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Does anyone here grow cacti?

Several months ago my girlfriend bought a small cactus at our local Home Depot. It came in a very small pot and has a large, bulbous red head with little yellow "things" sprouting out all over the top (shows you how much I know about cacti). All was going well for a few months and the little guy grew and flowered a few times. Then a few weeks ago it seemed to get sick. The green stem is now a nasty brownish color, but the head remains red and yellow. She asked my to try to save him and I naturally said yes. The thing is (as I mentioned earlier) I know NOTHING about growing these plants. Right now it's sitting in one of my grow chambers under 80 watts of light.

Can someone please give me some tips on how I can go about saving this little guy? I have some diluted fertilizer that I use on my CPs...can I use it on the cactus? How often should it be watered? Is 80 watts of light suitable? Can this plant even be saved? I really need to read up on cacti...
 
From your description it sounds like you have one of those typical irradiated Gymnocalycium mihanovichii grafted on a Hylocereus root stock.
The problem with these is that the scion (top portion) will grow on at the stock's expense, gradually weakening it (which may be what's happening). Is the brown portion soft and mushy? If so, it may be rot.
What's more, basal shoots from the scion will not root since they've lost the ability to photosynthesize due to the gamma radiation treatment (hence the bright pretty colours) - a wonderful tactic for retailers - with the only way out being to graft them onto fresh stock.

My advice at this point is to keep it well lit, very dry (substrate and humidity), and at room temperature away from windows and draughts. If there's any rotting, it's most probably due to excessive moisture at this time of year (cool and less sun). This is based on my extremely limited knowledge of these plants, of course, and is pretty much text book with growing cacti.

Good luck!

Cheers
Amori
 
Thanks for the advice Amori. The stalk just seems soft, but I'm not sure if it will peel off. I'll have to check that when I get home. I'll try to keep it as dry as possible and see if it recovers.
 
Forget the skin thing (edited out). It may actually not be wise to physically mess around with it as the season makes it susceptible to pathogens (fungi, bacteria etc.). Also, fight any temptation to feed it right now, since it should be in its "dormant" period. Once growing season kicks in, use a low-nitrogen fertiliser sparingly (follow manufacturer's instructions!
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)

Cheers
Amori
 
Ok, I won't mess with it. How long should I keep it dry for until I water it again?
 
I found that most of my cacti and succulents like to be bone-dry through most of winter, and regular watering is required in summer when they're outside. So, maybe just keep it dry til spring?

-Ben
 
As far as when growing season starts, that all depends on when it gets reasonably warm and sunny in your part of California that it would be happy to go outdoors (not that you need to, but preferable).

Cheers
Amori

EDIT: Ben has hit the nail on its head.
 
Thanks guys. Hopefully the little guy will pull through
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Hiya i tink i can help some1 this time... i have like 27 cacti... but i dont know much abouth... so just take the good you read from me, but tink before following my instructions.... i tink if the part from down die, u got to re ingert it, i mean give him another host, is like the one of this picture?? http://www.infojardin.com/fichas/cactus/gymnocalycium-mihanovichii.htm if i cant post this link please erase it, and sorry. if is that one a friend almost kill the one she have cuz she overwater it.. my cacti have from november with out water, i notice this cacti host die is they recibe direct sunlight, i have them indoor, well i hope many ppl help u, and if u gotta change the host good luck, see ya!!.
 
  • #10
ImWindPlant, that's the same cactus I'm trying to save. So are you saying that it's saveable?
 
  • #11
Hi!, The cactus of the girl i know is ok now... the part of up orange save, but the green part of down die, with caution we remove the orange cacti and put it in a new base, was the same specie of base, we buy it in the same place, so we cut the part of the base from up (just a litle), and we put the orange part clean on it, i fell like it wuz cruelty, but if we dont do that i read the orange ball will die, but i wuz tinking, another girl i know buy other of that cacti, but only a half of the part from down die, she stop watering the cacti and the half that die still jelly and brown, but the other half is green, maybe just taking care of it and dont watering him, the cacti will suvirve, but maybe if it is very bad, is better give him another base, i will search on the web info on english abouth injerts and cacti, maybe in this time some1 more can give you more help, i just hope the cacti get well soon, well see ya later.
 
  • #12
Thanks for all your help WindPlant, I really appreciate it. Is it hard to give the cactus another base? Like you said, would I just have to buy another one at Home Depot then cut off the top and lay the old one on top of the new base? Does it just grow into the new base? Hmmmm....
 
  • #13
The correct term is grafting. Basically, find a suitable root stock, and regraft the top portion (Gymnocalycium mihanovichii in this case) onto it. Try this website to get a rough idea on how to do it. There's plenty to read and learn about grafting cacti if you Google it.
Keep in mind that these grafted irradiated cacti are meant to expire after a while (like I mentioned earlier, an advantage for retailers at the expense of the unknowing, frustrated customer).

Cheers
Amori
 
  • #14
Im searching and tinking, it supose to be just like that!, letme see if i can get some pictures of cutting and all that. You welcome i will help all ppl i can, wen i can,
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, thanks and see ya.
 
  • #15
[b said:
Quote[/b] (shokuchuu @ Jan. 18 2006,12:24)]The correct term is grafting.  Basically, find a suitable root stock, and regraft the top portion (Gymnocalycium mihanovichii in this case) onto it.  Try this website to get a rough idea on how to do it.  There's plenty to read and learn about grafting cacti if you Google it.
Keep in mind that these grafted irradiated cacti are meant to expire after a while (like I mentioned earlier, an advantage for retailers at the expense of the unknowing, frustrated customer).  

Cheers
Amori
If this cactus is meant to expire after a while, is it even worth trying to save? I'm wondering if I should just forget about the grafting and see if it recovers on its own...
 
  • #16
Now that I've read that site, it seems that grafting isn't too impossible. The thing is, where would I get a new stem/bottom portion?
 
  • #17
Oh, in time i write my answer some1 answer first!
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, this tings abouth internet are weird..... That page is very expliciti, the pictures say alot, but.... the base dont need to be so damaged, so big the base and so small the head?, or need to?, we just do the cut, and the base of the same size, the head, i must say look like they fit perfect!, well tink to tink all abouth, good shokuchuu found that page!, well if u decide change the down part, Good luck!,i have a Graft, (so thats the name....), is 4 months old and look great, maybe if ppl take care alot abouth the cacti it will live longer, one base have a baby, and they look good, well good luck and take care.
 
  • #18
[b said:
Quote[/b] (LLeopardGGecko @ Jan. 18 2006,8:33)]Now that I've read that site, it seems that grafting isn't too impossible. The thing is, where would I get a new stem/bottom portion?
Unless you try the specialist nurseries, you'll have to try and find Hylocereus for sale in local stores. I'm not sure whether other cacti such as Trichocereus pachanoi and Myrtillocactus geometrizans make good root stocks for G. mihanovichii. It might be worthwhile experimenting, though it would all come down to how dear the plant is to your missus!

Grafting cacti is actually quite easy as long as the basic steps of hygiene and patience are taken.

Cheers
Amori
 
  • #19
UPDATE: G. mihanovichii can be successfully grafted onto other rootstocks, most likely the very vigorous Trichocereus spp..

Info.

Cheers
Amori
 
  • #20
[b said:
Quote[/b] (shokuchuu @ Jan. 18 2006,12:58)]UPDATE: G. mihanovichii can be successfully grafted onto other rootstocks, most likely the very vigorous Trichocereus spp..  

Info.

Cheers
Amori
Ah, thanks so much Amori! And yes, this cactus is VERY important to my girlfriend so I really want to try to save it
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So is Trichocereus spp easy to find in stores? Do you think I'd be able to find it at Home Depot?
 
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