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Problem Solver Plant Marquee

Plant:

Cactus
Image of Cactus
Flowering
Summer
Adaptation
Southwestern US when grown outdoors
Soil
Indoors: Cacti should be planted in a sandy mix for good aeration and drainage. Use a potting mix formulated especially for cacti Outdoors: Sandy, loose, well-drained soil
Water
Indoors: Add enough water so that some drains out of the bottom of the pot. Empty the saucer when the water has finished draining. Outdoors: Allow to dry between waterings. Reduce watering in fall.
Fertilizer
Indoors: Feed as needed during the growing season with a plant food forumulated for cacti. Outdoors: Feed as needed with a cactus plant food.
Handling
Indoors: Place cacti in cool, frost-free areas of the house during the winter.
Light
Indoors: Most cacti thrive in bright sunny conditions. They should be grown in south- or west-facing windows. Outdoors: Full sun.
Related problems

Bacterial Soft Rot - Cactus

Image of Bacterial Soft Rot - Cactus
Bacterial Soft Rot

Cactus Scale -

Image of Cactus Scale
Cactus Scale

Cottony Cushion Scales and Mealybugs -

Image of Cottony Cushion Scales and Mealybugs
Cottony Cushion Scales and Mealybugs

Mealybugs - Cactus

Image of Mealybugs - Cactus
Mealybugs

Overwatering - Cactus

Image of Overwatering - Cactus
Overwatering

Root Rot - Cactus

Image of Root Rot - Cactus
Root Rot
Close

Bacterial Soft Rot - Cactus

Image of Bacterial Soft Rot - Cactus
Bacterial Soft Rot
Description
Soft, mushy, circular areas appear in the stems. As these areas enlarge, they become sunken and the tissues die. These cavities are frequently surrounded by tissue that appears to be water-soaked. Rotted tissue may develop an unpleasant odor. The whole stem may rot, and the plant may die.
Analysis

This plant disease is caused by any of several bacteria (Erwinia species) that enter the cactus through a wound under wet conditions. Once established, the bacteria produce materials that dissolve the layers between the cells. As the cells die, liquids are released from them, producing a soft, mushy rot. At high temperatures, the bacteria move through the tissue rapidly. The dead tissue dries, producing sunken cavities. The bacteria may invade the whole stem and kill the plant.

Solution

Cut out the diseased area with a knife. Remove at least 1/2 inch of apparently healthy tissue around the diseased spot. Disinfect pruning tools between plants. Avoid getting water on the plants. Keep them separated enough so that good air circulation keeps them dry.

Close

Cactus Scale -

Image of Cactus Scale
Cactus Scale
Description
Clusters of flat, circular, gray bumps or slender, white, scaly bumps appear on leaves. The bumps can be scraped or picked off. The surface of the cactus may be completely encrusted. The plant may be yellowed, or there may be yellow and brown spotting.
Analysis

Diaspis echinocacti This scale is common on cactus both outdoors and indoors. The infestation may be so heavy that the entire surface appears gray and crusty. The scale lays eggs in the spring. In late spring, the young scales, called crawlers, settle on other parts of the plant. The tiny (1/30 inch), soft-bodied young feed by inserting their mouthparts and sucking sap from the plant. The legs atrophy, and a hard, crusty, gray shell develops over the body of the female. Males are white and remain soft. Mature female scales lay their eggs underneath their shells. An uncontrolled infestation may kill the cactus after two or three seasons. Several other species of scales may also infest cactus.

Solution

Use a stiff brush to remove adult scales. Apply an insecticide labeled for cactus scale.

Close

Cottony Cushion Scales and Mealybugs -

Image of Cottony Cushion Scales and Mealybugs
Cottony Cushion Scales and Mealybugs
Description
White, cottony, cushionlike tufts appear on the plant. The plant may be yellowing. A shiny sticky substance may coat the plant, and a sooty black substance may be present.
Analysis

Mealybugs are the most common pests of cultivated cacti. Cottony cushion scales are also common on cacti. The visual similarities between these insects make separate identification difficult. They are conspicuous in late spring and summer because the females are covered with a white, cottony egg sac, containing up to eight hundred eggs. Females lay their egg masses on leaves or stems. The young insects, called crawlers, that hatch from these eggs are yellowish brown and inconspicuous. They feed throughout the summer on the stems and leaves. Damage is caused by the withdrawal of plant sap from the plant. Some species of scales and mealybugs that infest cacti are unable to digest fully all the sugar in the plant sap, and they excrete the excess in a fluid called honeydew. A sooty mold fungus may develop on the substance, causing the plant to appear black and dirty.

Solution

Apply an insecticide that''s labeled for cotton cushion scales and mealybugs. Control ants, which feed on honeydew and may encourage mealybugs.

Close

Mealybugs - Cactus

Image of Mealybugs - Cactus
Mealybugs
Description
Oval, white insects up to 1/4 inch long cluster in white, cottony masses on leaves, on stems, and in the crotches where leaves are attached. A sticky material may coat the leaves. Mold may grow on the leaves. Leaves may be spotted or deformed. When the condition is severe, leaves and plants may die.
Analysis

Several species of this common insect feed on cacti. Mealybugs damage plants by sucking sap, causing plant distortion and death. The adult female mealybug may produce live young or may lay eggs in a white, fluffy mass of wax. The immature mealybugs, called nymphs, crawl all over the plant and onto nearby plants. Soon after they begin to feed, they produce white, waxy filaments that cover their bodies, giving them a cottony appearance. As they mature, they become less mobile. Mealybugs cannot digest all the sugar in the sap, and they excrete the excess in a fluid called honeydew, which coats the stems and may drop onto surfaces below the plant.

Solution

Separate infested plants from those not affected. Apply an insecticide labeled for mealybugs. If only a few bugs are present, wipe them off with a damp cloth or with cotton swabs dipped in rubbing alcohol. Inspect new plants thoroughly before putting them in the house.

Close

Overwatering - Cactus

Image of Overwatering - Cactus
Overwatering
Description
Plants fail to grow well and may die. Roots fail to grow and may be dead and brown.
Analysis

Most cacti are native to areas that are hot and dry with very sandy soils. Such soils have large spaces between the particles and therefore have little ability to retain moisture. Because cacti need a lot of air around the roots, they do well in sandy soils. If deprived of air because the soil retains too much water, the roots decay and the plants fail to grow, or they die.

Solution

Cut out affected parts if possible. Discard rotted plants. Repot mildly affected plants with a very sandy or loose potting mix. Water cacti thoroughly and then allow them to dry out before the next watering. Never let plants sit in drainage water. Don''t let container cacti stay dry for very long, or they will die.

Close

Root Rot - Cactus

Image of Root Rot - Cactus
Root Rot
Description
The plant turns slightly yellow or gray. Soft, mushy areas may develop on the stems and around the base of the plant. The plant may topple or easily break off at the base. The soil is frequently or constantly moist or wet.
Analysis

Cacti thrive in well-drained, sandy soil. They are very susceptible to root rot, a plant disease caused by any of several soil-dwelling fungi, also known as water molds. These fungi thrive in waterlogged, heavy soil. Some of them attack plant stems at the soil level, while others attack the roots. Infection causes the roots and stems to decay and eventually causes the plant to die.

Solution

Allow the soil around the plants to dry out. Remove and discard severely infected plants. Plant cacti in well-drained soil, and avoid overwatering.

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