Things going on - I need help

Trouble shoot problems you are having with your cactus.
Post Reply
attemptingCactiThumb
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2016 4:03 am

Things going on - I need help

Post by attemptingCactiThumb »

Hi - I was doing well with my "cactus farm" until I decided to get more - now I have experienced some rot with some - and have some other problems with others.

Thinking some are saveable - but not sure. All suggestions welcome.

Sorry all pictures were taken at night

I was going to repot the spikey ones soon, but saw the brown underneath the soil, and got scared, since I've lost a couple from rot lately. (I am learning!)
rot.jpg
rot.jpg (71.62 KiB) Viewed 634 times
The other one - I am unsure of what the white on the top is - the pictures are when I got it, and with the white. There is green growing above the white stuff - but should I chop it off below?
what is white.jpg
what is white.jpg (85.45 KiB) Viewed 634 times
The third one was looking really healthy until I moved it - I think I burned it, not positive - is it salvageable?
saveable.jpg
saveable.jpg (84.39 KiB) Viewed 634 times
Thanks
User avatar
hegar
Posts: 4596
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2006 4:04 am
Location: El Paso, Texas

Re: Things going on - I need help

Post by hegar »

First of all: Your plants are succulents, but none of them are cacti. However, the first two images do show plants that are the equivalent of cacti in the Old World. They are Euphorbia spp.
I am neither very good at identifying Euphorbia members, but the second image does seem to show Euphorbia trigona to me.
I noticed on the plants the grey discoloration and the shrivelled leaves that have the same color.
Without having the means to see the affected areas close up, I would venture a good guess and state, that you most likely do have a fungal infection. It could be one caused by the organism Botrytis cinerea, which causes a disease commonly known as "grey mold".
This is a fast moving pathogen, which does best, when the temperatures are not too high, but the humidity is. Injury to the plant facilitates the entry of the organism, as does overhead watering, which will keep the foliage wet too long. Also, spacing the plants too close will encourage the fungus, as will watering late in the day, which leaves the soil and the plant wet too long.
If this is indeed the correct diagnosis, you should cut off all the infected plant parts and dispose of them. I would even go ahead and replace the growing medium, which, by the way, should drain well. Remember to use rubbing alcohol or a bleach solution to disinfect the cutting tool after each cut and especially, when cutting into healthy tissue. Remove all the dead and discolored looking plant tissue. You can try the use of a systemic fungicide or go with captan or a fungicide based on organic ingredients which contain copper and/or sulfur. Two products that fit that bill are Mycostop and Serenade Garden.
You could also take a piece of the infected Euphorbia plant to a County Extension Center or a Nursery and have somebody there take a look at your sample. Because Botrytis cinerea is a fast moving fungus, you should do so as soon as possible or you may lose all your plants to this pathogen.

Harald
attemptingCactiThumb
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2016 4:03 am

Re: Things going on - I need help

Post by attemptingCactiThumb »

Thanks Harald for the advice, after googling what you suggested, and the succulents particular species (euphorbia trigona rubra) I came across this: mildew, http://www.euphorbia-international.org/ ... mildew.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, so off to surgery tomorrow :)

And finding it a new location!

B
Post Reply