Losing spikes on my cactus!
Sentimental about my golden rat tail cactus it seems to be losing its spikes in some areas (see photos) and leaving bald patches.
For those who have one or know well about rat tail cacti - please help! :) also any tips on how often to water / fertilizing and during this season and what exactly the white softer tips mean? would be amazing!!
For those who have one or know well about rat tail cacti - please help! :) also any tips on how often to water / fertilizing and during this season and what exactly the white softer tips mean? would be amazing!!
1ft to light, indirect
3” pot with drainage
Last watered 1 year ago
5
Best Answer
Softer flesh of a cactus indicates too much watering. These longer thinner tips on your cactus it's elongation, it's not enough Sun.
Losing spikes it usually means not enough Sun, but also can indicate too much water.
Dark green colour, like this one your cactus, means not enough Sun.
So, you need to give your cactus more Sun and less water. In Winter water once every 2 months, Spring and Autumn water about once a month, in Summer water once every 2 weeks. When you water your cactus, always water profoundly till you see water dripping from the bottom hole. (a pot needs to be with drainage, soil needs to be special soil for cacti succulents). Cactus needs about 8 h a day of intense Sunlight. When not enough Sun, then it should get 11 h of high PPFD grow light.
You fertilize cacti in Spring till Autumn with low Nitrogen fertilizer for cacti. (not other fertilizer, or your cactus will get bloated and will split).
If you have more questions, please ask.
Losing spikes it usually means not enough Sun, but also can indicate too much water.
Dark green colour, like this one your cactus, means not enough Sun.
So, you need to give your cactus more Sun and less water. In Winter water once every 2 months, Spring and Autumn water about once a month, in Summer water once every 2 weeks. When you water your cactus, always water profoundly till you see water dripping from the bottom hole. (a pot needs to be with drainage, soil needs to be special soil for cacti succulents). Cactus needs about 8 h a day of intense Sunlight. When not enough Sun, then it should get 11 h of high PPFD grow light.
You fertilize cacti in Spring till Autumn with low Nitrogen fertilizer for cacti. (not other fertilizer, or your cactus will get bloated and will split).
If you have more questions, please ask.
Spikes protect cacti from Sun. If a cactus is getting a lot of Sun, then it grows more and longer spikes. When not enough Sun, then a cactus loses spikes, to get as much Sun as it can in the circumstances. Also, darker green colour indicates not enough Sunlight.
Athena grew more and longer spikes, because she was getting too much Sun. Athena was yellow for the same reason. @UltraKoreanfir
Athena grew more and longer spikes, because she was getting too much Sun. Athena was yellow for the same reason. @UltraKoreanfir
@AssertivePlain Welcome to the Greg community! A Golden Rat Tail cactus (Cleistocactus winteri) may lose its spikes for a number of reasons, including:
Overwatering
Overwatering can cause the soil to become soggy, which can lead to root rot. Signs of overwatering include mushy or translucent stems, or yellow and bloated leaves. To fix this, you can stop watering, let the soil dry out, and repot the cactus in fresh, well-draining soil.
Too much humidity
Too much humidity can cause the stems to rot, especially in the winter.
Not enough light
If the cactus isn't getting enough light, it may grow leggy. You can try moving it to a brighter location.
Pests and diseases
Golden Rat Tail cacti are susceptible to scale insects and spider mites. Spider mites are tiny insects that suck the sap from the leaves. This website has more info: https://www.gardenia.net/plant/cleistocactus-winteri-rat-tail-cactus-grow-care-guide#:~:text=Mushy%20or%20soft%20stems%3A%20This,the%20soil%20has%20dried%20out. Happy growing!
Overwatering
Overwatering can cause the soil to become soggy, which can lead to root rot. Signs of overwatering include mushy or translucent stems, or yellow and bloated leaves. To fix this, you can stop watering, let the soil dry out, and repot the cactus in fresh, well-draining soil.
Too much humidity
Too much humidity can cause the stems to rot, especially in the winter.
Not enough light
If the cactus isn't getting enough light, it may grow leggy. You can try moving it to a brighter location.
Pests and diseases
Golden Rat Tail cacti are susceptible to scale insects and spider mites. Spider mites are tiny insects that suck the sap from the leaves. This website has more info: https://www.gardenia.net/plant/cleistocactus-winteri-rat-tail-cactus-grow-care-guide#:~:text=Mushy%20or%20soft%20stems%3A%20This,the%20soil%20has%20dried%20out. Happy growing!
