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getting my torch to grow fat...

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jamie

jamie

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My 3 foot torch fell over and broke in half last night...and I am going to take the middle section I think and leave the first foot and root the last foot..

The only thing is that the last foot of the cactus was going sort of skinny..and I want to know what the best way is to avoid this this time..I only had one light above it..one of those spiral light bulbs..so was it not getting enough light? I dont think I was over watering..

Should I maybe just put the cactus in a window instead of using artificial lighting or else get a bigger light?
 
Alright here is what you need to do.

Put your cacti in dormancy during the winter, or they will get really skinny.

Trichocereus require REALLY intense light to grow correctly (they live on the equator), your job is to give your Trichocereus cactus as much light and heat as (naturally) possible.

So during the summer find a very bright and warm location, use the largest possible container and fertilize with fish emulsion or other organic fertilizers frequently during the growing season. In the intense heat of summer Trichocereus can be watered every 1-2 days.
 
cool coatl thank for the info!

About cuttings..the top foot of the cactus broke off quite clean..doesnt seem I would need to slice it flat to reroot it..I just set it aside to let the wound heal before I stick in in a pot..should I slice it?

And first 2/3 of the cactus is fine..it fell out of the pot but still hasa big rot bulb holding plenty of soil..but if I harvest the middle section, I am guessing that the bottom part of the cactus will eventaully grow some arms once it heals over?
 
[quote='Coatl]and fertilize with fish emulsion or other organic fertilizers frequently during the growing season.
[/quote]

SWIM would disagree with this.... firstly, high nitrogen fertalizers such as fish emulsion should be avoided with Cacti, they like a low nitrogen high potassium and phosphor fertilizer. And secondly, using ferts like that will cause growth spurts and your cacti will get fat and skinny bits because of this (its not just lack of light or water that cause skinny bits).... Slow release fertilizer added to the soil before planting is the best option for thick even growth. You shouldnt have to change the soil for at least two years using this method and you won't have to add ANY extra fertilizer throughout that time.
 
fractal enchantment said:
About cuttings..the top foot of the cactus broke off quite clean..doesnt seem I would need to slice it flat to reroot it..I just set it aside to let the wound heal before I stick in in a pot..should I slice it?
Click to expand...

It will be fine, just make sure its fully healed before planting it, swim leaves his in a sunny spot with sulphur powder on the cut, this makes sure no mould can grow

fractal enchantment said:
And first 2/3 of the cactus is fine..it fell out of the pot but still hasa big rot bulb holding plenty of soil..but if I harvest the middle section, I am guessing that the bottom part of the cactus will eventaully grow some arms once it heals over?
Click to expand...

Yes you will probably see new shoots within three to four months, most likely they will pop out near a spine wheree the cacti has been cut... The rate of growth is fully dependant on the root stock, healthy roots = thick cacti that grow fast
 
and as coatl said, no water and little light during winter. The cacti naturally goes dormant in winter and if you water it or provide too much light it will try to grow and cause skinny bits
 
Most importantly, +1 for the dormancy points. I completely agree.

In terms of fertilizer, if you want to stay organic, I'd recommend bat guano. Regardless of its particular N-P-K, it'll be low in nutrients compared to fish emulsion. I throw 'em whatever I have on hand and they seem to enjoy it. I mix it in the soil upon potting, and treat them with a tea anywhere from 2-5 times throughout the grow season.

For trace minerals I give them a dilute seaweed emulsion tea. Again, maybe a few times throughout the grow season. At least in my hands, the cacti don't seem to burn it up fast enough to cause thick parts at feeding and thin parts during the intermediate times. They grow pretty evenly once they get going.

I've personally used time-release All Purpose Osmocote a couple times throughout the season with great success. Same with Plant Tone All Purpose.

Lastly, you can avoid a couple "big" feedings by continuously feeding with a dilute fermented feed with every watering. This works great for all plants on which I've tried it, btw. A paint bucket with an airstone is the basic setup. Wrap up some lawn clippings, maybe a pinch of guano or something, and some healthy soil (as an innoculant...probably not needed but what the heck) in an old shirt or some cheesecloth. Put it in the bucket along with 4ish gallons of water and let the bubbler go for 24ish hours with occasional stirring. Dilute to taste (I use a cup per gallon and feed at every watering), and your done.

It makes a great foliar feed as well. I know of people that even take a small leak in the bucket. That's just plain fun...

All of these can be used separately, or in conjunction with each other. Just add less of one thing if you're going to try another approach in the same season. My collection gets the scraps of food that are on hand from other more picky houseplants. Maybe it's not 100% ideal for cacti, but hell, my guys seem to be doing just fine.
 
If I see a cactus getting skinny I start holding water.

I'm pretty random with fertilizing, but I use a store bought cactus fertilizer, just... whenever... not too often.
 
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