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Cacti & Succulents

Help with my Brooklynite pencil cactus!

17 years ago

So yes, I am a compulsive plant buyer...and yes...I live in Brooklyn...I have at least 30 plants all crowded around three windows. Ive tried to grow some things near my skylight, but so far only one has made it. This brings be to my dilemma.

I have a BEAUTIFUL Pencil Cactus who is kind of the love of my life! He has gotten at least 4 times his original size over the last year and now stands about 3 1/2 feet tall. He now sits in my bathroom window and his growth is being constrained by the sides of the window. What I want to know is

A) how long can I wait to repot him as Im afraid he might get a few cuts and bruises when I do so ?

B) Is it true that these guys dont like to be moved?

C) Do you think I could grow him on the hallway floor with light from the skylight? Or does he have to be by a window...the problem is once I put him in a bigger pot he wont fit on a windowsill anymore!

Thanks!

-NYCgreenthumb

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Comments (3)

norma_2006
17 years ago
Ask Karen from NYC, Pirate Girl she will know how to help you.
fred_grow
17 years ago
Dear nycgt,
If I were you I would ask Santa to bring me a grow light set up. A nice one. Not a $6.00 one from Walmart. You describe yourself as a compulsive plant buyer but you only have three windows with 30 plants and counting. Do the math. Something has to give! Skylights don't offer as much light as you might think for succulents. I would not do any repotting until spring.
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The water requirements of any indoor cactus is determined the amount of sun light it gets,which you did not mention. Cactus receiving 5,000 foot candles, the measure of light, which is about 1 foot from a south facing window, should be watered every 3-4 weeks. Greater intervals with less light but at least once every 2 months. To adequately moisten/wet the soil in the pot, place the pot in a container with enough water to just cover the pot, allow time for the soil to absorb all the water it can hold, remove from the water and allow to drain. What is most important is the that the soil reach it's maximum water holding capacity.
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User
17 years ago
Sorry, but I don't know or grow this plant (did so only very briefly), so I'll defer to other on this & Fred's suggestion sounds like a good start.

But a caution, if you don't know, when you do cut it back (or for accidental breakage), best wear gloves or be extra careful to wash up & not touch your face 'til you do. If this is Euphorbia tirucalli, the white sap it exudes when cut can be a skin irritant.

If its size is becoming an issue, there's no law that says you MUST repot it larger; you could keep it in the same size pot, & perhaps control its size SOMEWHAT by doing so.

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