my cactus is growing arms

Every week or two, turn the plant around so both side will get the same amount of light. Stack Exchange network consists of 176 Q&A communities including Now, I'm excited with no idea what to do. However, some cacti do well as houseplants, without loads of light (I'm not sure what kind yours is; you might want to ask for an ID on it in another question if you don't know). Growing desert cacti is not difficult. Gardening & Landscaping Stack Exchange works best with JavaScript enabled

Within a few weeks, the black area dries out and the cactus branches may droop. He also sported an arm recently! Repotting a root-bound plant to a larger pot can also help.

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Drooping or sagging branches indicate that your cactus plant is stressed in some way. Heavy feeding by mealy bugs can cause a loss of vigor leading to drooping branches. Later it shows a wrinkly appearance and the branches may droop. Step 5. Just a few days ago a second arm started to grow now and I really don't know what to do. These pests suck the juice from your cactus plant, leaving little blemishes and spreading disease. The arm is now bigger than the base of the cactus and has about four little root looking things sticking out. Successful gardening does require sticking to some pretty simple rules. Cactus growing long and thin rather round and fat!

Deserts generally have cool nights and hot days; so, I imagine most cacti are used to that.Excess nitrogen (without a proper balance of other nutrients) may also be the culprit. Step 4. I don't know about cacti, but for such as tomato seedlings, cooler night-time temperatures can help them not to be spindly. During spring, summer and fall months, when cacti need more much more warmth and sunlight, container cacti do well outdoors.Most cactus plants are native to frost-free climates, so if temperatures drop below freezing for even a few hours, freeze damage can occur. and loves houseplants to download a free light meter app. Using one hand to steady the top of the columnar cactus, make a clean cut with sharp clean knife. Cacti need to avoid cold drafts. Another option is rinsing the cactus with insecticidal soap or a solution of liquid dish soap and water, and then letting the cactus sit for a day before rinsing the soap off the plant with clean water. If your plant has been over-watered, allow the soil to dry out. Detailed answers to any questions you might have

Cacti are hardy plants that require very little water or maintenance to survive, but they do still need some specialized care. Place that behind your plant so some sunlight will bounce to the back of the plant. A typical suggestion is a … They don't need as much water, regardless of the plant, nor do they need as frequent fertilizing. Thanks In nature outside, light is bounced all over the place and the only direction it doesn't come from is straight down.You've also got to remember the pupils in our eyes open wide to let in more light when it's not as bright. She is co-founder of On Fiction Writing, a website for writers. If temperatures drop, garden-grown cactus plants are covered with a cotton sheet for additional warmth and container plants should be moved indoors.Renee Miller began writing professionally in 2008, contributing to websites and the "Community Press" newspaper. Usually this shows as blackening of the exposed parts of the plant.

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Planting in cactus potting soil ensures your plant has proper drainage and watering more frequently may help to resolve dehydration. If it's impossible to give your plant a brighter location, you might want to try what I've done - not for a housplant but to develop strong sturdy seedlings - but it'll work for your cactus. It only takes a minute to sign up.We've had this cactus along with 4 others for nearly 2 years and it's been transplanted to cactus soil and watered and kept in a warm sunny spot and now it's drooping badly. The good news is that mealy bugs on individual plantings are easily killed by hand.

Make a clean cut.

It continues to grow very quickly for any cactus I have seen.

It is normal for Opuntias to grow new pads from the edge of older ones. I hope my description and drawing is understandable. Hi! If the cold temperatures occurred for a short period, then the damage is likely cosmetic and your cactus will grow out of it, but this may take several years. Cactus plants only require water when the top 2 inches of soil have dried out and require only enough water to allow some drainage from the holes at the base of the pot. It's a beavertail cactus, if that helps. Featured on Meta How should I care for this? Miller holds a diploma in social services from Clarke College in Belleville, Ontario. Select a columnar cactus to cut. Do cacti need even more light than this? That causes elongated growth.