Hi my cactus has the droopies. Anybody know why? I read...
0ft to light, direct
8” pot with drainage
Last watered 1 year ago
17
I know it’s only a few succulents lovers… Sorry for all the ones I’m forgetting… 🙃 @sarahsalith @SirLiquorice @vvvelo @PlantyPlanter @PlantMompy @hoyahead @kscape #SucculentSquad
I think @TruebluePuka is into something, is the way he’s leaning towards where the light is in your home?
Another possibility is that if he was indeed overwatered in the past and the roots were never checked to confirm or not, he could be slowly rotting from the inside out. It’s a little harder with cacti to use the “squish” method to see if they feel firm or not, but if you manage to protect your hands, can you tell if it’s still firm, or if it’s really squishy? Or if you just give it the gentlest push? Will it flop to another position, or it’s pretty set in its position?
Another possibility is that if he was indeed overwatered in the past and the roots were never checked to confirm or not, he could be slowly rotting from the inside out. It’s a little harder with cacti to use the “squish” method to see if they feel firm or not, but if you manage to protect your hands, can you tell if it’s still firm, or if it’s really squishy? Or if you just give it the gentlest push? Will it flop to another position, or it’s pretty set in its position?
This cactus is reaching for light but looks otherwise healthy.
If it were truly overwatered it would be squishy and starting to rot. And if the soil were too loose to hold it down it would be leaning from the bottom and not the top.
If this cactus ever straightens out it will be a long time. You need to move it much closer to its light source, as it stick it in the window sill because it will like that much light. You should also rotate it periodically to help it straighten out. I wouldn't start by turning it completely away from the light, but maybe a quarter of the way around. Once every couple weeks or once a month give it a turn.
If it is so top-heavy at this point that you fear it might fall over then you can cut it where it has that slightly indented ring and propagate the top part. The mama part will callous over and start growing again so you aren't killing the larger part by doing so.
CC @SirLiquorice to make sure I'm not off my rocker here as I haven't had my coffee yet 😂
If it were truly overwatered it would be squishy and starting to rot. And if the soil were too loose to hold it down it would be leaning from the bottom and not the top.
If this cactus ever straightens out it will be a long time. You need to move it much closer to its light source, as it stick it in the window sill because it will like that much light. You should also rotate it periodically to help it straighten out. I wouldn't start by turning it completely away from the light, but maybe a quarter of the way around. Once every couple weeks or once a month give it a turn.
If it is so top-heavy at this point that you fear it might fall over then you can cut it where it has that slightly indented ring and propagate the top part. The mama part will callous over and start growing again so you aren't killing the larger part by doing so.
CC @SirLiquorice to make sure I'm not off my rocker here as I haven't had my coffee yet 😂
It does appear to be reaching for the light but also some mammillaria like one that I have that look very similar actually lie down when they get big. I will try to get a pic of mine right now. It gets direct sunlight outside and still lies down and grows more pups that also will get big and will lay around like hair. So it main end up lying down regardless of what you do. I would rotate it so it didn’t lean towards the sun but it still ended up choosing a specific side to lie down no matter what I did.
When I got this one awhile back it was already 13” tall and stood straight up. It’s outside and gets direct sunlight from about 8:30am to 1pm or later and then shade after that. Now it will not stand no matter what and has chosen the side it wants to lie down even if rotated. So don’t be to worried about it leaning or lying down. Look up pics of big old ones and you’ll see they tend to do that. But they do need a good amount of direct sunlight and heat and they’ll flower and grow lots of fruit and pups
@tmbryant37 it may be natural for that one to eventually lie down regardless of what you do once it gets big enough
@JungleLady505 Ooops 😂