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Cacti & Succulents

What the heck should I do with this poor thing?

Laura Robichaud

11 years ago

I've had this poor neglected cactus for several years. It started out as a little ball and then grew out and over the footed planter it was in. I just planted it in the gritty mix. It's propped up on the yellow pot filled with gritty mix for the lack of something else to rest it on. It actually has bloomed the last 3 years. I don't think I can cut it, but it won't, obviously stand on it's own without falling out of the pot. I've thought of just throwing it away, but I'd feel bad. Does anyone have any suggestions?

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Comments (7)

Laura Robichaud
Original Author
11 years ago
Here's another pic.
stephanie_kay
11 years ago
If you do not want it have you thought about putting it up for adoption? Someone on here or through Freecycle dot org might be interested in giving it a home. Just a thought.
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Laura Robichaud
Original Author
11 years ago
I'd really like to save it and keep it. Not sure if it'll develop a better root system in the gritty mix and be able to anchor the rest of the plant or if I should cut it in half and root the top.
hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
11 years ago
If that was in the ground, the good strategy would be to give it a rock to rest on. Can you find a long container, plant it in one end and rest the other end on a rock at the other end of the container? It would look pretty cool.

And maybe give it more sun in the summertime?
Dzitmoidonc
11 years ago
It's a Mammillaria, and some of them grow like that. I have a M. matudae over a foot tall that grows like that, and so did M. perezdelarosa until the bottom rotted. Now I have a bunch of little ones, but they haven't started to crawl yet. If I find the pic of the matudae, I'll send it along soon.
Dzitmoidonc
11 years ago
Mammillaria matudae.
robinpla
11 years ago
I'd replant it in a long rectangular or oval pot (or any crazy shape you want:), make the soil look like a real desert floor and let the cactus rest on the soil.

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