From: sharen@iscnvx.lmsc.lockheed.com (Sharen A. Rund)
Subject: Re: trying to save cactus
Organization: Lockheed Missiles and Space Co.
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 92 18:56:11 GMT

Basically, the following covers Q&A on cactus - my $.02 worth is - I have 
several different types of cactus (cactii) some of which have reached
certain heigts, etc that somehow they lost a part of their 'leaves',
stems, etc - I just take the raw edge (if it dried up I'll cut off the dried
up edge) and place that in the dirt and water as I would normally water the 
rest of the cactus (sometimes they need a little support - a rock or stick, 
etc - to hang on to or lean against until it gets established)  

  _remember_ cactus has stickers - some so small you can hardly see them -
  but they're there - I use tongs and leather gloves when I work with them 
  and will still end up with a sticker or two
 
In article <1992Sep25.133753.7000@infonode.ingr.com> jimreed@b23b.b23b.ingr.com writes:
>In article <44801@skye.dcs.ed.ac.uk>, ajw@dcs.ed.ac.uk (Amanda Welsh) writes:
>|> I don't know much about cacti -- ie how to "propogate" them. I have propogate
>|> in inverted commas since this isn't really trying to grow new ones but grow
>|> new roots on already existing ones. The cactus is one of the types where the
>|> ns "leaves" radiate from the centre -- kinda like a coosh (sp?) ball and there
>|> seems to be baby ones with it. They hardly had any roots left so at the
>|> momment I have just places them on the top of some coir fibre in a pot and
>|> tried to bury what root remains. The little ones which aren't as full as the
>|> big one don't seem very stable.
>|> 
>|> So am I doing the right thing?
>
>So far sounds pretty good even though I've never heard of coir fibre.
>Remember that in general, cacti live and reproduce in pretty dismal
>conditions.  If the main part of the plant is still firm and green
>it will grow new roots when the right conditions present themselves
>(it can probably stay pretty dormant for months without much harm).
>
>My advice below is pretty
>
>|> Is there anything else or different I should do?
>
>Don't try to determine if they're rooting by jiggling them to see if they're
>getting more stable.  Just treat them appropriately and you'll know they have
>rooted well when you see new growth.  On the other hand, you'll know they
>haven't rooted when they shrivel up and completely turn brown.
>
>Don't water them too much or too vigorously.  For the first few weeks, I
>would water very lightly adding water a little away from the cactus and
>letting it soak towards the plant.  That way you don't disrupt any tender
>roots.  Oh yeah, don't water until it's dry.
>
>Do be very patient and expect it to be weeks or months before you really
>know what the outcome will be.
>
>If the "babys" join the main body at a pretty small joint, you can most
>likely break some off to start individual cacti.  They should break off
>fairly easily.  Depending on the type of cactus, some may already be
>growing a few roots of their own (you can definitely break those off).
>When you break one off, let it sit in a dry, not too sunny place for a
>day so that the would will heal and be less likely to rot (the biggest
>problem with cacti).  To plant one of the babys, just place it on a small
>depression in some well drained potting soil, water very gently for several
>weeks.  Don't worry too much about them being small, if they're over
>a quarter inch in size, they might be large enough to make it.
>
>Once they root, they'll probably take as much direct sun as you give
>them.  The more sun you give them, the more they'll grow.
>
>|> Am I wasting my time?
>
>Not if you like cacti and are patient.
>
>|> thanks in advance for any help --- I can't bear to see a plant die :-(
>|> 
>|> -- 
>|> Amanda Welsh, Department of Computer Science, University of Edinburgh.
>|> (ajw@dcs.ed.ac.uk)
>
>-- 
>James B. Reed                | If at first you don't succeed,
>DAZIX, An Intergraph Company | Find out why,
>jimreed@b23b.b23b.ingr.com   | **THEN** try again.
>(205) 730-8874               |


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