February 11, 2022, 11:55 am | Read time: 3 minutes
If you don’t have a green thumb but still want to bring some greenery into your home, a cactus seems like the ideal solution. However, this often goes wrong if you’re not familiar with the plants. Hobby gardeners can learn how to save a rotting cactus here.
Cacti are considered low-maintenance plants because they don’t require much. Still, there are many ways to go wrong with their care. After all, you can “over-care” for a plant. As a result, the cactus may have a bent stem, a mushy and soft surface, or a brown color instead of a vibrant green. Hobby gardeners shouldn’t despair, though, as the cactus can often be saved.
Overview
Saving a Cactus – Treating Symptoms Correctly
Cacti will wither if the light supply, watering, substrate, or temperature at their location is not right. The following symptoms can be observed in the plant:
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Yellow Spots and Soft Surface
If there are yellow spots on the cactus and the surface looks soft and healthy, it has received too much sunlight. Although these tropical-looking plants need warmth, they cannot tolerate direct sunlight.
Also interesting: 11 Especially Low-Maintenance Houseplants
The Solution: To save the cactus and revive it, first remove the discolored parts with a sharp, disinfected knife or similar tool. Then, move it to a semi-shaded location. And remember: Use watering sparingly!
Soft and Pale Root Neck
If the root neck appears soft and its color is faded, it’s only a matter of time before the cactus bends over due to a lack of stability. Often, too little light or too much watering is the cause of these reactions in cacti.
The Solution: A new location with more light and less watering can save the cactus and help nurse it back to health step by step.
Root Rot
Root rot is identifiable by visible harmful fungi that form and spread on the cactus. The cause of rotting roots is usually waterlogging. With too much water in the pot, not only the roots but also the plant’s stem base rots, making it soft and mushy. Quick action is needed here because if the stem is completely rotted, the cactus cannot be saved.
How to Save a Cactus with a Rotten Stem
A rotting cactus can only be saved if the upper part of the plant is still healthy. If this is the case, you will need:
- thick gloves
- a sharp and disinfected knife
- charcoal
- a new pot
- cactus soil
- watering can
First, put on the gloves to prevent cactus spines from penetrating the skin. Then, carefully hold the cactus and use the knife to separate the healthy part from the rotten part. Next, treat the cut with some charcoal and let it dry for at least a day.
The wound should be dry enough for the separated cactus part to be placed in a new pot. Beforehand, fill the planter with drainage and suitable substrate for cacti. Once the cactus is securely in its new pot, it can handle a bit of water. Finally, it just needs a bright location and a little watering once a week.
How quickly the cactus develops new roots can vary. Some sprout new roots within a few days, while others take weeks or even months. It’s important to keep an eye on it and use watering sparingly.