Cleistocactus fieldianus won't root

Multiplying your cacti vegetatively.
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Download
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Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2021 5:22 am
Location: Adelaide, Australia

Cleistocactus fieldianus won't root

Post by Download »

I bought a cutting of Cleistocactus fieldianus late last year from someone interstate. By the time it got to me it have been callousing for a few weeks so I put it in a pot and waited for it to root.

About 3 months ago to no new growth despite being on a warm self with loads of grow lights (so bright that some of my cacti flower in winter), I pulled it out of its pot and found no roots. There was a crack in the callous though so I though that maybe under the callous there was mould or rot and maybe it had stopped root growth, so I sliced about 5mm off the bottom (like 1/4"). Nope, no rot and no discolouration.

I left it to callous over again, applied rooting hormone this time and replanted it. Since then it has started to look dehydrated. I tried watering it a week back but it didn't plump up, so today I pulled it out of the pot. Still no roots and it's really light. It's definitely not dead, though it looks a bit sad now.

I'm wondering what people think I should do now. I'm worried it will die of dehydration in the next few months and I'm not confident it will root any time soon.

One thought was to try submerging it in water for a day or two and hope it can suck up some water. Another more crazy idea was to inject water into it with a syringe, but unless there's a cavity inside I can't see that one working. Of course, maybe I need to just wait more.

Thoughts?
Mrs.Green
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Re: Cleistocactus fieldianus won't root

Post by Mrs.Green »

Download; I have no experience with the species, your climate and I am a beginner, so my thoughts may be of no interest to you. Never the less, I dare an answer :)

I have a Pilosocereus which I have had for many years. Sorry to say, but for years it was just one of the plants in my collection and didn’t get much attention. Ladt year I noticed that the top of the cactus started to rot. I had to cut the top twice to stop the rot and when repotting and looking at the roots, it wasn’t much to write home about..

I repotted the plant in much coarser mix ( about one third of gravel, crushed leca and a bit of ordinary potting soil. I took it out of the window and placed it on a table were no sun reached it and no extra lights apart from the ceiling light and natural light from the window. Since there were no alive roots , I didn’t water it, just misted it 2-3 times a week. For several months nothing happened, apart from the fact that it got skinnier and skinnier because of dehydration. A few light waterings took place but very carefully. It looked pretty sad in the end, before it started to slowly gain ‘weight’ .

Not before it was back to normal ‘weight’ I placed it on the windowsill again.

If you haven’t already read it, look at MikeInOz answer in this tread; viewtopic.php?f=2&t=46664 :)

Your idea of injecting it with water, interesting idea and it works on mammals but will it work on plants? Not sure..Mammals have elastic skin and can take some fluid subcutant but I fear it may either just drain out again from the needle hole or damage the plant?

Best of luck! :)
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MikeInOz
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Re: Cleistocactus fieldianus won't root

Post by MikeInOz »

Download wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 7:59 am I bought a cutting of Cleistocactus fieldianus late last year from someone interstate. By the time it got to me it have been callousing for a few weeks so I put it in a pot and waited for it to root.

About 3 months ago to no new growth despite being on a warm self with loads of grow lights (so bright that some of my cacti flower in winter), I pulled it out of its pot and found no roots. There was a crack in the callous though so I though that maybe under the callous there was mould or rot and maybe it had stopped root growth, so I sliced about 5mm off the bottom (like 1/4"). Nope, no rot and no discolouration.

I left it to callous over again, applied rooting hormone this time and replanted it. Since then it has started to look dehydrated. I tried watering it a week back but it didn't plump up, so today I pulled it out of the pot. Still no roots and it's really light. It's definitely not dead, though it looks a bit sad now.

I'm wondering what people think I should do now. I'm worried it will die of dehydration in the next few months and I'm not confident it will root any time soon.

One thought was to try submerging it in water for a day or two and hope it can suck up some water. Another more crazy idea was to inject water into it with a syringe, but unless there's a cavity inside I can't see that one working. Of course, maybe I need to just wait more.

Thoughts?
I think the problem is that you were trying to root it in winter during it's dormancy. This time, try sitting the plant on sand (not in the sand) and propping it up with stakes. Spray it once or twice/day (evening is best) during dry weather without letting the water run down the stem. You want a fine mist.
Once the weather warms up it should start to do something.
Download
Posts: 251
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2021 5:22 am
Location: Adelaide, Australia

Re: Cleistocactus fieldianus won't root

Post by Download »

MikeInOz wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 3:05 am
Download wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 7:59 am I bought a cutting of Cleistocactus fieldianus late last year from someone interstate. By the time it got to me it have been callousing for a few weeks so I put it in a pot and waited for it to root.

About 3 months ago to no new growth despite being on a warm self with loads of grow lights (so bright that some of my cacti flower in winter), I pulled it out of its pot and found no roots. There was a crack in the callous though so I though that maybe under the callous there was mould or rot and maybe it had stopped root growth, so I sliced about 5mm off the bottom (like 1/4"). Nope, no rot and no discolouration.

I left it to callous over again, applied rooting hormone this time and replanted it. Since then it has started to look dehydrated. I tried watering it a week back but it didn't plump up, so today I pulled it out of the pot. Still no roots and it's really light. It's definitely not dead, though it looks a bit sad now.

I'm wondering what people think I should do now. I'm worried it will die of dehydration in the next few months and I'm not confident it will root any time soon.

One thought was to try submerging it in water for a day or two and hope it can suck up some water. Another more crazy idea was to inject water into it with a syringe, but unless there's a cavity inside I can't see that one working. Of course, maybe I need to just wait more.

Thoughts?
I think the problem is that you were trying to root it in winter during it's dormancy. This time, try sitting the plant on sand (not in the sand) and propping it up with stakes. Spray it once or twice/day (evening is best) during dry weather without letting the water run down the stem. You want a fine mist.
Once the weather warms up it should start to do something.
As I said in my OP, it's on a warm shelf under grow lights. It's certainly not a dormancy issue.

I'll start spraying it for hydration.
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MikeInOz
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Re: Cleistocactus fieldianus won't root

Post by MikeInOz »

Download wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 3:02 pm



As I said in my OP, it's on a warm shelf under grow lights. It's certainly not a dormancy issue.

Even so, plants ''know'' what time of year it is. I have seedlings under lights at 18-30C and they still don't grow like they do in summer. There seems to be a naturally inbuilt clock - especially with mature plants.
Download
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Re: Cleistocactus fieldianus won't root

Post by Download »

MikeInOz wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 10:28 pm
Download wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 3:02 pm



As I said in my OP, it's on a warm shelf under grow lights. It's certainly not a dormancy issue.

Even so, plants ''know'' what time of year it is. I have seedlings under lights at 18-30C and they still don't grow like they do in summer. There seems to be a naturally inbuilt clock - especially with mature plants.
Dormancy is controlled by changes to the day length compared to the night length. I've had no trouble tricking loads of cacti into thinking it's the growing season this winter. Most of my mature plants under the grow lights even flowered.
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7george
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Re: Cleistocactus fieldianus won't root

Post by 7george »

Four more months passed: What is the result? I'd stick it into water or moist soil maybe to see what would happened.
If your cacti mess in your job just forget about the job.
°C = (°F - 32)/1.8
Download
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Location: Adelaide, Australia

Re: Cleistocactus fieldianus won't root

Post by Download »

7george wrote: Sat Feb 05, 2022 7:41 pm Four more months passed: What is the result? I'd stick it into water or moist soil maybe to see what would happened.
It started growing white mould and then it was buggered.

I should have tried grafting it, but anyway.
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