Moon cacti stock sudden death

Trouble shoot problems you are having with your cactus.
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crispy224
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2016 3:45 pm
Location: North Carolina, USA

Moon cacti stock sudden death

Post by crispy224 »

Hello, I recently got a bunch of moon cactus on sale at Walmart. They where sitting in pretty much 100% coco coir. So I got them home and dried out the coco coir thinking this would prevent them from rotting well out of the 40 or so that I've gotten I have lost four. They've been pretty dry for the last 25 or so days. The ones that look like they need water I will pull the plant out of the pot carefully and lightly water the bottom cm of the rootball. So the base of thE cacti doesn't get wet and the soil dries quickly But a few will,suddenly collapse. I'd say it was rot from over watering considering the soil they are in but I'm extremely careful with their water consumption.
Also I do not have enough to lights to light these all winter. Would it be possible to plant them in my attic where I put my Trichocereus bridgesii that I allow to go dormant every winter? Or are they less cold tolerant?
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esp_imaging
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Re: Moon cacti stock sudden death

Post by esp_imaging »

They aren't very cold tolerant. 10degC or higher is good if indoors in a temperate climate.

If warm, they can cope with a fairly damp compost much better than desert cacti. Cold and damp, they aren't happy at all.
A small diverse collection of Cacti & Succulents
Based in the UK
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greenknight
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Location: SW Washington State zone 8b

Re: Moon cacti stock sudden death

Post by greenknight »

Yes, the Hylocereus root stocks can stand a fair amount of moisture, but they're not cold-tolerant.
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crispy224
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Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2016 3:45 pm
Location: North Carolina, USA

Re: Moon cacti stock sudden death

Post by crispy224 »

They occasionally get down to 10c but are relatively dry. Could that temp be causing their deaths?
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greenknight
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Re: Moon cacti stock sudden death

Post by greenknight »

They should be able take 10'c. Maybe they already had the beginning of root rot when you got them.
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esp_imaging
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Re: Moon cacti stock sudden death

Post by esp_imaging »

Did they even have much root when you bought them?
Unrooted or poorly rooted plants would susceptible to rotting at the base
A small diverse collection of Cacti & Succulents
Based in the UK
http://www.edwardshaw.co.uk/cacti
crispy224
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2016 3:45 pm
Location: North Carolina, USA

Re: Moon cacti stock sudden death

Post by crispy224 »

O yes they had decent roots. The roots can be seen easily when you pull the plants out of the pots. They seem to hold the soil together so I can carefully water the bottom of the root ball
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