home they do need some but
the compost should be allowed to go dry between waterings in winter.

Yet, as can be seen from the first pic, they seem to be going brown from
the bottom - and the second pic shows that his big one is now going the
same way (just moved it downstairs to try and save it) ...

The other is an opuntia which should be as tough as old boots. I'd
suspect over watering if it really is going brown and soft at the base -
they tend to go corky naturally with age as they get bigger.

BTW the spines on this cactus can be very annoying. Invest in a decent
pair of tweezers (good advice for all cactophiles)!

Any clues please? We have some black mould in the shower and on some
windows - would this be it??? Room is North facing.

North facing and cacti is not ideal. The plant still in growth is
showing signs of etiolation - going weak straggly growth searching for
the light. Your son might like to join the local branch of the BCSS
where small plants that will flower when young plants and seeds are
available to younger members at pocket money prices.

http://www.bcss.org.uk/

Rebutias, Notocacti, Mammillaria and Lithops include some nice small
plants that are easy to grow and will flower in 2-3 years from seed.

Many branches have a stall at the local summer show(s).

Regards,
Martin Brown

On 11/01/2011 11:26, Martin Brown wrote:
On 10/01/2011 17:19, Sword wrote:
Hi all,

I wonder if you could help me please as my son thinks his cacti are
beginning to die and he really loves them.

They have been in his bedroom for about 4 years and nothing I can think
of has changed (watering habits same, temp same, etc etc).

It has been very cold recently and the first leafy stemmed one looks to
me like a succulent Euphorbia and they are somewhat tender. I suspect
frost damage from cold air drafts running down the inside of the window
(actually below 4C is probably enough). You could try taking a cutting
in early spring in case the thing is rotting at the roots.

Beware of the white latex sap when taking cuttings it is caustic and
incredibly irritating to the eyes. Pieces will usually come away where
it joins the main stem with only a tiny wound. Take care!

Go easy with the water. In a centrally heated home they do need some but
the compost should be allowed to go dry between waterings in winter.

Yet, as can be seen from the first pic, they seem to be going brown from
the bottom - and the second pic shows that his big one is now going the
same way (just moved it downstairs to try and save it) ...

The other is an opuntia which should be as tough as old boots. I'd
suspect over watering if it really is going brown and soft at the base -
they tend to go corky naturally with age as they get bigger.

BTW the spines on this cactus can be very annoying. Invest in a decent
pair of tweezers (good advice for all cactophiles)!

Any clues please? We have some black mould in the shower and on some
windows - would this be it??? Room is North facing.

North facing and cacti is not ideal. The plant still in growth is
showing signs of etiolation - going weak straggly growth searching for
the light. Your son might like to join the local branch of the BCSS
where small plants that will flower when young plants and seeds are
available to younger members at pocket money prices.

http://www.bcss.org.uk/

Rebutias, Notocacti, Mammillaria and Lithops include some nice small
plants that are easy to grow and will flower in 2-3 years from seed.

Many branches have a stall at the local summer show(s).

Regards,
Martin Brown

I agree with everything you have said. The Euphorbia(s) are much more
sensitive to cold than most cacti. Assuming the double-whammy of a
bedroom curtain trapping cold air and moisture from condensation, there
is a good opportunity for rotting. It's worth cutting off any decent
part now, and letting it dry (caution as per Martin's comment regarding
the latex) in a warm place.

The Opuntia may be ok, as it is very unusual for them to rot. I would
wait to see if the brown part goes very soft (when you will have to act)
or goes hard and corky (when you won't). If necessary, break off the
top pad (wrap it in several layers of newspaper) where it joins the
lower pad. Let it dry in a warm place for a week or two. Leave in a
warm, but not hot place for a few weeks. In March check that the cut
bits of the Euphorbia and Opuntia have calloused over, and push all the
dried cuttings into dry sand so that there is about 1 - 2cm of green
below the surface, and just leave them alone on a bright, but not hot,
windowsill. Hopefully, come summer, all cuttings will have roots. if
they have, then they can be potted up in decent cactus and succulent
compost, and put on a windowsill with good light.

Good luck!

--

Jeff

My impression from the picture was that the Opuntia was OK.. As Jeff says, it all depends whether that brown part is soft or not. There seemed to be bits of the Euphorbia which are OK too. Anything soft and squidgy needs cutting off as the others have described. But for anything that you are going to "wait and see", it would be a good idea to let the soil get completely dry. It's the combination of cold and damp which is the real killer. And cacti and succulents are designed to cope with prolonged drought, so you could easily leave them without water till April or May.

If no-one has said - the Euphorbia isn't actually a cactus - it's a succulent plant closely related to the Christmas Poinsettia. They're a fascinating group of plants, very varied in form and growth pattern, well worth growing.