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All but one of my Cacti have died very suddenly - any advice?

rubydunn2001rubydunn2001 Posts: 1
in Plants


I've had these cacti for about two years - they've been repotted a few times to account for their growth and have all seemed fairly healthy and I've been watering them the recommended amount. Within a week they have all died - the top seems to have fallen off of one of them and new growth has dropped off of another. Any advice of what's happened - I don't want to buy new cacti for it to happen again! 

Posts

  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    That's really bad luck, Ruby. When cacti become sick they do it slowly and secretly. I don't think yours died last week, I think they have been going for weeks or months but the problem didn't show up very clearly. Can you say something about the conditions in which they were growing - light, heat, watering - to help people work out the problem?
  • treehugger80treehugger80 Posts: 1,923
    you've had them two years and you've re-potted them a few times?
    that might be the cause, cacti really don't like root disturbance, i've inherited cacti from my grandmother and they've not been re-potted in at least 40 years (probably even more than that as my mother can remember one of them being in the same pot as its in now when she was a child, and she retired nearly 8 years ago now!) and are absolutely fine, they flower every year as well
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    What soil mix are you using? It looks very soil heavy to me, I'd expect a lot more grit in a cactus compost mix. With cacti it's always best to have a good thick layer of gravel on top of the soil to stop any damp around the base of the plant too.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    A cactus producer told me to use half JI No2 and half grit. The grit on top of the soil is very important too. Cactus hate damp. The pots they are in look too big with too much soil,  you have to treat them mean for them to survive. Hope this helps for next time.
  • magant11magant11 Posts: 55
    Cactus do not need water in winter or feed , don't overlook, my cactus are in a cold unheated greenhouse and if kept dry they will be fine.
    Also watch out for mealy bugs,little white bugs that cocoon themselves in what looks like cotton wool,you could check the roots for the same,to eradicate,use methylated spirits on cotton buds.
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    @rubydunn2001 l think as Posy says, they've been dying off for a while, l don't think l have had any die as fast as that, and I've lost one or two :) . It could well be the drainage through the compost, what sort of mix are you using ?
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