Cactus - Any hope?
 

Hi,

I have a small cactus display, with about 4 cactuses in a bowl, surrounded
by some gravel. One of the cactuses is similar to a prickly pear cactus,
only it has very small 'furry' spines rather than big sharp ones. Its about
9" high, with 4 'pads' on top of each other. Anyway its been growing really
well, 2 new pads had started to grow out of the top one, and it looked
healthy. But for some reason, recently the bottom pad started to rot, it got
very soft and squidgy and the cactus started to fall over. I tried
supporting it, and making sure the soil was dry to stop the rot, but alas
today, it fell, the bottom pad is just squishy mush.

My question: Is there any hope for the rest of the cactus? Its all looks
healthy enough. Can I put some rooting hormone on the bottom pad? Will it
take?

It would be a real shame to loose this one, after it was doing so well!

Cheers

Ben

Ben wrote:

My question: Is there any hope for the rest of the cactus? Its all looks
healthy enough. Can I put some rooting hormone on the bottom pad? Will it
take?

I'd say it is worth a try. Opuntias are generally fairly tough.
Cut off the rotten "pad" and also the next one to make sure that
all of the "rot" is removed, and put the rest in fresh sand. Some
rooting agent can help, but it is not really necessary. Discard the
old substrate and replant the other cactuses.

Jan-Martin

Ben wrote:

Hi,

I have a small cactus display, with about 4 cactuses in a bowl, surrounded
by some gravel. One of the cactuses is similar to a prickly pear cactus,
only it has very small 'furry' spines rather than big sharp ones. Its about
9" high, with 4 'pads' on top of each other. Anyway its been growing really
well, 2 new pads had started to grow out of the top one, and it looked
healthy. But for some reason, recently the bottom pad started to rot, it got
very soft and squidgy and the cactus started to fall over. I tried
supporting it, and making sure the soil was dry to stop the rot, but alas
today, it fell, the bottom pad is just squishy mush.

Too much water at the roots. It is almost impossible to kill a cactus by
neglect but all too easy in winter to get them by wet rot or frost
damage. Some opuntias are frost hardy but not O. microdasys.

My question: Is there any hope for the rest of the cactus? Its all looks
healthy enough. Can I put some rooting hormone on the bottom pad? Will it
take?

The bottom pad is probably long gone if it has flopped over. The
adjacent pads may well also be infected. Rooting hormone contains a
fungicide that might help a bit, but you need to cut off the good pads
ASAP and leave them 24 hours to callous then plant in a slightly damp
sand/grit mixture. If you are lucky they will grow again.

If you don't cut the rot out ruthlessly they will definitely die.

Regards,
Martin Brown

"Ben" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I have a small cactus display, with about 4 cactuses in a bowl,
surrounded
by some gravel. One of the cactuses is similar to a prickly pear
cactus,
only it has very small 'furry' spines rather than big sharp ones.

If you haven't already found out,
the small 'furry' spines can also be hook barbed.
Either wear gloves or use a pair of old fashioned wooden washing tongs
to handle the patient.

--
ned

http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk
last update 30.12.2004

"Jan-Martin Hertzsch" wrote in message
...
Ben wrote:

My question: Is there any hope for the rest of the cactus? Its all looks
healthy enough. Can I put some rooting hormone on the bottom pad? Will
it
take?

I'd say it is worth a try. Opuntias are generally fairly tough.
Cut off the rotten "pad" and also the next one to make sure that
all of the "rot" is removed, and put the rest in fresh sand. Some
rooting agent can help, but it is not really necessary. Discard the
old substrate and replant the other cactuses.

Jan-Martin

Thanks Jan,

I'll give it ago! Fingers crossed it will survive!

Cheers

Ben

Hi Martin,

Thanks for the info, I'll give it a go! I think you were right with the over
watering, I re-potted the whole lot about 2 weeks before the rot started,
and probably watered them in too much!

Cheers

Ben

"Martin Brown" wrote in message
...
Ben wrote:

Hi,

I have a small cactus display, with about 4 cactuses in a bowl,
surrounded
by some gravel. One of the cactuses is similar to a prickly pear cactus,
only it has very small 'furry' spines rather than big sharp ones. Its
about
9" high, with 4 'pads' on top of each other. Anyway its been growing
really
well, 2 new pads had started to grow out of the top one, and it looked
healthy. But for some reason, recently the bottom pad started to rot, it
got
very soft and squidgy and the cactus started to fall over. I tried
supporting it, and making sure the soil was dry to stop the rot, but
alas
today, it fell, the bottom pad is just squishy mush.

Too much water at the roots. It is almost impossible to kill a cactus by
neglect but all too easy in winter to get them by wet rot or frost
damage. Some opuntias are frost hardy but not O. microdasys.

My question: Is there any hope for the rest of the cactus? Its all looks
healthy enough. Can I put some rooting hormone on the bottom pad? Will
it
take?

The bottom pad is probably long gone if it has flopped over. The
adjacent pads may well also be infected. Rooting hormone contains a
fungicide that might help a bit, but you need to cut off the good pads
ASAP and leave them 24 hours to callous then plant in a slightly damp
sand/grit mixture. If you are lucky they will grow again.

If you don't cut the rot out ruthlessly they will definitely die.

Regards,
Martin Brown

There is no hope for you, Benny.

Take the plants out of the freaking bowl and plant them up separately in
pots with drainage holes in the bottom.

Do not use hormones.

"Ben" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I have a small cactus display, with about 4 cactuses in a bowl, surrounded
by some gravel. One of the cactuses is similar to a prickly pear cactus,
only it has very small 'furry' spines rather than big sharp ones. Its
about
9" high, with 4 'pads' on top of each other. Anyway its been growing
really
well, 2 new pads had started to grow out of the top one, and it looked
healthy. But for some reason, recently the bottom pad started to rot, it
got
very soft and squidgy and the cactus started to fall over. I tried
supporting it, and making sure the soil was dry to stop the rot, but alas
today, it fell, the bottom pad is just squishy mush.

My question: Is there any hope for the rest of the cactus? Its all looks
healthy enough. Can I put some rooting hormone on the bottom pad? Will it
take?

It would be a real shame to loose this one, after it was doing so well!

Cheers

Ben

Ben wrote:

Hi Martin,

Thanks for the info, I'll give it a go! I think you were right with the over
watering, I re-potted the whole lot about 2 weeks before the rot started,
and probably watered them in too much!

Ahah! That's a serious mistake. Cacti and succulents when repotted you
don't water for at least a week to give the roots chance to heal again.
Same with cuttings you need the wounds to heal and seal before they come
into contact with damp earth. The really rot prone ones you suspend
above damp gravel on net curtain and make them work hard to root down.

Decent sized cacti will survive amazing amounts of time with no roots at
all (I have had some off their roots for 12 months then flower again).
But they really don't like wet feet.

Regards,
Martin Brown

I had a cactus for nearly 15 years before losing it a year ago. It was
around 7 feet tall when it died. It got too hard to move around, and after
moving into this house, we didn't have a place to set it that exposed it to
sunlight. We would take it out during the summer, but quit because we
couldn't give it any protection from the wind. I feel that it died from not
enough sunlight.

Dwayne




"Ben" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I have a small cactus display, with about 4 cactuses in a bowl, surrounded
by some gravel. One of the cactuses is similar to a prickly pear cactus,
only it has very small 'furry' spines rather than big sharp ones. Its
about
9" high, with 4 'pads' on top of each other. Anyway its been growing
really
well, 2 new pads had started to grow out of the top one, and it looked
healthy. But for some reason, recently the bottom pad started to rot, it
got
very soft and squidgy and the cactus started to fall over. I tried
supporting it, and making sure the soil was dry to stop the rot, but alas
today, it fell, the bottom pad is just squishy mush.

My question: Is there any hope for the rest of the cactus? Its all looks
healthy enough. Can I put some rooting hormone on the bottom pad? Will it
take?

It would be a real shame to loose this one, after it was doing so well!

Cheers

Ben