Cacti (?) problem
Hello 🪲 my mum’s cacti (Euphorbia.. or what?) has been having some issues later. She was doing great until some time ago she appeared to have these darker spots. Roots are firm and reddish, no root rot apparently, and she’s been in the outside spring sun for a week more or less. The plant seems a bit less firm than usual though.. may it be overwatering? My mum gave it a sip of water recently, but as I said roots seem fine! Please help, I really love this plant and do not want her to die!! 😮💨 #HappyPlants #PlantAddict #SucculentLove #CactusClique #help
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This definitely looks like overwatering, especially if areas feel soft. But it's not just an issue of watering too much or too often. The type of soil, type of pot, and how much (or little) sun it's been getting also factor in.
These are desert plants, so they should be potted in a medium that's similar to what they would have in their native habitats. The soil it's in now looks far too organic and moisture retaining. They need a well-draining, gritty, fast drying mix. Succulent/cactus soil with extra perlite or pumice stone mixed in is best. Mix equal parts of each.
The plastic pot inside another pot is also keeping the soil wet too long. Plastic is non-porous, so it holds onto moisture. Glazed clay pots are also non-porous and have thick walls. The combo of these two pots together is restricting airflow to the soil and preventing it from drying out quickly enough. Terracotta pots are best for cacti because they're porous, which helps the soil dry out faster.
The proper way to water a cactus is to wait until the soil is completely dried out and then soak it. Then let it completely dry out again, and so on. Giving it a "sip" of water won't do anything but cause it stress from inconsistent watering habits.
Cactus should be getting at least 4-6 hours of direct sun a day. Insufficient light will also prevent the soil from sufficiently drying out. How much light was it getting before your mom moved it outside? Even though the roots might look ok now, it's only a matter of time before they start rotting as well (the yellowing and black areas on the cactus are signs of rot). Move it out of that pot and into a terracotta pot of the same size, and replace the soil with something gritty and more appropriate for a desert plant. Let me know if you have any questions! 😊
These are desert plants, so they should be potted in a medium that's similar to what they would have in their native habitats. The soil it's in now looks far too organic and moisture retaining. They need a well-draining, gritty, fast drying mix. Succulent/cactus soil with extra perlite or pumice stone mixed in is best. Mix equal parts of each.
The plastic pot inside another pot is also keeping the soil wet too long. Plastic is non-porous, so it holds onto moisture. Glazed clay pots are also non-porous and have thick walls. The combo of these two pots together is restricting airflow to the soil and preventing it from drying out quickly enough. Terracotta pots are best for cacti because they're porous, which helps the soil dry out faster.
The proper way to water a cactus is to wait until the soil is completely dried out and then soak it. Then let it completely dry out again, and so on. Giving it a "sip" of water won't do anything but cause it stress from inconsistent watering habits.
Cactus should be getting at least 4-6 hours of direct sun a day. Insufficient light will also prevent the soil from sufficiently drying out. How much light was it getting before your mom moved it outside? Even though the roots might look ok now, it's only a matter of time before they start rotting as well (the yellowing and black areas on the cactus are signs of rot). Move it out of that pot and into a terracotta pot of the same size, and replace the soil with something gritty and more appropriate for a desert plant. Let me know if you have any questions! 😊
@stephonicle now I’m worried fr 😮💨 thank you so much!! The plant was under a roof window (is that the word?) for the winter and was alright, then she watered it and that has been the problem most probably.. now it is placed on the balcony in half shadow/sun since it’s spring. I’ll try to follow your advice and change things up. I have just one question: what do I practically do now? Do I have to cut the bad parts of the plant or just change soil and pot?
@EatMoreVeggies if the roots look ok, you should be fine switching out the pot and soil...as long as you adjust the watering routine and ensure it gets at least 4 hours of direct sun a day. After it's repotted, hold off on watering for a week or two so it has a chance to dry out more. The yellow & black areas won't turn green again, but if you can stop the rot from progressing any further, I don't think you'll need to cut them out. Those areas will hopefully dry out and just become surface scarring.