Two of my cacti went hollow on the inside. What's wrong with them?
They seem to have been eaten up from below leaving only the skin and the spikes standing. It started out just with one of them. Then, today I found another one of my cacti halfway hollow on the inside. What do they suffer from? Both of them were of the same species. Can it spread to cacti of other species?
Do cacti have genders?
Plants are not of one sex or the other. In most plants, bees and other animals pollinate the plants to get them to produce seeds, that is how they reproduce.
What are your tips for growing beavertail cactus?
Beavertail cactus or pricklypear (Opuntia basilaris) is a low-growing spiny cactus with large, flat grayish-green pads covered in minuscule bristles with barbed tips.1) Plant in dry, well-drained loam or sand in full sun. If your area gets frequent rain, plant the beavertail cactus in a pot so you can move it out of the rain.2) Water rarely. Like other cacti, beavertail cactus thrives in dry conditions and can lose 70 to 90 percent of its water and still survive. If you do water, do so slowly and minimally, never allowing water to pool near the plant.3) Mulch around the cactus with gravel, rocks, decomposed granite or glass stones. Don’t use bark or other organic mulch, as it retains water.4) Apply a good-quality cactus fertilizer at half the recommended strength to cactus in pots, once a year in spring. Avoid fertilizing a beavertail cactus in the ground.
How to replant cacti to a pot?
This is my first time handling cacti seedlings, and I just wanted to know the right way to do this right. I got this cactus growing set from a gift shop near my house, and I’ve been letting them grow for a couple months now in this Easter egg-like container with sunlight and love. I feel that now would be a good time to let them grow on their own. Problem is that (A) I don’t know what soil would be best for their growth outside the tiny space they grew up in and (B) How many of these bad boys should I plant into the pot I have for them? Any kind of help and tips would make my day, so all advice that you could bestow upon a simple cacti peasant will most definetly help out! Thank you so much! -Beginner Cacti Mother Of 21 Seedlings
Why does my cactus shrink and die?
I’ve had problems with this in the past. Sometimes it’s because you don’t water them enough; they actually do need water, particularly in the hotter weather periods. Their stems (the green parts) are huge storage units for the plant, as well as the photosynthetic organs. Their modified leaves are the spines, with no chlorophyll, and photosynthesis does require water. My problem has usually been that I over water them, and the roots rot, leaving them no organ for water uptake. Make sure you have soil that drains very well (lots of sand, small gravel), and if the pots are sitting in water catchment trays that you dump out the excess water so the soil does not remain soaked between waterings.
Why is my cactus turning yellow?
Basically, I know of three reasons why a cactus can turn yellow:It has been sunburned, Yes, they do get sunburn, if suddenly taken outside after a long stay indoors under poor lighting conditions. In this case, the yellowing starts from the top, the exposed areas. Freezes actually will let a reddish or even purple mark on cacti.The cactus may have a pest such as mites. These are almost invisible spider-like animals that suck on the cactus’ tissue. This happens quite often to indoor plants. Mites can easily reproduce under warm, dry and stagnant conditions. While many cactus habitats are warm and dry in winter, the nights there can be too cold for mites to survive. And there is the rain, the wind and other critters eating the mites! You can try a common insectizide that covers mites, too.Worst case scenario! The yellowing is coming from the bottom! That means that your cactus is rotting from the roots. This is usually deadly. That can happen when your plant is too cold AND too wet in winter, or just too wet all the time. Cacti do not like to be waterlogged at any time. Water collecting in the shallow dishes under the pots must be discarded after a few yours. Water any cactus sparingly in winter. What you can do to save a rotting cactus is to deftly cut the healthy part off with a sharp knife, letting it sit on a dry place until the wound callouses over and replant into sand. Wait a week or so and water a bit. Often, the cutting will make new roots. Cuttings only work if there is enough warmth and sunlight.