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long, leggy...cactus

First of all thanks to all who responded about my long leggy seedlings
(sounds strangely obscene, doesn't it?)

For the past few months a cactus of mine which has grown to about 2 feet
(there are two stems) has been bending over with it's top curling back up
back to vertical position (towards the light in front of my northern facing
window) and I'm afraid it will eventually break from it's weight. It is
only about an inch in diameter!
I know very little about cacti and I am not sure what variety this
particular one is. The bottom half is fairly smooth with tiny hair-like
needles with a bumpy bulge about 2 thirds the way up, followed by a tapered
tip with succulant-like 1 inch leaves at the top 1/4.

I've had this cacti for years and I'm not sure how I even ended up with it.
Last summer I repotted it with a smaller, more traditional prickly cactus
in a shallow pot (about 4" deep) with standard cacti potting mix. I
certainly am not watering it too much, but I am feeding it with a small
amount of houseplant food each time I do water it.

My possible theories:
Not enough light.
too much food (which might explain the long vertical growth in comparison
to it's width.

I've never heard of cacti's needing to be staked but this one is looking
like it needs some help standing up straight. As soon as it gets warmer out
I will once again put it out on my terrace where it will get lots of light.

Any Ideas?


Thanks!
Naomi


Also-

I just got back from a trip to Pacific Northwest. I drove from San
Francisco up the coast to Portland OR. What a spectacular journey! I am
totally jealous of my friend in Portland surrounded by the most lush
greenery I have ever seen and mammoth Rhododendron and azaleas! (Not to
mention the city's beautiful rose garden.) Truly a plant lover's paradise!
I should mention that I live in New York City and get excited when I see a
johnny jump up growing in a crack the my sidewalk- Manhattan plant life at
it's stubborn best!

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                               N a o m i  H a m b y

                       Director of Exteremely Important Stuff


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