Some questions about dormancy

[spikef35]

Hello lady's and gentlemen I have an important question to ask! Last year I managed to make my cactus collection go dormant I have a question,can I keep my cacti in my greenhouse with no water until March/April growing time then begin to add water.basicly can through all of winter can my plants get strong direct light and be dormant second is this thelocactus starting to become dormant as it has begun to shrink?

Thanks spikef35

[greenknight]

Sore, cacti can take strong light when they're dormant - nobody shades them in the wild. do they?

That Thelocactus looks too shrunken, like it hasn't been watered in months. Something wrong with its roots, maybe.

[7george]

Yes - to both questions.
But it can depend on the species you keep there and temperature inside that greenhouse.

[C And D]

We can't answer your questions w/o knowing where you live

If you live in Tuscon, you have to water lightly all winter long

The Cactus nurseries in Vista California water all year long

It mostly depends on the night time temps
if it gets below 40 F at night for weeks at a time, then no water

It it's above, then some water

I have to water in the winter about once a month to keep my plants from getting too swiveled, since the temps go over 80 F in the day and it's usually only 50 ish during the night.

Water at the beginning of a forecasted warm spell.

Sometimes I will water a plant heavy that looks too swiveled , then bring it inside to keep it warm for a couple days while it dries out


Note to all new members
PLEASE Include where you live as part of your avatar

[annP]

I live in a tropical country (Philippines). We don't have Winter and temperature is always warm. Do cacti need to go into dormancy in our weather? Do I need to stop watering my cacti?

[spikef35]

i live in coastal texas

i watered the thelocactus, no change in health since i did which leads me to think dormancy or root issues from what i saw the roots looked ok but i have sprayed that pot after mealy out brake wonder if this is mealys fault

[spikef35]

update: the cause is more than likely dormancy, roots were to deep but any way i sprayed for mealies because i found some on a near by melocactus i hope im right

[greenknight]

If you find mealies on one plant, best to treat any others close to it. Mealies in the nymph stage are so tiny they're practically invisible, so those nearby plants could be infested and there's no way you'd know it by looking at them.