Cacti, growing from cutting

[JDSalinger]

Hey Nexians, was looking into getting a small Trichocereus garden happening and had a question about the plant I am going to take the cutting from. I want to do as little damage as possible and facilitate healing for the donor, was going to graft the top back on the plant as in the thread Old-School Low-Tech Tek.

Old-School Low-Tech Tek. w/ Pics - Preparation - Welcome to the DMT-Nexus

Would just dirt suffice in the healing process or do I need tobacco?

 

[Gone-and-Back]

The cactus will heal just fine without grafting the tip of the cutting back on. It will simply callous over and eventually form a new pup and continue growing from that.

If your going to graft the tip back on, I wouldn't rub the open wound with anything like that. I am familiar with the thread you are talking about, and I'm sure there is a reason that the shaman does this, but there really is no reason to do so when looking at it from a horticultural view point. Doing this can promote mold and disease to set in before the cut heals. The reason the shaman does this is purely a spiritual reason, saying that the cacti spirits like tobacco so it helps them heal.

If you want to give it a shot, go for it. But be prepared to possibly have to cut more off if it starts to mold or rot. As far as grafting goes though I don't know if you can simply just place the tip back on the top of the cut, or if there is anything else that needs to be done as I have never done a graft myself. I have not had my cactus long enough to take cuttings and try grafting yet. This upcoming season will be the first season I take any cuttings. I'll be taking three, one from the main stem, and cutting both arms off and planting all of these to get my garden really going.

 

[Continuum]

I agree with Gone-and-Back. You definitely don't have to graft a tip on to get new growth, and you will possibly end up with multiple growth points from a cactus that has been topped. I attached a pic to show how it will just push out a new tip. Most of mine were center cuts when I got them, and if not they were cut to trade parts to expand my collection.

You should make your cut to harvest on an angle (unlike the pics below- figured that out later lol), as a straight cut will probably invert slightly as it dries and callouses, which will then allow water to sit on the top of the plant and promote rot.

 

[JDSalinger]

Thanks for the replies, I would like to leave as little trace as possible, so will look into grafting the tip back on.

Have a nice little San Pedro pup which is about to go in the ground, now to get my Trichocereus Bridgesii and Trichocereus Peruvians... :d