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The hedgehog cactus has been a popular houseplant since the late '90s, and it's easy to see why: it's spiny balls of succulent, fleshy leaves are charmingly cute. But after a few years, you might notice the plant is droopy and soft to the touch. It may be browning at the edges or yellowing in the center. If its stems are solid (not hollow), these are sure signs that your cactus is rotting from the inside out. If you haven't already disposed of it at this point, you can take your plant's remains and try propagating it for yourself. When a cactus rots, it's usually not an indication of a water problem but rather a soil problem. The root system is rotting away because the soil is too wet or too dry, likely both. You can save your cactus by taking cuttings and rooting them in potting soil. Allow them to callus over for a couple of days before inserting them into your sand-filled glass jar. Rooting may be slow—be patient! How do you propagate a cactus from rotting? If there is any sign of rot on your hedgehog's stem and you've decided to save it, cut off as much as you can without going past any healthy tissue. When cutting out rotted parts, try not to get any debris inside of the wound—the less that's inside, the less likely it is to become infected. You'll want to look at what's left behind and determine if there are any other branches still attached. You may need to remove them with pruning shears or a saw. Remove all branches that are either dead or rotting, then disinfect your tools with rubbing alcohol before moving on to other plants. Can You Propagate a Dying Cactus? if you have a large base of cactus remaining on the dying plant, cut off a triangular-shaped piece about an inch thick from the side of the plant (the end without the spines). Place it in some growing medium, like sand or potting soil. Over time, it will begin to callus over and will root into the growing medium. Once it has rooted sufficiently in the growing medium, it can be transplanted into its permanent home. Why a Rotten Cactus? There are several reasons for the browning of the base of a cactus: 1) Lack of light (or excess light): This action is due to the lack of light. The cactus is in full sun and begins to grow, and then it is moved from a sunny place to a shady place. The cactus suffers and does not have enough energy to keep its color. 2) Excess humidity: Excess humidity can cause rot due to fungi and bacteria, which are present in the soil. These organisms start developing and attack the root system of the plant, causing decay. There are several solutions to prevent rotting: 1) When you repot the plant, you should use new soil that has been sterilized by boiling water or by exposing it for a few days in an oven at low temperature (120 ° F / 50 ° C). In this way, we eliminate bacteria and fungi that could attack the roots. 2) You should use a pot with drainage holes so that excess water can drain away from the soil. This will prevent rotting because there is less chance of saturation. It goes without saying that excess watering must be avoided at all costs. How to Revive a Cactus Each of these types of problems make the cactus very sick or even die, because it will not be able to continue growing in a healthy way. Next, we will present a series of steps that will explain how to revive a cactus in the simplest way. You will only require new soil, some gardening tools, a pot or container and follow these tips: Giving the dying cactus the right amount of water is important; nevertheless, avoid drowning it. If the soil is entirely dry, you will be able to see that it needs to be watered. You can verify if the soil is dry by sticking your finger or a two-centimeter-long wooden stick into it. Additionally, watering varies by season. It should typically be watered twice a month from March to September and once a month from October to February, depending on the region and temperature.In the event that your cactus becomes rotten, you will need to either remove any standing water or prepare fresh soil that is free of any accumulated pests or diseases. To ensure that the plant has a good drainage system and won't drown, combine it with garden soil, peat (a carbon-based material), and coarse or volcanic sand.Check the ambient temperature because chilly temperatures can harm cacti and cause them to wither. It is practical to leave it in a place that is aired but does not experience chilly drafts, particularly during the winter.If the soil is rotten, excessively dry, or even difficult to moisten when watering it, remove it from the pot or container since it will be useless dirt. If you repot a plant because the soil was too dry or wet, it's also crucial to snip off dead roots. Additionally, keep in mind that clay pots are the most suggested because they help the plant stay well-ventilated and hydrated.Use fertilizer in the spring and summer, which are the plant's busiest seasons. Due to the requirements of cacti, it is advised to use one with low nitrogen content. How to Tell If a Cactus Is Rotten You will be able to spot it if you notice some areas of the plant that are quite dark or brown, which indicate that there is either too much water present or that there are fungi present that have damaged that area. To restore the plant to its natural state and enable it to maintain itself, it is advised to clip these parts with scissors or to amend the soil if it is too wet. How to take care of a Rotten Hedgehog Cactus? To finish, we give you some basic tips to care for cacti at home : If the soil was recently purchased, is in the development phase, or has been repotted to another pot where it will start to establish new roots, water it once a week for the first month.Use a pot that has a good drainage system.The plant does best in garden soil, gritty sand, and black peat because they enable it to hydrate and maintain moisture for as long as necessary without leading to waterlogging.Keep the cactus in a spot that gets direct sunshine, but not all day, and stay out of the sun's direct rays during its peak hours.After the first few weeks, check their health. Cut off the too-soft or too-dry areas, depending on the situation, transfer the plant to a more suitable location, and adjust the watering if it begins to dry out, burn, or rot.If you see that the cactus's pot is getting too small or that its roots are poking through the drainage holes, replace it with a larger one. Related Questions How To Transplant A Paddle Cactus? Transplanting a cactus is a fairly simple process that requires no special tools or expertise. The only tool you will need is a sharp knife. There are several types of cacti that you may want to transplant, but the most common are paddle cacti and columnar cacti. To transplant, a paddle cactus, begin by removing the soil around the base of the plant. Dig down 12-18" and carefully remove the roots from their container. If they have roots wrapped around rocks, gently remove them and place them in the hole with the rest of the root ball. Do not take any of the rocks out, as they are needed to support the plant. If your paddle cactus has multiple pads, cut it in half to increase your cuttings (or leave them intact for plants with fewer pads). Place each individual cutting in its own pot about 3 times as large as it is now (for example, if you have a foot-long cutting, place it in a 3-foot pot). Fill the pot up halfway with potting soil and water it until water begins to drain from the bottom of your pot. Place your cutting on top of this layer of soil and then fill in around it with more soil until it sits about an inch above. Why is Epiphyllum Cactus Not Flowering? Why do some epiphyllum cactuses not flower? Epiphyllum cactuses are also known as orchid cactuses because they produce flowers that look like orchids. However, many of these plants will not flower. The most common reason for this is a lack of fertilizer. These plants require fertilizer with a 10-10-10 ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Some of them will even benefit from feeding monthly with the balanced fertilizer during the year, but they should be given only half as much in total as when soil is being used to grow the plant. What do Cactus Flowers Do Hummingbirds eat? Bees, butterflies, and flies are common cactus pollinators, but hummingbirds are the most common pollinators for claret cups. To take a sip from the nectar chamber deep in a claret cup, the hummingbird must stick its whole head into the flower. How Do You Cook Cactus Fruit? Most people are familiar with prickly pear fruits, which are harvested and eaten when they're still green. But if you live in the hot, arid South Western United States or Northern Mexico, you might have seen the large, succulent pads of the Opuntia cactus that are sometimes called nopales or nopalitos. These fleshy pads can be eaten in a similar way to their fruit. The most obvious difference between nopales and prickly pear is that the former have flat leaves instead of sharp spines. To prepare them for eating, you need to remove these flat leaves by either running them through a food processor or scraping them off with a vegetable peeler. Since you're dealing with an organic product and you don't want to alter its natural state too much, be careful not to make your nopales too small. You may also need to remove the glochids, which are little hairs that cover many parts of the cactus. The glochids can easily be burned off over an open flame. Grip a fruit with a pair of tongs or stick it on the end of a fork. Slowly turn the fruit over the open flame. As the glochids burn off you may hear popping sounds. What Causes A Cactus To Tip Over? Cacti and succulents are known for being able to survive in hot and dry places. These plants have a natural defense mechanism that helps them resist dehydration. One of the ways they do this is by having an upright stance, with lots of surface area exposed to the air. This allows the plant to lose water through transpiration, which serves as a natural cooling system. This unique structure also makes it easier for these plants to fall over than other types of plants. If your cactus starts falling over, it could be because its roots are growing in an obstructed manner, or because of disease or a pest infestation like mealy bugs. In these instances, you can use pesticides and fungicides to treat the problem before it gets out of hand. But if your cactus keeps falling over no matter what you do, chances are that you’re not watering your plant properly. To make sure your cactus is staying upright, follow these steps: 1) Water your cactus until it absorbs the amount that is right for it, but not enough to make its soil ball too heavy; 2) After watering your plant, wait a few hours and see if it has fallen over yet. How Often Do You Water A Cactus House Plant? How often should a cactus be watered? Watering a cactus plant kept indoors normally needs to be done every 7 to 10 days during the spring, summer, and fall seasons. Cactus plants only require watering every 4 to 6 weeks in the winter. How To Get Rid Of Tiny Cactus Needles? You may have heard that sanding off cactus needles is the way to go, but it's actually just a waste of time. The glue-on sandpaper approach doesn't work because needles are made out of tiny barbs, which means that no matter how much you file down, there will still be needles attached to the object. Instead of using tape and glue, try using tweezers to pull out clumps of needles. Then apply a thin layer of glue to the area and allow it to dry completely before peeling off the gauze pad. This method allows you to remove individual needles without having them stick to your fingers or remain glued onto the cactus. Are Cactus Spines Poisonous? Cactus spines are not poisonous, but the cactus plant is a succulent and can cause problems if ingested (see side effects below). +Spines can be dangerous if they get deep into tissues. Cactus spines are not typically harmful unless they're swallowed. If you swallow them, or ingest them—whether by drinking from a cactus-drink container, or taking a bite of a cactus-laced cake—you may find yourself with stomach cramps and diarrhea. Swallowing large amounts of cactus needles may even cause intestinal blockage. The spines themselves don't transfer any poison into your system—it's just the physical damage caused by their presence that causes the pain and other side effects. +In some cases, exposure to cactus plants has caused severe allergic reactions in people. +Ingesting a large amount of liquid from the plant can lead to bloating, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare cases, this may result in death. +Ingesting the plant's fruit can lead to serious neurological problems including headaches, dizziness and confusion. How Often Should I Water My Cactus Strawflower? Cacti are desert plants, which means they need very little water. In fact, overwatering is one of the most common mistakes people make when growing these unique plants. The key is to water the plant only when it needs it — if you notice it beginning to shrivel, that's a sign that it needs water. Also bear in mind that cacti live in climates where there's rarely, if ever, any rainfall. This means that although you should avoid overwatering your plant during the winter months (when the plant is dormant), you should also avoid letting your plant dry out completely during the growing season between March and September. If you live in a relatively dry climate and your cactus has access to plenty of natural light an unheated space, you might not have to water your cactus at all during this time — watering too much can actually kill your plant. In fact, your cactus will probably be just fine without any watering at all during its dormant period. During the summer growing season, though, you'll need to check up on it more often. If you notice the soil beginning to dry out around the roots of your plant, give it a good soaking. Fight against possible pests and diseases of hedgehogs Although this cactus is very disease-resistant, scabbards, mealybugs, or red spiders can still cause damage. Insecticides and acaricides must be sprayed on pests if they are discovered. Rust, late blight, spot, root rot, and dry rot of cactus can all impact Echinacea if the detention requirements are broken, though. These issues are all caused by inadequate illumination, too much air, or damp soil. To preserve the damaged specimens, microbicides and transplants will be required. Reproduction of the Echinocactus The mother-in-law's seat can be easily propagated via seeds, which quickly sprout. If at all possible, try to ensure that they are not older than a year. You will have a better probability of success if you do this. It is practical to move forward when it is hot outside (in the spring or summer), but you should shade the seedbed. Use a loose substrate with sufficient drainage so that the feared fungi won't appear even after irrigation. You'll have a specimen of roughly 10 cm at two years. Faster is the cutting technique. Succulents excel at roots from the various plant tissues, which is referred to as asexual reproduction. In this situation, you won't require rooting hormones; all you have to do is use the suckers or scions that occasionally break off from the main structure and transplant them to the ground, a pot, or another location with a suitable substrate. With a certain humidity, just and necessary (remember that it is a cactus), it will end up generating its own roots, giving rise to a new plant but with the same characteristics as the mother plant. This is something that with seed is impossible to guarantee. So if you find a specimen like this one, especially vigorous and adapted to the environment, it would not be a bad idea to clone it.

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