Hello, mislabeled or lack of light?

[AngelinaC]

Hello! My first post! I love cactus, but have little room to enjoy that wouldn’t be exposed to too much rain. These poor things were labeled Golden Barrel Cactus when I bought them. It’s been at least 8 years, but I THINK they were nice ball shaped when I got them. They’re growing up, not round though. I’d appreciate any help you could give! Thank you!

I was told yesterday, they aren’t golden barrel cactus, which is what I really wanted.

(Bought big box DIY store, growing in Central Florida.) Comparing to the small ones in the “look here first...The sides look like some, but not the tops.

[mikethecactusguy]

You should split them and plant them in seperate containers. Cactus are funny. They may "spread out" when they are no longer touching each other.

[greenknight]

The spines are much weaker on the newer growth as well, which is another sign of low light. I agree with separating them, but also try to provide better light gradually. Be careful not to sunburn them.

I do think they are golden barrels (Echinocactus grusonii).

[AngelinaC]

Thank you! I was noticing they’ve split to some extent, they previously were too tight to separate. I think I can now. It had a total of five surrounding it, I potted one, gave away a couple, one died.

I do see cylindrical grusonii specimens in desert settings...

I so appreciate your help!

[AngelinaC]

More help?

I feel like such a parasite, I have no cactus knowledge to exchange...

I have fun photos though, if interested. My garden here has flipped several times due to various circumstances...

MY QUESTION NOW:

If this were daylilies, or herbs...I’d just shove a knife in there and slice downward and have two clumps...

There’s also the matter of THORNS...

Do I need to try to de-tangle roots to separate the two cactus? Will just severing in half work fine?

I’ll have to get someone to help turn the pot out, are there secret cactus ways to support the heads to keep them intact with their roots when I flip the pot?

It HAD an enormous root system when I upped to this pot size, but the person helping me due to their weight, nearly gave it shaken baby syndrome when I said, “shake it a little”...

If cactus are as robust as my agaves, I won’t approach it with such timidity. That blue cactus in my profile I found unrooted and discarded in the woods. Eighteen months later, it popped that baby after lying in the woods who knows how long.
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It’s just going to be really awkward to get out of that pot. Meanwhile, I’m acclimating them to move to full sun do hopefully, they’ll get their barrel on!

Thanks to the folks who helped me!

[Steve-0]

Here's a little of what I do. Mine just got reported a week ago. Single stem of the same species. Get an old quilt...wait scratch that...don't wreck an old quilt, keep loving it. Get an old beach towel and wrap it up. Get your oven mits or thick gloves. Lay the cactus on a tarp or big flattened cardboard box or similar. Then I roll the thing back and forth a bit while squishing the pot some. Then jiggle and slide the pot away from the root ball. This is all done w/o an assistant. Splitting the two apart?...uhhh...do your best, do your worst, IDK. Pull hard apart? Expert advice inserted here___________.

Hope some of this is helpful .

Steve

[greenknight]

Actually, taking a knife and just sawing down between them is the right thing to do, you'll do less root damage than you would trying to tease them apart. Best to use a serrated-edge knife, a straight-edge blade gets instantly dull while a serrated edge will still saw through roots cleanly. Then you should take a garden hose and wash the roots clean of the old soil - this will make it easier to pick out the roots that have been cut off, and you're better off starting with fresh soil anyway.

They aren't too badly etiolated, given more sun they should turn into good-looking plants.

[mikethecactusguy]

after splitting them and repotting don't water them for a week. Also keep them in shade/bright light at first. Ease them into full sun over a period of time.

[Sarraceniacrazy]

Not a professional but i just spray the soil off using the jet setting on my hose sprayer after letting the pot soak in water so the rootball is saturated. Ill grab some pics of some plants ive did this with when im not at work.