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Cancerian's Cacti Propagation Notes |
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Written by Nate
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Tuesday, 22 February 2005 |
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Page 5 of 5
More on the root rot emergency:
Right now, the most important thing is to separate the good tissues from the rot. If you wait another day the rot could spread..... cacti go fast once rot sets in. There are other options.... if you are left with a fat enough button once you cut away the rot you can did it in rotting powder (rooting "pastes" such as Clonex are better) and then store it away in a cool dry place for about a month.
Once the bottom has calloused over you can introduce the button to porous soil and it will likely go to root in a couple of months (longer in winter). Or, if the cereus species available to you are relatively spineless, just use it to graft. Heck, you can graft to just about anything! Opuntia (prickly pear) works in a pinch. Anyhooz, important thing is to cut the rot away asap. Good luck!
And more:
Oh, one more thing.... if you live in the Northern Hemisphere you'll want to pull back even further with the watering. I live in New Mexico yet I still only water my cacti once a month (at most) during the winter season. Some years I don't water them at all during the winter.... they really don't mind. Once a week is good in summer when it 98 degrees F. outside and the pots dry up practically overnight. If the soil is moist for more than a few days, that's trouble. Let the soil dry Thoroughly between waterings (I'm talkin' BONE-dry, Brother!) Keep that in mind, especially if your cacti have damage or rotty spots. DRY, is the CURE for rotty little spots on the cuticle. Hope this helps.
Continues:
Sorry to confuse you... what I meant to say is "Rooting Powder". Sorry, I'm a poor typist, especially when I'm in a rush. So, instead of grafting, one can dip a good-sized cutting into rooting powder. Once the cactus flesh has calloused over on the bottom, you can plant it and it will root in a few weeks/months. Sometimes I'll put my cacti cuttings into moist vermiculite, once they have calloused. One has to be vigilant against rot and infection when using moist vermiculite. At the first sign of root development, you would want to remove the newly-rooted peyote from the vermiculite and transfer it to a well draining, sandy potting soil that is composed of roughly 50% perlite. You see, rooting powder is a synthetic plant hormone that induces root growth. It's HIGHLY TOXIC, so I recommend using gels like CLONEX. Anyhooz, sorry for the typos.
More advice to person with rot troubles:
Dry good... moist bad. If you have fungal spots on the cuticle (waxy skin) of the cactus, the best thing to do is let it dry out. Fungi love moisture... cacti do not. If the fungus has passed beyond the cuticle and is spreading through the tissues... there is little left to do. You can try to cut away some of the rot from the graft, but you risk damaging the delicate tissues that are trying to heal together. Stop misting and put the cactus away somewhere dry.
Thus ends the second of our three article series showcasing the knowledge and wisdom of the late Joseph Lomahaftewa / Cancerian. Part three will include Joseph's writings on the peyotyl experience and on the Native American Church, as well as notes on his own entheogen-inspired philosophy.
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