I live on a coastal bluff in Solana Beach. I am looking to plant deep root plants to help stabilize the top of the bluff. I thought ice plants were not good for this? Rosea iceplant and Lampranthus is suggested above. Please any advice what to plant. thanks

I have many San Pedro, some much larger and in much smaller pots so I dont think planting it in the ground is the issue. Suggest you use what we call in the UK John Innes type compost. This has sand and is low in humus content. It drains quickly which is key with cacti. As for the brown scar I suspect others are correct when they say is is sunburn. I have it on some of my plants alos- I think we sometimes overestimates cacti love of sunshine. As for the rock in your garden- these plant typically thrive in denuded soil but by the look of the soil you have used I would suggest repotting with sharp sand mixed in for added drainage. Of course a little cacti fertiliser that is low in nitogen would help. Good luck! As for cutting the tip off and starting again- that way you can avoid the scarring and the base will srout new clean shoot also. Just remember to let the section you cut off scar (callous) for a week or two before you place it in soil- refrain from watering the cutting until roots appear. I could send you a link to my site but understand that it is forbidden on here- there is information on soil mixes there. Good Luck!

I have seen this on some of my plants. I am convinced it is a fungus (although it could be a virus or possibly even normal although unsightly for some species). It will manifest when the plant is under stress, ill, or sometimes during dormancy. Keep the roots healthy. Do not over water. Soil should dry out completely between waterings. Give it lots of light. Be careful of too much direct sunlight as this can also cause burning and stress. Keep an eye for pests (and root mealies). Keep it mostly dry in winter in a cool place. It should do fine. Waz

Zowie, I'm going to vote for a fungal infection in the crease of the leaf. Doesn't really matter, the treatment I would suggest is the same. Get a disposable very sharp instrument such as a razor blade, exacto blade, etc. etc. Heat the blade over an open flame until it is red hot and let it cool. As I see your photo, there is a black area in the crease of the leaf, then a border of white, then an area where the leaf is looking kind of clear or watery. You are going to have to get between that watery looking area and the main part of the plant, but far enough away from the watery looking area that you are sure you are in uninfected tissue, and cut that leaf off. Try to make just one clean cut. If you have to make two cuts, I would resteralize the blade before the second cut. get some kind of powdered horticultural fungicide and apply a liberal coat to the entire cut area. Do not water the plant for a week, and see if you have stopped the spread of the problem. If the infection is still present, do the procedure again, cutting even further into healthy looking tissue the second time. If you are dealing with a Cattleya type plant, you may have to remove the entire pseudobulb. If it is something like a Phalaenopsis (your photo looks like it may be), then you will get to the main part of the plant, and my be in trouble if you don't get it stopped before that. Your second photo, the spots on the leaf tips, I would not worry too much about those unless they begin to get the watery area around them and it spreads. Then the same procedure as above. I would begin to look for a cause of this problem. Insects could be carrying this around. I suspect you are growing in your home, and most insects that would carry something like this would be noticeable, and most unwelcome in someone's home, so with no complaint about that perhaps you don't have an insect problem. I would look at high humidity and stagnant air, with water splashing around on watering days. With these wet stagnant conditions, another plant may have had a problem, and splashing water could spread it. After you get this infection stopped, pop that plant out of its pot and check the roots. Stagnant air and wet conditions can mean over watering, and a root rot problem. Root rot = weak plants = high probability of disease. Orchids need their water, but at least as important is a drying period, and vigorous air motion. Tough items to supply in some home growing areas. Good luck Bill