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Cacti & Succulents

Help save my cactus

last year

Please tell me whats wrong

with my franky!

Featured Answer

socks

last year

last modified: last year

What is wrong with Franky? What is wrong, in your opinion? Do the "arms" fall over without the chopsticks? How much light is he getting?

Consider repotting it with a commercial cactus and succulent mix combined 50/50 with perlite or pumice. Gradually transition into more light. Water thoroughly, then let it dry out before watering again. Repotting in proper mix, improved lighting and not overwatering is what helps most who visit the forum.

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Comments (12)

Diana Harman
Original Author
last year
His arms are a brown color and seem to be wilting his arms are now staying up without the chopsticks but his color is yellow and brown. i give him UV light daily for 12 hours a day. I just repotted him again.
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My experience is that over-watering will initiate root rot, not tip rot. I can't see bottom-rot based on that picture, but it is obviously etiolated. This happens when cacti grown indoor don't get enough light and they "stretch" higher while remaining thin and weak, eventually bending under their own weight. Plus, they bend towards the light anyway. The top part will never regain its healthy columnar shape its sun-bathed brethren boast, and moving it to a sunny location overnight would end-up with sunburns. Move it to a brighter position and away from direct light, then harden it with gradual exposure to direct sun. I expect that new offsets will assume normal growth, and you will be able to take healthy cuttings once they grow under the sun.
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Has it been in the same spot and the pot for a while? What is the soil like you potted them in? Succulents need very well draining potting medium to be in. Looking at the 2nd photo, it seems to be dark at the base - possibly rotted and that's why it is leaning. Is it also loose in the soil? I would take it out and check the bottom of the stem to see if it is black/dark, dry or slimey, too soft, if there are any roots and conditions of them. Stone on top is ok (some ppl do not like anything on top of soil), but sand not so much. It is too fine and clogs up any space available to breathe. Can't tell anything about the soil your succulents are potted in. If it is just bagged soil (top soil, potting soil, garden soil, cacti & succulent soil...) it may be too water retaining. If that's the case, the roots could be sitting in wet soil for too long, can't breathe and eventually start rotting .If there is lots of peat that became too dry, the water will just 'slide' over it and plant doesn't get any. Succulents need lots of good light and sometimes they stretch or lean toward it if they are not getting enough. I would suspect, if that was the case, your other plants doing similar thing. Your other plants - from whatever is visible in the photos - look ok. Did this plant have any roots when being potted up? BTW, tomato feed/fertilizer isn't needed, and lack of it did not cause this problem in my opinion.
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So sorry to see your plant in this condition! Did you water it to often? Did you check the roots? Guess they are rotten. Don't think you can save the main plant :-( But try! Repotted it in the little bit smaller pot and don't over water it.
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You mentioned aggressive shedding of white scales. I see white crusty looking stuff at the top of the dying cactus. It is hard to see in the detail of the picture but you might have a scale problem. Scale is an insect pest. Looks like there might be some scale on the two healthier looking cacti. Also, your cacti might actually need even more sunlight than they've been getting. I don't grow large cacti like yours so consider that while I give the following advice: those normally grow in full sun all day, I think. Your window only goes down about half way to the floor, it is screened, and the shade is closed. However, maybe you closed the shade for the picture. Years ago I had a large Euphorbia that suddenly became ill and died. Eventually I concluded that happened because I didn't give it enough light for too long.
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Diana Harman
Original Author
last year
2 days ago and he is looking worse
socks
last year
I'm not sure the problem then. Hopefully someone will come along tomorrow and offer a suggestion.
rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
last year
last modified: last year
Is it Fairy Castle Cactus - botanical name Acanthocereus tetragonus (some disagreement about the classification exists)?

Looks like it has fake (straw) flowers glued on...

It shouldn't need any sticks for support.

Yellowing could be from little light but you say it is under lights for 12 hrs/day, so maybe not. Another reason for yellowing is overwatering and/or poor drainage. Brown could be from rot that is associated with overwatering. Plant gets also soft, sometimes squishy.

Potting mix seems to be just a potting soil - it should have much more of sifted perlite or pumice in it. Like 50% or even more. Look at the photo - it could be even more...It also looks like pot is too big. Large pot = lots of soil, & if it is not draining well, it stays moist for too long. Is there a drainage hole(s)?

You said you just repotted - did you get rid of all old soil? And how did the roots look?
Diana Harman
Original Author
last year
I did not get rid of all the old soil. the roots looked okay to me. He has been in this pot now for a little more then a year i just took him out checked roots and took off soil that was stuck to him and put in new soil. i have pumus rocks in the middle and it has a drainage hole on the bottom.
Diana Harman
Original Author
last year
I can try more sun
Diana Harman
Original Author
last year
I took off the flowers today but he had thhosw for the past 3 years since i got him
rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
last year
Diana Harman

Those flowers are not really hurting it; it just looks fake to me with them on...what do you mean by..."i have pumus (I assume it is typo & you mean pumice) rocks in the middle"...do you mean rocks inside/middle of the pot? If YES, they don't help. You need better mix - something like pic below:

...or even more gritty - add some gravel if you have any. If you don't have it, make sure it is t least as much as photo shows, or add more. Let mix dry out between watering. Test mix for moisture before watering.
Diana Harman
Original Author
last year

These are my cactus roots. i unpotted him and put him in his old pot with new soil. do you think there is anything else i can do?
socks
last year
If that‘s all the roots, it’s not much and a smaller pot might be best as Rina said. Clay pot with a hole is good. If you are going to give more light, transition slowly. I have a fairy castle cactus, and in full sun it does not look too green, more browny yellow. Not sure that's what you have though. Good luck. Don‘t overwater.
rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
last year
Yes to what socks said. Roots should be healthier & more of them. Good news: they could regrow! Just get lots of sifted perlite/pumice added; don't overwater & keep where it gets morning sun (I wouldn't expose it to harsh mid-day sun). I would use smaller pot...

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