F.cylindraceus
F.cylindraceus
I purchased a 7" Ferocactus cylindraceus several months ago. When I received it it had a 9" tap root and another 6" feeder roots. The tap root was at almost a 90 degree angle to the body of the cactus. not having a 16" pot nor wanting one I cut the tap root down to 4" and let it dry for a month. I then planted it in a 10" pot and it is doing very well. New growth and has 2 flower buds forming. I have visited 2 cactus sights and 1 sight says the cactus will tilt towards the sun while the other site says the cactus will tilt away from the sun due to the fact that the side towards the sun will grow faster. My question is which is correct? It has already developed about a 10 degree tilt but for the life of me I cant remember which way it has been sitting as I have moved it when watering. I would like to keep the ball as straight as I can. So to get it to come back to verticle should I place the tilted side towards sunlight or away? After I get it straight I can turn it every day to keep it straight. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
note to above question
This cactus only receives afternoon direct sunlight, about 5 hrs.
Depends....do you want it to grow naturally? Do you want that lean? Or do you want to control it's shape and growth habits?
If it grows as they would in the wild, it will eventually fall over as nature planned. However, by that time it will have more than likely produced some babies around it's base, or within range of seeds, so it will continue via parentage.
Ferocactus will grow quite rapidly after reaching a large size, such as yours. Slow this by underpotting it, one inch larger than the plant, spines not included, just the body of the plant. Use small rocks to top the soil after potting. Pot the soil level just a layer of rock shallow to the base of the plant, then add the small rocks. It'll keep the base of the plant cleaner and reduce risk of scarring. Use rounded rocks, like gravel, nothing sharp. Half strength fertilizer couple of times per month, and don't keep it too wet, and I have good luck with feros in terra cotta pottery.
Feros are a great group of cacti, tho they get large, they produce some great spineage and flowers resulting in some wonderfull specimen plants.
If it grows as they would in the wild, it will eventually fall over as nature planned. However, by that time it will have more than likely produced some babies around it's base, or within range of seeds, so it will continue via parentage.
Ferocactus will grow quite rapidly after reaching a large size, such as yours. Slow this by underpotting it, one inch larger than the plant, spines not included, just the body of the plant. Use small rocks to top the soil after potting. Pot the soil level just a layer of rock shallow to the base of the plant, then add the small rocks. It'll keep the base of the plant cleaner and reduce risk of scarring. Use rounded rocks, like gravel, nothing sharp. Half strength fertilizer couple of times per month, and don't keep it too wet, and I have good luck with feros in terra cotta pottery.
Feros are a great group of cacti, tho they get large, they produce some great spineage and flowers resulting in some wonderfull specimen plants.
Re-question
I want to control the tilt of the cactus. I want to keep the top center as close to verticle as I can. I have it potted just about like you describe. The cactus has developed about a 10 degree lean and want to get it back to upright.So do I face the leaning side towards or away from the sun.In other words in nature does the top center of the cactice tilt toward the sun or away? I have this leaning with some of my other cactice with 5 hrs. of PM direct sun but I just give them a 180 degree turn 1nc a week and they come back to straight.