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Issues with my cacti

onechance990onechance990 Posts: 1
in Plants
Hello! I’ve been having a few issues with a cactus I was gifted a few days ago. My friend brought the two to me from an unknown garden Center and they were both in the same small bag.

Personally I’ve had a lot of experience with cacti and including these two own 27 in total, but I’m still baffled.

i think what’s happened is the second cactus must have pierced the other multiple times whilst in the bag, as it has much longer spines than the first. However when this has happened before it usually stays as a small hole. This one time the holes have largenes and have deepened for some reason. 

I havent watered the plant lane as I don’t want it to turn into a split however I am lost of what to do other than Hope for the best.

any advise would be greatly appreciated:)

(the ‘injured’ cactus)


The second cacti 

Posts

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    Cacti in the wild often get damaged. They callus over and carry on growing, but it is unsightly. There is nothing you can do to repair the damage. Any swelling of the cactus due to watering will exacerbate it, so I would keep it dry for a while.
  • treehugger80treehugger80 Posts: 1,923
    slug damage on some parts, in other areas it looks like its been crushed/dropped. they'll be fine, just don't water for a couple of months to allow it to heal
  • Paul B3Paul B3 Posts: 3,154
    To be on the safe side , you shouldn't really be watering at all at this time of the year ; kept cool and dry  in a bright position (as the above posts say) , they'll be fine .

    Don't know if you're interested in the names , but the first looks like Pilosocereus pachycladus (azureus) ; in full sunshine the stems will develop a bright blue waxy coating .
    Originally from Brazil , so not frost-hardy .
    The second is Stetsonia coryne , another tree-like species from Argentina and Bolivia . Moderately hardy in a g/house , but will develop yellowish patches if too cold and damp during the Winter months .
  • BrexiteerBrexiteer Posts: 955
    Love your knowledge Paul 👍
  • Paul B3Paul B3 Posts: 3,154
    Thanks OA marc
    Used to work in a specialist cactus nursery in N.Yorkshire ; picked up a lot of info during my time there ; tends to 'stay with you' for the duration so to speak .

    I too suffer from Arthritis and the occasional bout of Palindromic Rheumatism ; makes my occupation of partnership in an established gardening business very difficult sometimes !

    Got to 'keep going ' though :o
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