Rot

More pictures.

More pictures.

More pictures.

Last picture.

OK, no one answered right way so I started searching and found some websites dealing with Cactus Rot. They all said cut it out right away. So I got right to work. I'm just not sure I cut enough out given what I have read. I could dig deeper and cut out more but the tissue looks pretty healthy to me. None of what I had read dealt with this kind of cactus where there are divisions between pads. All the sites showed pole type cactus with no divisions at all.

Should I cut out more?

The end of the removed stem.

What I left behind. There is water in the hole because I wanted to wash off the wound to get a better look at it.

Do you think I need to cut out more?

If the rest of the pads look ok, I would sever the plant at the joint shown in the first rotted pad picture and discard the rotted part. Let the healthy part callous over and then plant it. Others can tell you what to do from that point on.

Nancy

Hi Nancy, if I'm understanding you correctly thatâÂÂs what I did. Except that I am not planting the top portion of the part I cut off even though it appears totally healthy. I am not really concerned with the rotted stem that had one large pad. I want to save the other main stem that has four large pads on top. The joint of the pad deep below the soil line looks healthy. I would not want to cut it off from it's point of attachment with the other main stem unless I have too. If I have to I will but it seems like an unnecessary risk as the other stem may be damaged or further exposed to pathogens in the process.

(What about the tan dried up tops to the pads. Will they heal?)

This is what I am trying to save.

I'm confused, so I apologize. Are you saying that there is rot at the base of the multi-padded plant too?
If the stem in the hole has calloused over, I don't see why you couldn't cover it. I would cover it with dry soil or whatever substrate it is planted in, not wet or moist. Perhaps it will produce more pads down the line. I can't tell you what is affecting the top of the pads, perhaps it's fungal? It doesn't look like rot to me, but I'm not as knowledgeable about prickly pears as others.

Nancy

Usually opuntia stems are not that deep. I usually root my PP right on the surface.Why is their standing water in the hole? Was that just to make the digging easier or is this the reason for the rot?

It looks like you did things right except thet one did not dust the joints with cinnamon . No biggy. I would let the cuts callous for a good 9 days before I put it back in the soil. have you cut so there is no discoloration left i the flesh? Then you have cut far enough. I would grow some plants from the severed branch of pads incase the pad in the ground does not regrow. It is very deep in the ground. That might be the reason for the rot. The ground looks very dense and compacted. The water in the hole concerns me.

Hi Nancy, they are the same plant. As I said they are or rather were attached to each other. Kind of like a wishbone. I'm not concerned with saving the part that was removed. I want to know if I have removed enough to save the part of the plant still in the ground. And yes as dry as it is here it has already calloused over.

wontonamara as I said, the water was to wash off the top of the stem so I could see it better. It's in full sun and over 100 degrees every day. It's dry as a bone now. Given what you said I think I cut out enough. I have another large section in a large pot from the same cactus. If this one does not make it I will plant the other one.

I really know very little about cactus. As big as the cactus was that the cuttings came from I just assumed it should be planted deep.The parent to this cactus was 18' W X 12' D X 8' T.

I had not heard of dusting the joints with cinnamon. Now that it's calloused over. Would it be alright to lightly spray it with Daconil fungicide as preventative measure? Of course I would let it dry before filling the hole in.

Wedge healed-over pads slightly into the soil and hold there with rocks. Spray it every other day until you notice growth, which should be in less than two months. I think you're planting them too deep.

I am worried about the depth of the whole plant and the condition of the soil. You got rot and we want to rectify the reason that the rot came in the first place. The soil looks really dense and silty or clayey. you might want to work in something to get drainage. That said, I don't garden in the desert. Maybe you don't need drainage if you don't plan on watering but if you plan on watering, then you probably need to address the drainage

Thank you everyone for your replies but I live in the desert. When I dug that hole the ground was dry at the bottom. This is an arid environment meaning less than 8" of rainfall per year. Usually much less than 8" rainfall per year. I live in the middle of the driest state in the nation. I have seen many cacti die from lack of water here. This one was perhaps watered to much as I wanted to encourage root growth. At this time though the hole is dry and the point is well taken. At this point I plan on watering once every 4-6 weeks or less if it looks healthy.

Keep in mind this cactus was burned with fire before I received it. Then it sat outside in the heat for four weeks before it was planted. It had some damage to the skin on some of the pads before it was planted.

I still have a question or two. There are four large pads coming out of the remaining stem. They all have some damage. There are parts of them that are tan and shriveled. Even so there are some new pads growing out of them. IâÂÂm concerned that the damage will cause them to be more susceptible to disease. Are those four pads damaged to the point where I should remove them?

Things in dense clay soil keep their roots near the surface. Water peals off the surface and does not go down if it is as dry as you say. Working drainage and structure into your soil will allow the water to go down into it and away. I would not burry your cactus very deeply and wedge it up between rocks as suggested and let the roots grow deep.

Do you know that one does not water a cactus UNTILL it has roots. Were you watering the cactus right after you planted it? If you were, that is why you got rot. Often it takes a couple of weeks to get roots on a cactus pad. Misting is good, but no ground moisture till one has definite rooting.. The cactus can only absorb the water in the ground through roots. it will not absorb water through a calloused cut end.

As to your question, I think your pads will be fine. The growth is already happening. I think they are the much more valuable then the stump way down in the ground.

wantonamara, yes I did water right after planting. I did not know any better. I'm sure it has roots now as the pads where bending over when I planted it. Even so I will hold off on watering for awhile.

I know how well my soil drains. I have planted a thing or two in the past in my yard. There are lots of pictures in on my Photobucket page. I'm not new to gardening. Just new to cacti.

Thank you for all your help.

Here is a link that might be useful: My Photobucket page

Yes cactus and succulents are different . they do not root like salvias and other plants where water is the essential agent. Cactus uses the stored water and energy in them to look for more. .