It's generally not a good idea to prune at transplant. This used to be widely recommended, but has since been proven to be detrimental in most cases. Energy reserves that the plant needs to grow roots are removed, and resources have to be redirected to seal off the pruning wounds. The tree is much better at appropriately dropping its foliage, if needed, than you will be at hacking the tree to pieces and robbing it of its desperately needed energy reserves. Foliage (leaves only) removal might help in some cases if done soon after transplant. At this point, I wouldn't even recommend that. Devising a way to partially shade the tree (especially from strong mid-day and evening sun) might significantly help. Just be sure whatever you devise doesn't significantly reduce air flow around the plant and won't collapse in windy conditions.

Hi! So I'm a newbie to the cacti parenting world and was hoping someone may be able to tell me if I'm doing this right? I picked these cuties up from Home depot a couple months ago. The yellow one had this great flower bud looking like it might bloom soon but now it looks like I killed it. When I first got them they didn't have the little...bulbs? on the side of them or on top (like my red one.) I thought this was a sign I was doing well with them but now I'm worried I might be doing the same to the cacti that I did to the flower and I of course don't want that! So what I've been doing is checking the soil every week to feel if it feels like it's completely dry. Usually by the end of the week it feels that way. so I take them out of the decorative pots (cause they don't have drainage holes) and water them thoroughly with a slow but steady sink stream. Once the soil seems to have sufficient water, I allow the extra water to drain into the sink before putting them back into their decorative pots and putting them back on the windowsill for direct sunlight. I read that in winter you shouldn't water them as much (like once a month?) but we are still in fall her in NC. Am I doing this right or just being an idiot? I'm kinda bummed I lost the little flower but if I can encourage them to grow more I want to try! But mostly I want to be a good cacti parent.

Hey! Don't feel bad, wrong soil is a mistake literally 99% of new cacti owners make when reporting. At least you didn't use sand. It's gonna take quite drastic action to save this I think! Problem was the soil you used. Cacti need very draining soil, so if you plan on using normal 'soil' you'll need to add a very large amount of perlite or grit, at least 50:50 probably, to ensure sufficient draining. Unfortunately, what you buy in stores as 'cactus soil' is, 99% of the time, just regular soil with perhaps a pinch of perlite mixed in - completely inappropriate and just a money grab. Itll be hard to save this cactus but it may be possible if you want to. First you need to break that green pad off the brown base and discard all the rotting material. Next you'll need to take a sharp knife, sterilise it using boiling water or a flame, and slice the lighter colured material off. Once you've done this, carefully inspect the remaining healthy green plant tissue and the cut. If you see any brown, yellowing or black mushiness, or it feels soft, cut some more off. The more cactus you have left the better, but if you leave any rot on your healthy plant, it will die. Once you are sure you've only got healthy plant matter remaining, take some kitchen roll and leave the pad on a dry surface in bright, but not direct sunlight, to heal the cut. After a few days to weeks to months (very variable, these opuntia cacti are usually fast to grow roots) roots will begin to grow around the cut. Get some potting soil and mix it with at least 50:50 with perlite or grit, or even better, have a search on this forum for 'gritty mix' - you'll see just how much cacti love a week draining mix. Bury the rooted section and leave in bright sun for a few more weeks before moving to your brightest windowsill. Alternatively, buy a new cactus and just put this one in a nice well draining mix :) hope this helps, I'm sure others will offer advice too! keep us up to date on what you decide to do! And if you do lose the cactus, make sure to buy at least another 3 to replace it, it'll help with your grieving ;)

Semps are monocarpic: after blooming, that rosette dies. In the meantime, they have number of 'chicks' to replace themselves. Your plant was probably not in best shape if it didn't produce any - or you were sold just a mature rosette ready to bloom. Watering every 10 days doesn't seem to be too often - but if in water retaining soil, it is. I have many semps, all of them outside year round. Some in ground, many in containers. Colder zone than yours. Since May, we had more rainy days than sunny, sometimes it rained 2-3 days in row. No problem with any of them. Here are just few, in containers; few photos were taken ust after the rain - you can see plants are wet: They need to have good drainage - just as any succulents. Soil you are using is probably not - sorry for repeating myself, I already said that in 1st post. Unless your porch is very dark with no sunlight at all, I believe your semps will be much better off outside. To improve drainage, get perlite and do as I mentioned in my 1st post. Etiolated - stretched plants should be beheaded and re-rooted, but you need a location with sufficient light otherwise they will grow same way.