Hi everyone, I am new to this forum and thank you for reading my question.
I have a cactus (do not know the name)...
It has new part growing on top of it which is very exciting.
But at the same time one part of it is falling down to the side. It is losing it's strength day by day and losing against gravity.
My question is, can I cut it (or break it) from its joint? Is there a proper way of doing this? I appreciate your help and suggestions.
Thank you
It's Opuntia microdasys 'Cristata'. Too much water, or not enough light. Break a part of the top, let it dry for a week or so and put in cactus ground, don't water it for some time, and don't check for roots. Wear gloves.
If you look on the Plant of the Month that John posts, one month you will see one that he has, with white rather than yellow spines.
I think you can just break it off, or cut it if you prefer, but I would see if others hae different suggestions.
You also have to be careful since they have tiny spines (Ithink called glochids) that will end up on your hands if you don't use something like newspaper to hold it.
That plant should remain upright and firm. Not slumped over. I would highly recommend repotting it. There are lots of threads with recommendations for what type of soil to use. (just do a search on the word "soil" or "compost" and you should find them.
I would guess the soil is fairly compacted and the roots all matted into a ball. You should tease them apart. You can be firm with them, but don't get too crazy. Also when handling, you'll find the "pads" break off easily and if that happens you can start a new plant from them. Don't bang this particular plant around either as the little glochids tend to go airborne and get everywhere. From my experience they seem to have a special attraction for peoples eyes.
Daiv
All Cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are Cacti
I will add that you should perform the cutting and such on the opuntia outside. As Daiv states the glochids dislodge very easily. Better to have them outside then have them in your carpet.
You can also mist the plant to help keep the glochids from becoming to airborne
Bill
Last edited by ihc6480 on Sun Oct 09, 2005 12:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
It would be interesting to know how long you have owned the plant. The reason I say this is because looking at the plant, (which is certainly Opuntia microdasy), I'm not too sure about the 'cristata' bit, the top cladodes [the pads] seem to be much larger than the ones underneath that are supporting them. This is unusual as you would expect the lower pads to be larger or at least as large.
This type of Opuntia do have a tendency to drop the odd cladode for no apparent reason.
However to your problem: Yes it is quite easy to propagate the plant. Rather than break a piece off, cut the cladode with a sharp knife or scalpel blade at its narrowest point where it joins the plant. Leave it in a light, airy place for several days to 'scab' over and then plant in dry, sandy soil. Do not water until you see signs of new green growth. At this point I would take the cladode out of the pot, check that there are good roots showing and then plant it in its new home with good well drained compost.
PS: Everyone else has warned you regarding the glochids (the yellow furry areas on the plant). These can be very irratating if they become lodged in the skin, and are in fact a constituent of itching powder. As Bill said if you mist the plant with water this help to stop them becoming airborne. There are various methods of handling the plant, I am sure you will work out what is best for you, but try not to touch it with your bare hands. If you get any of them in the skin they are difficult to see and even more difficult to get out. The best way is to place a piece of sticky (Sellotape) over the area and peel it off this usually brings them out.
