Hi there,
I am hoping you can help me identify what is going wrong with my boyfriend’s cactus….
I accidentally knocked it over and it snapped half. My boyfriend really loved this cactus and it was quite a situation as he has owned it for 8 years. After reading online that I could plant the top I did so. I potted it into cactus/succulent mix dipping the broken end in rooting hormone and planted it about an inch and a half in the soil. This was over a month ago and Ive been watching the little guy and things aren’t looking good. Today it was tipped over in the pot and i could see the end. I picked up the little guy and it looks like it has been decomposing slowly. there was a hollow hole with just the external layer going up about 2 inches. I’ve replanted it again but I don’t know what to do! It would be really great if this little guy did not die. Do you have any recommendations? Attached is a pic so you know what kind Im talking about
It used to be very tall and is now a nub.
Thanks!
Jennifer
Jennifer,
Some types of cactus are harder to root from cuttings than others. This Cleistocactus is one of those that is harder to root. What you need to do is take it out of the soil, cut off the parts that are rotting so that you get all the way to clean tissue, and then spray with hydrogen peroxide to help the cut end heal. Let it heal for about 1 week. Dip in rooting hormone and then plant it dry into dry cactus soil. The plant will need bottom heat if it is to root, so you will need to get a source of heat below the pot. We use an under-tank heater. Wait 2 more weeks before watering.
Then hope it takes, but the truth is that these are difficult and even under the best of circumstances the percentages aren’t with you.
Peter
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June 24th, 2011 at 3:37 pm
Jennifer, Can you get a replacement of the exact same type plant anywhere? Swap a rooted plant for the iffy non-rooted one and then don’t say a word. Keep life simple.
June 24th, 2011 at 5:48 pm
Gina- that’s not allowed on this blog; we do own a nursery plus its bad for karma. Very bad.
June 25th, 2011 at 1:22 pm
Peter – This is bigger than just blogs, karma and nurseries. This is boyfriend girlfriend stuff.
Jennifer’s already stated that it was quite a situation. He loved and cared for that phallic looking cactus for 8 years and although it was an accident, Jennifer broke it. Maybe karma will be on her side for trying to regrow the hard to root cactus and the poor little thing once again grows mighty and strong. Her boyfriend forgives and forgets “the accident” and all three live happily ever after.
But what if…..
What if, being that the percentages aren’t with her, the broken and diseased nub doesn’t pull through. Jennifer’s boyfriend outwardly says it’s okay and he understands but when he looks down to his “lap” there’s a niggling thought never leaves him, “If she could do that to my beloved cactus, what might she do to me?” He reminds her daily, in small subconscious ways, of what she did. He pulls away from her. It doesn’t take long before Jennifer feels the stares of people on the street and hears them whispering “CACTUS KILLER.”
I could go on but the outcome isn’t pretty. The fact is, it could have been averted by simply replacing the dying cactus with a healthy one and then keeping quiet. Wouldn’t it would be kinder to let the boyfriend believe his original cactus lives on and that Jennifer was truly a nurturer?
June 25th, 2011 at 9:38 pm
But if she lies to him, then he will eventually learn the truth (especially with it being posted on the internet,) and then he will never trust her again because “If she could do that to my beloved cactus and keep it secret from me, what might she do to our potential child if it ever gets sick?”