This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

Re: long, leggy...cactus

I have never heard of staking a cactus before either but perhaps you should do
that until it regains its upright position and is able to hold up by itself. A
stay outside should do it some good. It sounds like an Euphorbia Lactae, but
there are so many kinds of cactus around I couldn't be sure what it is. I know
this type of Euphorbia makes succulent leaves at the tip. Perhaps someone who
knows more then me about cactus (and that shouldn't be too hard) can help you
better.
Helga

nhamby wrote:

> 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!
>
> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
>
>                                N a o m i  H a m b y
>
>                        Director of Exteremely Important Stuff
>
>                          H A P P Y  M A Z Z A   M E D I A
> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index