What is going on with my Christmas cacti?
by
Vetsy
+9
What type of attack are these under! Can they be saved or should I throw them out?
Cactus plant attack! what is it! photo 1
What the heck is happening to my cactus plant! photo 2 of the same plant from photo 1
8 answers
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I have a Christmas cactus that is close to 30 years old. Unless you are actually seeing segments dying, falling off, the base of the stems will begin to look like this as it matures. Most of the original stems on my plant look like this.
Sari Graham
on May 30, 2015
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I have 3 different type of Christmas cactus and they all have this as they have aged.
Joyce Berry
on May 30, 2015
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sign of a well cared for plant to reach this stage!
Chamilla
on May 30, 2015
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@Sari Graham @Joyce Berry @chamilla ...... Some of the pieces are falling off and some are shriveled and black. Thank you all for your help.
Vetsy
on May 30, 2015
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If some pieces have blackened and fallen off it could be frost damage. Frost makes the water in the plant (these are succulents remember and they hold a lot of water) expand and as the water expands the plant can split and if the cactus turns mushy that is often the reason why. Remove any black or sick looking parts. The stem of this looks fine - leave that bit alone. I would suggest if it is in a pot - to repot it into clean new succulent and cacti potting mix. This is free draining mix - you don't want the potting mix to be too loamy as it will hold too much water. Cacti only need very little water. Overwatering or heavy rains and cold temperatures can also cause problems with cacti. If you are able to move this out of the rain if you have heavy and persistent rains (say it rains heavily for a week) then moving it under cover will help prevent it from rotting due to being waterlogged. If it is waterlogged and looking sick like it might have a fungal infection try removing it from its pot, and treat it with copper sulphate. Mix according to directions on the pack and remove all the soil from around the roots rinse the roots with this mixture and repot the plant into a clean pot with new fresh cacti/succulent potting mix. Ensure your cacti has very good drainage. Extreme cold, frosts and being too wet (they don't like wet feet) can cause your cactus demise. I hope this helps. Copper Sulphate for plants for fungal disease can be purchased at plant nurseries. If you expect frost, it is a good idea to put something over your cacti plants such as an old sheet or something to keep the frost off of them.
Carole
on May 30, 2015
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@Carole.... Thank you Carole for this tip.... It maybe possible that the soil I had them in held to much water.. or perhaps my apartment just isn't a good environment for these plants.... I brought them in over the winter.. I'll try to repot and see what happens....
Vetsy
on May 30, 2015
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They also prefer indirect light and it is easy to overwater them. I know mine has survived everything that could possibly go wrong...they are pretty hardy and will "drop" segments that are sick or too injured to heal. :)
Sari Graham
on May 30, 2015
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Hi mine is close to 20 years old, has same as yours on it, mines growing , that gives me a huge clue that I'm doing the right thing........mind you,I want to re pot mine into a bigger Pot,but don't know when it's the right time to, so havnt.....that may well be my question next....
Jill Drake
on May 31, 2015
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