What's wrong with my cactus

[Lamavrdalama]

Dear members,

Please help me to save my cactus. It was inside the house during the winter. I provided a small amount of water during the period, every 20-30 days. But as soon as the warm weather came I took it outside, on my terrace, put it in the corner covered by the morning sun only (until 11 o'clock). Watered it a little harder once because it seemed it would drop out of the pot due to dryness of the earth. A few days later, it came like as in pictures. Tell me it won't die! Would appreciate your help and knowledge a lot!

[george76904]

Ok, I will tell you it won't die. But in all seriousness it will probably be OK, what has happened is sunburn. Yes cacti can get sunburn. They are especially vulnerable after overwintering in a dark place and then a sudden transition into the sunlight. I would recommend immediately moving it into a darker place and very slowly (over a couple weeks) re acclimate it to the sun. It will recover by there may be some scaring.

[Aiko]

Burned due to too much sun intensity. It needs to get used to it, apparantly. Why don't you put a big plant with leaves in front of it so it takes away some of the most intense of sunlight away, but still allows for good light to allow it to grow? Don't put it in a shady place. Then it will only etiolate, and grow tall (this plant should be more wide than it is high, so it is fine as it is now). Just try to provide it some little bit of sun filter. That could be a sun screen or a plant with foliage in front of it.

It will recover, but that will take time (years).

Where do you live? Maybe you could keep it outside earlier in the year so it has time to get used to spring sun. Does it freeze where you live?