GardenBanter.co.uk

GardenBanter.co.uk (https://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/)
-   United Kingdom (https://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/united-kingdom/)
-   -   columnar cactus (https://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/united-kingdom/59768-columnar-cactus.html)

richard 24-04-2004 01:04 PM

columnar cactus
 
My biggest columnar cactus is rotting from the top due I think to bringing
it indoors last winter to the wrong conditions. It was about 18 inches
tall. I've cut of the top, applied white spirit to clean and rooting
hormone for the anti-fungicide it contains but to my dismay it has continued
to rot. Till now it has been a very fast grower. Any lifesaving suggestions
gratefully appreciated.



Inge Jones 24-04-2004 01:04 PM

columnar cactus
 
In article ,
says...
applied white spirit


White spirit? Is that what you're meant to put on plants? I live and
learn! :D

richard 24-04-2004 01:04 PM

columnar cactus
 
Well, it was suggested on a web page that I came across that one use alcohol
and white spirit I think does contain alcohol.

"Inge Jones" wrote in message
. ..
In article ,
says...
applied white spirit


White spirit? Is that what you're meant to put on plants? I live and
learn! :D




Cereus-validus 24-04-2004 02:04 PM

columnar cactus
 
Too late. Once rot takes a foothold, its a goner.

"richard" wrote in message
...
My biggest columnar cactus is rotting from the top due I think to bringing
it indoors last winter to the wrong conditions. It was about 18 inches
tall. I've cut of the top, applied white spirit to clean and rooting
hormone for the anti-fungicide it contains but to my dismay it has

continued
to rot. Till now it has been a very fast grower. Any lifesaving

suggestions
gratefully appreciated.





ned 24-04-2004 11:10 PM

columnar cactus
 

"richard" wrote in message
...
My biggest columnar cactus is rotting from the top due I think to

bringing
it indoors last winter to the wrong conditions. It was about 18

inches
tall. I've cut of the top, applied white spirit to clean and

rooting
hormone for the anti-fungicide it contains but to my dismay it has

continued
to rot.

............. Till now it has been a very fast grower.

And therein could lie the reason.
Fast growing would seem to imply that the sap is/was flowing freely,
i.e. the plant is/was lush.
Cacti are not meant to be lush fast growers.
As soon as a bit of disease or rot occurs the lush plant will implode.
A hard grown plant will suffer a blemish and recover.

I've heard of applying the rooting powder to help seal a cut, but
never heard of applying white spirit.

The usual procedure for dealing with cut cactus sections (grafts) is
to place them in a dry area and let them self heal - and certainly
with-hold watering as that just encourages more sap to flow - and an
easy route for rot to spread.

--
ned



Chris Hogg 25-04-2004 12:05 PM

columnar cactus
 
On Sat, 24 Apr 2004 12:22:04 +0100, "richard"
wrote:

My biggest columnar cactus is rotting from the top due I think to bringing
it indoors last winter to the wrong conditions. It was about 18 inches
tall. I've cut of the top, applied white spirit to clean and rooting
hormone for the anti-fungicide it contains but to my dismay it has continued
to rot. Till now it has been a very fast grower. Any lifesaving suggestions
gratefully appreciated.

Once rot sets into a cactus it spreads rapidly through the soft
tissue. It usually takes drastic surgery to save it, if you can save
it at all. IME you have to cut it back to a point where absolutely no
brown discolouration of the flesh is visible, and then a bit. That
probably means cutting it back severely, like in half. Use a clean,
sharp knife sterilised in meths after each cut until you get well
below the rot. And I mean meths, not white spirit, petrol, creosote or
anything else :-). Cheap and easily come by in any hardware shop.
Allow the cut surface to dry unaided in the air.

If you're lucky, and you do save it, it will send up two or three
shoots from around the edge of the cut surface. Thin then out as
required, or even pot up the unwanted ones to grow on as new plants.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 06:12 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
GardenBanter