cacti rot

Hi All...

This is my first post and I'm just after a bit of advice...

I've had a cacti since being extremely young...

At one point it was planted in the garden but about 6 months ago had to be moved into a large pot.

After moving it into the pot the idiots that moved it decided to water (log) the plant. It was left like this for a while... :(

Any way, I eventually drilled the bottom of the pot and removed as much water as possible.

Today I noticed a brown match about 6 inches up the main stem of the plant, in the center of this brown match there was a 1cm hole...

I looked around the stem and the brown match goes about 1/3 of the way around it... I wanted to see how big the hole was and so stuck a stick in it... The hole in the plant is about as big as the brown match, it's fairly deep and soft inside... In fact... sticking the stick in rip part of the other side of the stem and caused a load of yellow water to come out...

I found the following page and guess I either have a problem such as Corky Scab or Rot... Not sure of the difference... http://www.cactusmuseum.com/diseases.asp

Oh, there's also a bit of mould under the hole/brown patch...

I was going to cut the rotten part of the cactus out but guessed I should get some advice first...

Should i just leave it, cut the rotten part out, or cut of above the rotten part and try and replant it...

Any advice is extremely appreciated...

Thanks in advance,

Daniel

 

What kind of cactus is it? Daniel.
A picture would be good.

It sounds to me like the whole root system has rotted off.
If so it can be difficult to stop.

Without seeing it or knowing what kind it is its not easy to say.

But the usual advice would be to cut it off above the rot, let the cut surface callous over and then try to reroot .

With some its easy, with others not so.

 

Thanks for your reply Pete,

It's a tall columnar cacti, that's all i know...

Root rot sounds really bad, is there anything I can do to increase the chance of it surviving?

The steam that is rotting is the biggest stem left on the cacti... The orginal stem grew too tall, skinny and crooked to support itself so I chopped it off and stuck it back in the pot. That piece seems to have survived well.

The two pictures attached are from a right and left view of the cacti, you can't get a direct shot as another stem is in the way...

From the picture you can see about 1/3 of the cacti seems to have rotted away.

The brown and yellow parts are hollow. The white specs below ( i assume) are mould. The off coloured parts of the cacti are pretty soft. I think the rot might have gone as deep as the centre core of the plant. I'm not sure...

I don't really want to cut the top half off but if I have to do that to save the plant, I will... In all fairness if i cut the rot out, i'm not sure if it will survive due to the depth of the cut i don't even know if it will support it self... Not to mention how stupid it would look! :/

What would your advice be? If I have to give it the chop would i be right to cut an inch above the rot and keep it upright indoors for a few days to callous? The cut below the rot to remove the nastyness?

Also the liquid that came out ran down the side of the plant, is that likely to be bad for the plant? Should i try some fungicide on it?

Oh, btw, the main stem is about 24 inches tall.

Thanks,

Daniel

 

Hi All,

I decided to investigate further, the rot was far worse than i though...

From about 3 to 9 inches up the plant the plant was rotten through... Above and below this I've managed to get a good clean looking cut through the plant.

Can anyone advise me on what to do with the cutting and the open wound on the stem.

Also, I accidentally cut into another stem with the same knife... It was so hard to cut the middle stem from that cactus off... The knife was definitely in contact with the rot... Is there anything I can/should do?

Cheers,

Daniel

 

Looking at it, I think you have got a cutting to take from above the rot, making sure the base (of the cutting) is healthy.

The other two stems may survive if you then cut out all the rot.
As you say, it may not look too good, as a plant, like this, so you need to decide whether you really want to keep the old plant.

I'd keep any cuttings warm and dry for about 2weeks to callous over, then fill a pot, just large enough to take the base of the cutting, with cactus compost, top it with about half inch of sharp sand, and just place the cutting on top.

Keep it warm and just damp, with the odd spray now and then, it may need a small stick to stop it moving around.
They should root easily at this time of the year.

I wouldn't bother with any fungicides, if kept dryish.

 

Thanks again Pete.

I chopped off the cacti above the rot and then removed the remainder below.

I've left it in a dry corner of the garden that doesnt get too much direct sun light.

It looks to be healing ok so far...

If the roots have started to rot is it worth me trying to remove the plant, wash the soil off and cut off the rotting roots or would this kill the plant completely?

From now on I'll be keeping a close eye on the rest of the plant in attempt to spot any more rot early...

Cheers,

Daniel

 

In m y experience once root rot sets in you cant stop it, the plant contains so much moisture that the rot just keeps going.

The only answer is to remove any healthy stems well above the rot, make sure there is no brown staining in the cut area.
Then re root them after drying off the cut surface.

I should add that this is not really a garden plant, it would be much better on a sunny window sill, or better still a greenhouse.

 

Thanks Pete,

I'll bare in mind you advice if I see any more rot setting in. Hopefully I'll be ok though...

Also, thank you for your advice about it not being a garden plant. Unfortunately my parents put it out in the garden with every intention of killing it, instead it grew massively and it's now too big for the house and we don't have green house :(

I'll try and look after it better now tho!

Daniel