Roots shriveled??

Trouble shoot problems you are having with your cactus.
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sundanz
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Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2012 7:05 pm
Location: Tyler, Texas, prev. Germany

Roots shriveled??

Post by sundanz »

Here's the problem with my plant! About 2 weeks ago I planted a Discocactus Araneispinus who had roots and looked healthy. Yesterday I touched it and the whole plant popped out of the pot! It had no or very little roots left! It never got hold of the soil!! It bloomed after 2 days of planting! What could have gone wrong?? I'm perplexed. I stuck it back in the ground and I'm hoping it grows again! Any suggestions?
Life's a Cactus in the Great State of Texas!!!
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Steve Johnson
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Location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)

Re: Roots shriveled??

Post by Steve Johnson »

sundanz wrote:Here's the problem with my plant! About 2 weeks ago I planted a Discocactus Araneispinus who had roots and looked healthy. Yesterday I touched it and the whole plant popped out of the pot! It had no or very little roots left! It never got hold of the soil!! It bloomed after 2 days of planting! What could have gone wrong?? I'm perplexed. I stuck it back in the ground and I'm hoping it grows again! Any suggestions?
I saw your thread over on the General forum. Sorry I didn't have a chance to give you some thoughts about this, but I'll try to do so tomorrow night. No reason to panic, although you'll need some guidance.
If you just want photos without all the blather, please visit my Flickr gallery.
My location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
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sundanz
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Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2012 7:05 pm
Location: Tyler, Texas, prev. Germany

Re: Roots shriveled??

Post by sundanz »

Thanks Steve!! I need all the help I can get!!
Karin
Life's a Cactus in the Great State of Texas!!!
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Steve Johnson
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Location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)

Re: Roots shriveled??

Post by Steve Johnson »

sundanz wrote:Thanks Steve!! I need all the help I can get!!
Karin
While you're waiting, please describe the mix you have the Disco in. Then I'll post my comments to you in your thread on the General forum -- hopefully tonight!
If you just want photos without all the blather, please visit my Flickr gallery.
My location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
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sundanz
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Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2012 7:05 pm
Location: Tyler, Texas, prev. Germany

Re: Roots shriveled??

Post by sundanz »

Ok Steve, my mix is part cactus mix that you buy in a bag, perlite and the oil dry stuff that looks like cat litter. I mix all this together and the result resembles cat litter. All my cacti are in this mix and they are all doing well. I water weekly since it's in the 90's lately. They are in a GH with fans going day and night.
Do I need to water more? I'm really stumped about this plant! All the others are solid in their pots! I tugged today to be sure!
Thanks Steve!
Karin
By the way, this plant has lots of pups. Perhaps I didn't plant deep enough?
Life's a Cactus in the Great State of Texas!!!
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Steve Johnson
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Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2011 4:44 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)

Re: Roots shriveled??

Post by Steve Johnson »

sundanz wrote:Ok Steve, my mix is part cactus mix that you buy in a bag, perlite and the oil dry stuff that looks like cat litter. I mix all this together and the result resembles cat litter. All my cacti are in this mix and they are all doing well. I water weekly since it's in the 90's lately. They are in a GH with fans going day and night.
Do I need to water more? I'm really stumped about this plant! All the others are solid in their pots! I tugged today to be sure!
Thanks Steve!
Karin
By the way, this plant has lots of pups. Perhaps I didn't plant deep enough?
I was able to post my comment to you on the General forum this evening, and I was pleased to see that we have James on the case. Your mix is okay, although I'm not thrilled about the perlite. Since I recently discovered that eBay has a good selection of sources for horticultural-grade pumice here in the US, there's no reason to make do with perlite these days. However, I know you probably don't want to change mixes in mid-stream since we're in the middle of the growing season. And certainly not when you're trying to establish the Disco, so I think you'll be fine sticking with the mix you're already using. The only question is how you should approach watering, but hopefully James will be able to give you some insight on the matter. And no -- planting depth of the pot wasn't the problem that led to your Disco's root loss.

I'll look forward to checking up on the latest developments in your General forum thread. Hope all this works out well for you!
If you just want photos without all the blather, please visit my Flickr gallery.
My location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
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sundanz
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Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2012 7:05 pm
Location: Tyler, Texas, prev. Germany

Re: Roots shriveled??

Post by sundanz »

Thank you Steve! I have taken your advice and soaked the roots in Peroxide for 15 minutes, then cleaned the roots well and rinsed them. Dried them overnight and the plant is now repotted in clean soil. It now sits dry on my patio insteAd of the GH so I can drive myself nuts watching over it!:-)
In about one week I will give it some water. Really hoping it comes back! It's such a cute plant!! I will keep you updated!
Thanks again for all your help!!
Karin
Life's a Cactus in the Great State of Texas!!!
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