Possible Emergency Graft Help?

Trouble shoot problems you are having with your cactus.
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PaperKiwi
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2017 2:13 pm

Possible Emergency Graft Help?

Post by PaperKiwi »

Firstly, I am a noob when it comes to cacti

I was gifted this cactus on 2/13. I know it is a moon cactus graft on a tropical cactus rootstock (lollipop - yay google!)

I noticed some darkish color on Friday 2/17 on the stock but I didn't think anything of it. Come Monday 2/20 and there are terrible black and yellow blotches which are squishy. I think (through Google-fu) that this is a fungus caused by it being overwatering at the big box store he came from.

He came in a small plastic pot with rich/thick soil that was very wet and the soil didn't dry out after 3 days. I repotted him in a porous clay pot (smallest they had was 6" diameter) in cactus/succulent/palm miracle grow soil that was dry to the touch. I did not water it thinking he would like a few weeks of dry on his roots.

If I can figure out how to add pictures I will (it keeps saying the files are too large even on freshly taken pictures).

I am willing to try an emergency regraft. I'll be honest, outside of a dozen YouTube videos and a handful of written directions online I have no idea what I am doing. I don't want to put him on a tropical rootstock again. What species should I be looking for? Can I cut out the rot? What is the best site for me to buy rootstock that isn't too terribly expensive?

Please help me save Sir Reginald (I named the stupid cactus)

EDIT:
Sir Reginald's Black Spot https://imgur.com/a/erc2K

I couldn't get them to upload here so I made an album on imgur
PaperKiwi
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2017 2:13 pm

Re: Possible Emergency Graft Help?

Post by PaperKiwi »

Following advice from another forum I did impromptu surgery on Reggie. I wiped alcohol on the blade between cuts (trying to make the cut as smooth as possible) and closed the wound with cinnamon.

Sir Reginald's Surgery https://imgur.com/a/3ZzTI

Was this the right thing to do?

I think I should still try to graft some of his pups if I get the chance and I still have no idea what rootstock to look for.

Thanks for your time!
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greenknight
Posts: 4815
Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2013 4:18 am
Location: SW Washington State zone 8b

Re: Possible Emergency Graft Help?

Post by greenknight »

The surgery was fine :thumbright: . Hope it works.

Lots of cacti you could graft to, but I think an Opuntia would be a good choice. They're easy to work with because their sticky sap helps to hold the scion in place, and they grow along with the scion so the graft won't fail in a few years. They're easy to root cuttings, and you can put multiple grafts on one pad. See the Grafting forum for help.
Spence :mrgreen:
PaperKiwi
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2017 2:13 pm

Re: Possible Emergency Graft Help?

Post by PaperKiwi »

Thank you for the idea! I didn't see Opuntia show up in any of my previous searches. I like that I can trust it to not fail in a few years. I'll go shop for some now!

As for the surgery, what should I do with Reginald now? Should I let his roots air out or should I replant him in his previous pot right away?
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greenknight
Posts: 4815
Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2013 4:18 am
Location: SW Washington State zone 8b

Re: Possible Emergency Graft Help?

Post by greenknight »

I'd go ahead and pot him up. Hold off watering for a few days.

Here's a thread about grafting on Opuntia you might find especially helpful - http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/viewtop ... 22&t=34771
Spence :mrgreen:
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