Cereus peruvianus monstrose as the leaning tower of Pisa

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nachtkrabb
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Cereus peruvianus monstrose as the leaning tower of Pisa

Post by nachtkrabb »

Hi folks,
I have a really old & big Cereus peruvianus monstrose. It thinks it is the leaning tower of Pisa, I think. It is about a meter (1.1 yards?) high and really massive -- a real monster.
When I got it in 2016, it had a miniature pot as its people had no idea how to repot (and cacti do need small pots, don't you know?). So it toppled over a couple of times.
Fall 2018, we finally managed to repot it into something gigantic & heavy to give it room for the roots and stability.
Last year it started to lean to one side, so I pushed some thick bamboo poles into the earth to hold the plant. They are on the side it leans to.

These days I have realized that the cactus is leaning further and more dangerously to that side (on the fotos to the CD racks). Has anybody an idea how to stabilise it?
As it is so heavy it has to stand upon a plant rolling board, so when it should fall again, it will be a total mess... :x
I don't know anybody to help me to repot him again. :cry:
Thanks for your help!
Nachtkrabb
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BryanT
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Re: Cereus peruvianus monstrose as the leaning tower of Pisa

Post by BryanT »

They are tough plant. I think, without re-potting, if you can moves it next to a solid structure, let it leaning toward the structure (wall/gate), it might stop it from falling over, and grow toward the other side.
Or, if you can push it up a bit (wrap with cloth or anything so easier to handle), you might find some gap in the pot which you can fill with more soil, that also might help stabilized it, as I used to do with some plants when the grow side way. You might need to loosen the soil on the side of the pot first, just in case some root might stuck to the side of the pot.
Just a couple of ideas, hope it helps.
Bryan
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ohugal
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Re: Cereus peruvianus monstrose as the leaning tower of Pisa

Post by ohugal »

For stabilising fast growing tropical plants I usually insert 3 sticks into the soil and tie them together at the top (like a wigwam). I don't think that's possible here. You basically need to center it's weight. You could do it with one or two stick(s). You attach the cactus to the stick using ropes and you attach the sticks to the pot (if you pot has a rim). This way the pot and the plant are still freestanding (if that's what you want).
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nachtkrabb
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Re: Cereus peruvianus monstrose as the leaning tower of Pisa

Post by nachtkrabb »

Hallo bryanT and ohugal,
please pardon my late answer. I am simply too busy and too rheumatic.
You got it right: The cactus has some strong bambus rots AND is leaning against something now. But I don't like the leaning as it stands on a kind of board with reels (?) so that I can move it. It's much too heavy to be carried. I always fear that it will topple when leaning too far over. I also fear that the rots, thick as a thumb, will give way sooner or later.
The wigwam-method sounds interesting for smaller plants, I will keep that in mind.
The cloth-idea with hauling it more upright sounds like what I will try as soon as I find somebody to help me.
Thank you very much!
Enjoy your summer,
Nachtkrabb
Love and Revolution!
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BryanT
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Re: Cereus peruvianus monstrose as the leaning tower of Pisa

Post by BryanT »

Hi Nachtkrabb,
Another idea for you.
Tie a rope or wire around the neck of your pot (you can match the colour of your pot), then tie as many ropes (with some soft material as cushion to avoid damage to the plant) to support the plant, as picture on the left.
Or, if you don't like to tied to the plant, you can get plant supports as picture on the right (try to get the one with longest pegs/legs, or you can make your own with steel or wooden frame), then tie the ropes to the support frame.
Hope it helps!
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Bryan
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nachtkrabb
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Re: Cereus peruvianus monstrose as the leaning tower of Pisa

Post by nachtkrabb »

Thank you, BryanT, for your ideas. I dare say you have thought about that problem: Do you have many plants with the same tendency to lean over?
The first variant with the ropes will not work here. I would slice the cactus.
The plant supports in the picture are much to fragile. I have no idea how I could create something similar more stable.

I think I will try a mixed way: When I get a helper, we will try to straighten the plant using a cloth.
Then we will stabilize it again with the bamboo rots. I can try to tie them to the pot analogously to your last picture.

This might actually work. Finally a real plan ready to be used!
Nachtkrabb :-)
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BryanT
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Re: Cereus peruvianus monstrose as the leaning tower of Pisa

Post by BryanT »

nachtkrabb wrote: Tue Aug 02, 2022 8:46 pm Thank you, BryanT, for your ideas. I dare say you have thought about that problem: Do you have many plants with the same tendency to lean over?
The first variant with the ropes will not work here. I would slice the cactus.
The plant supports in the picture are much to fragile. I have no idea how I could create something similar more stable.

I think I will try a mixed way: When I get a helper, we will try to straighten the plant using a cloth.
Then we will stabilize it again with the bamboo rots. I can try to tie them to the pot analogously to your last picture.

This might actually work. Finally a real plan ready to be used!
Nachtkrabb :-)
I didn't really had much problem with plants lean over one side, most of the time I can support them just with sticks, if not I will straighten them when I repot them. If I am not repotting, I will just trimmed off some of the offset or branches.
Bryan
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nachtkrabb
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Re: Cereus peruvianus monstrose as the leaning tower of Pisa

Post by nachtkrabb »

Hi Bryan,
sounds conclusive. That monster cacs had lived at my friend's in a very small pot for at least 20years (if not much longer). So it is not very good at or trained in growing roots for stabilisation. Besides it was leaned against a fence all summer long, against a wall all winter long. He is just used to lean against SOMETHING. ](*,)

After I got it, I repotted the monster into that HUGE & heavy blue ceramic pot. First it did well, then it started to lean ... well, over.
I don't think it makes sense to cut something off. I think I have to rebalance it somehow.
Maybe I need a psychotherapist to stabilize his psyche first. :lol:
N.
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