I have a few questions......

Charis · Post by **Charis** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 10:31 pm

Hi, I am new to this forum but not to cacti. But I have run into a few problems.
I have a moon cactus. It has sunken in on one side and turned black inside the craater that has formed. How do I get rid of this and how to I treat it?

Bill in SC · Post by **Bill in SC** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 11:47 pm

Welcome Charis! Sounds like rot. You can dig out the affected area. Then treat with fungicide or cinnamon. It may or may not survive.. Luckily, moon cactus are cheap and common, and easily replaced..
Bill in SC

Charis · Post by **Charis** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 12:15 am

Cinnamon like the spice from the kitchen? I have some of that. And do you mean to completely remove the blackened area? Like cut it out? I think I can do that too. Thanks for the help.

Post by **daiv** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 3:58 am

NOTE: A lot of time rot is caused from too much water. Be sure you allow pots to dry before giving them more water. If they are not growing, then usually just the roots rot off from being too wet.

Bill in SC · Post by **Bill in SC** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 12:15 pm

Godd advice Daiv! And yes Charise to your above questions..
Bill in SC

Charis · Post by **Charis** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 7:32 pm

Thanks everyone $\:D/$ ! I have put to good use the infomation about the cacti

. I am yet to cut out the rotted area because I have been at college all day

. I'll be sure to let the moon cactus dry out before I water it again. I have another question. Where do I find cacti soil? And what is it called? I have a caterpillar cactus (It doesn't have a common name and it looks like a caterpillar to me) and an Old Man of the Andes that have both outgrown the pots they came in. I need to transplant them as soon as possible

. Oh and does anyone have any hints on how to transplant cacti without hurting them. Thanks so much for any help.

peterb · Post by **peterb** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 12:50 am

Hi Charis-

You can buy cactus potting mix at most nurseries and garden centers. I highly recommend you add some gritty gravel, perlite (also for sale)and perhaps some coarse sand to commercially available mixes. There might be an excellent source for this kind of rocky, fast draining amendment right outside your door, if you are in the right part of Texas.

How cool does it get where you are? If it gets cold over the winter, I'd recommend potting your cacti in the spring. Then they have the right conditions for re-establishing their roots. I am an advocate of loosening the roots, knocking most of the soil off of them and in many cases actually trimming them with sharp shears, and this sort of treatm,ent works best in spring. But you know cacti are generally very tough, so use your judgment.

Newspaper is excellent for holding the plant without getting stuck by the spines.

happy growing

Peterb

ihc6480 · Post by **ihc6480** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 1:12 am

Peterb wrote:

Newspaper is excellent for holding the plant without getting stuck by the spines.

Yup, newspaper works but I've found that spines like sticking to it and in some cases threw it so I use a nice pair of tongs.

Bill in SC · Post by **Bill in SC** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 2:11 pm

Yep, kitchen tongs is without question THE way to handle spinys..
Bill in SC

clemons · Post by **clemons** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 5:18 pm

i like a fluffy doubled over towel..

Bill in SC · Post by **Bill in SC** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 7:22 pm

Maybe, but just think about it. Any paper, fabric, carpet or any other material you wrap around a cactus is bound to frequently get stuck up/stuck in said material.
Kitchen tongs eliminates any degree of complication when handling. I reiterate; kitchen tongs is THE SAFEST AND BEST way to handle problematic, spiny, glochidous cactus,.. I rarely say anything I do is better or best from anyone else's suggestions, but in this case, there is no doubt my words through trial and error are true..

Once you use the tongs, there's no going back...
BTW, I handle 90% of my cactus by hand, even the gnarly ones. But when there's no question about a really rough one, the tongs come out...
Bill in SC

iann · Post by **iann** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 9:04 pm

I'm still looking for some industrial kitchen tongs that will handle a baseball-sized Echinocactus! I usually just use gardening gloves, they are fine for most of the little ones and very easy to control everything.

But my main piece of advice: grow Lithops! No spines

Post by **daiv** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 5:19 am

iann wrote: But my main piece of advice: grow Lithops! No spines

Ahh, but where's the fun in that? Spines are adventurous!

Daiv
(who only grows cacti)

ihc6480 · Post by **ihc6480** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 12:24 am

Daiv wrote;

Ahh, but where's the fun in that? Spines are adventurous!

Ain't it the truth Daiv

and with my collection gloves are useless

Grab this baby with gloves and you won't pull the glove off your hand

click it

fred · Post by **fred** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 5:55 am

I handle almost all of my cactus barehanded. The notable exception is my Saguaro. It has very long sharp spines and is so heavy at one foot in height that I cant handle it. I used rolled up newspaper. Hope it doesnt need repotting for awhile.

I have a few questions......

I have a few questions......

Thanks so much!