Sad Cactus

[TimPhillips_2008]

I’ve had this cactus for some 25+ years. For about 20 of those years it existed as an unchanging, round, baseball sized plant in a small pot. About five years ago it underwent a rapid and dynamic growth up to its current height of about 11 inches. It remained seemingly healthy in its small pot for another couple of years. Then, two years ago over a few weeks winter it collapsed, falling over (I’d been on vacation). I assumed it was lack of water, but wondered if it had outgrown the small pot. In any event I propped it up and fed it and it seemed to recover. About a year ago, I decided to repot it into its current, larger pot. It has good drainage and cacti soil, lots of sun. It never seemed to like its new home, and if it’s not held up by string, it quickly starts to lean. Last week, it fell over completely, most of the bottom out of the dirt and exposed. The bottom was essentially smooth, gray, and rootless, except for roots extending into the soil along one edge of one side of its base. I’ve again propped it up. Any advice on how to return it to health is appreciated!

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[greenknight]

If it doesn't have many roots, you should return it to a small pot until it grows more. Maybe the soil you used isn't good, try a different mix - see the Cultivation forum.

[jmoney]

The lack of roots is concerning. I would think that a cactus of this size should have a substantial set of roots on it.

[7george]

I would try to cut it in half, root it and pot it in better soil mix. I think it never have got enough direct sunlight. Looks like Hamatocactus (Thelocactus) setispinus. It is usually ball-shaped and spiny all over with long hooked centrals. The unexpected growth spring might be caused by new rich soil but still low light. Lack of roots - too moist soil(?).

Don't know what to advise. Read some books, articles about growing Mexican cacti.

[jmoney]

If it is supposed to be baseball-sized, which it sounds like according to your initial post, it definitely needs to be cut, rooted, and given sufficient light. It is hard for me to tell what it is supposed to be, columnar/globular, at this point.

If it is supposed to be globular, I am not sure how much I would suggest cutting off of the top...a couple inches or three or more inches.

Anyways I need to be cut and rooted anyhow from the sounds of it and it is etiolated based on how it currently looks.

Let us know if you need more advise!

[greenknight]

They start out globular, but eventually become a short columnar. The abnormal part is the skinny section, I would cut out that part and root the part above that as a cutting. The base can be potted down into a smaller pot and might also grow. It does look like it could use better light, I agree - even where it's not so skinny it's too stretched out