The neighbor kid should be appropriately damaged.
Do you mean it has branches and you want to remove and root the branches? I do not understand "buds" in this context.
Although I do have a couple of these cacti, I don't really know their culture. Maybe someone from AZ will know more. Pix always help in diagnosis.

ditto on the 'buds' comment... I have rooted Lophocereus (now Pachycereus) schottii monstrose branches in the past. All I did was cut one off. Put in on the shelf for a week and then put it in pumice. In just a few weeks it was making roots, so I put it in a well draining cactus mix mixed with 50% pumice. And it's doubled in size since. I did this during the summer, though... probably this is not a good time of year to do this sort of rerooting with cacti (good time for many other plants, but not cacti).

Yes, I would have liked to beat the neighbor kid. Found out he was stabbing it with a knife! I am going to try to include some pics with this posting. I'm not the best at this but here goes......
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Excellent! I got the pics up! Now, I am in AZ and the temps are getting up to the low '70s. Is that too cold to work with cactus?

AZCP,

It's not too cold, but it's better when it's warmer. If the plant is in no danger, I'd wait until spring, but if you can provide the cuttings with additional warmth, I guess now would be OK. It's just when the ambient temps are higher it's a better time to take and root cuttings.

The neighbor kid was stabbing your plants with a knife?!?

I hope you keep your doors locked!

-R

That kid would no longer be safe around me ;-). Any chance the parents of the knife wielding little darling can be held liable?

Those are some nice cacti, btw.

Tom

Good heavens! I hope you made a police report, pretty soon he'll be stabbing the pets then the neighbors. Sorry for the poor cactus.
Tally HO!

One more comment: no water until you see new growth. Even then be careful over the winter unless you can provide a warner environment.

I did not personally witness the little monster, but I know he was hanging around that area alot because I had to pick up all his cigarette butts! As you can see, my cacti are in pots because I decided to move it from the front yard to the back. I am preparing an area in my back yard for a succulent garden with these cacti as the main focus. In its place up front I have planted lots of cacti with thorns! I appreciate all the great info! I had these in my front yard for several years and they were growing like mad! I have been nervous keeping them in pots so I am going to follow the suggestions and wait until late spring. Do I not water them even though they are in pots?

Those are some nice ones! To return the favor, put some jumping cholla under his bike tires!
Although I don't condone what this kid did, I must admit that we used to write (carve) words and sayings on the fronds of an Agave Americana...things like "Big John was here". Maybe we were the originators of cactus graffiti!
But I swear this was many years ago and I turned out pretty good all things considered.