Is there any way to "nudge" a cactus into producing pups?

Multiplying your cacti vegetatively.
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allygracebz
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Is there any way to "nudge" a cactus into producing pups?

Post by allygracebz »

I have several cacti who should be producing offshoots or pups, is there anything I can do to try and promote reproduction this way? Thanks:) if you need the types of the cacti Ill gladly post them:)
Tony
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Re: Is there any way to "nudge" a cactus into producing pups

Post by Tony »

Generally folks that want to increase plants rapidly in this manner do so by damaging the center growing point, either by lopping the top clean off (my preferred rout) or I have even been told this could be accomplished by driving a nail in the exact center or drilling out the center. I have never tried the last two...
If it is a plant that should normally be offsetting but isn't, try lightly fertilizing and just give it more time to do its thing.
What species are they?
Forget the dog...Beware of the plants!!!

Tony
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BobbyZ
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Re: Is there any way to "nudge" a cactus into producing pups

Post by BobbyZ »

I have been trying to do so using BAP Aminobenzylpurine, an artificial cytokinin to induce mereistematic growth. It seem to work on Echinocereus/trichocereus.
promethean_spark
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Re: Is there any way to "nudge" a cactus into producing pups

Post by promethean_spark »

There are a lot of plant hormones available (as mentioned in the previous post), which growers use to encourage different types of growth. One that encourages vigorous bushy growth aught to work - be careful though because a lot of those hormones are herbicides when used in larger doses because they so disrupt the plants metabolism that the plant dies.

Grafting a plant onto a rootstock that offsets a lot will give the scion hormones from the rootstock that can encourage it to pup too.
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