survivor

purple · Post by **purple** » Sun May 01, 2011 2:36 am

I'm not sure if this is the right place for this posting.

This cactus wasn't well cared for and grew into this scrawny little twig of a cacti. Then, I left it out in Austin, TX's freeze this past winter. It started to yellow and rot. I cut it off as much of the sickly parts as possible then left it in the shade to heal. A couple months later it makes a button!

Is there any way to induce a new button? Would it even be able to grow a new button through all that hard scar tissue?
Also, would it be a bad idea to fill up the pot with soil reaching just under the new growth? I just want to work towards a healthier specimen.

Thanks for any advice!

marges · Post by **marges** » Sun May 01, 2011 4:30 am

Hello,

looks similar to what I have growing new on mine. I would let it grow for a while before trying to do anything.

You want it to keep producing more pups? Let the new growth get atleast a foot or more cut it in half let the top half calous over a week or two then you can try to root it as a new plant.

Then the bottom half you can replant upto the new growth leaving some green to collect the sun and that should make new pups

you said it is in a planter? bring it inside durring winter?

i've had cactus for almost a year now and they sure are strong neat plants!

Peterthecactusguy · Post by **Peterthecactusguy** » Sun May 01, 2011 7:52 am

I would just let it do it's thing for awhile. Also I am a little curious why you call it a button. That is a new stem segment that should grow pretty tall. I have new growth on some San Pedros that I got that I had to chop off a plant that was leaning over due to the cold. The stem split. It has new growth on the top of the cactus and new growth on the bottom parts where it has offset. The cuttings all have new growth on them save one.
(it hasn't rooted yet)
Basically I would leave that new growth alone. As you said its a survivor, let it grow, then it will be a healthy cactus again pretty soon.

purple · Post by **purple** » Sun May 01, 2011 3:43 pm

I only call it a button because that's what it looks like right now. I have another Pedro I bought at the same time that grew two new stems after the tip broke off. It's almost as big as me now!

It sounds like I'll be letting it grow a while and then covering the old part up with soil.

Thanks for the advice!

Peterthecactusguy · Post by **Peterthecactusguy** » Mon May 02, 2011 2:01 am

yeah. you can do that if you want. But I would wait and make sure no more stems come off of that first.

It might get a couple and ok about your description of the stem.

purple · Post by **purple** » Sat May 14, 2011 9:31 pm

Once I'm ready to bury it, will it sprout roots from being buried? And if it does sprout new roots, should I go easy on the watering to ensure it doesn't rot before that happens?

Thanks so much for your advice! I wish I had more cacti to discuss with you guys, I love this place!!!