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Hi guy's, just a quick question and maybe some solid watering advice. I have 50+ T. Pachanoi's that I sowed from seed (in the 5"-8" range). A couple have fallen over pretty much at base level (I just prop them back up with some rocks) or burry them a little deeper which they actually seem to like. I would assume too much water would bring this result, BUT I've also heard too dehydrated will make a cacti soft? They were recently repotted so maybe just stressed or something. Any thoughts be nice, thanks in advance!

The only way too much water would make them droop is if they rotted, which doesn't appear to be what's happening here.

You've got two different cases: where the stem is bending over, and where the stem is still straight but it's leaning. The second case tells me you didn't firm the substrate down adequately, and it settled unevenly. You shouldn't pack it really hard, but it needs to be firmed down enough to ensure there are no air pockets and the roots have good contact with the substrate.

Poor root contact with the soil may be contributing to some of them going limp, as well. When you bury them a little deeper, are you pressing the mix down more? That might be why they seem to like it.

Pick one of them and give it a good soak and some shade. See what happens. So you will know what to do with the others.
(I never saw a columnar cacti become soft due to drought , but I 'm not familiar to this species).
I would recomend you to try plastic pots. There are some threads about plastic x clay pots, you may read it first but there are some advantages in using plastic pots.

IMHO, I think they look etiolated. San Pedro seedlings at this age/height, the stem should be a bit wider? Maybe that's why the stem is not strong?

greenknight wrote: ↑Tue Aug 02, 2022 7:34 am The only way too much water would make them droop is if they rotted, which doesn't appear to be what's happening here.

Poor root contact with the soil may be contributing to some of them going limp.

Thanks Everyone for your reply's! I believe you are right about not enough water and loose dirt. It's the first time I've put them in a 50/50 perlite/potting soil mix. Bad? Good? With all the perlite it is a lot looser mix than their used to, plus I didn't alter their watering schedule so prob just dry out a lot faster.

On a different but similar note. I have a 2' T. Peruvianas - Peruvian Torch, that has been a little soft and sunk in on the ribs that I thought I was watering too much as well. It rained all night long with them outside and this morning it is HARD as can be. Poor thing wanted more, more, more. lol

Thanks again, I have a better understanding of what's going on.