Opuntia fragilis cutting help

Multiplying your cacti vegetatively.
sckwee
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Opuntia fragilis cutting help

Post by sckwee »

Hello everyone! This is my first post to the forum but I'm sure it won't be my last as I seem to need neverending help.

This morning I just realized I have killed yet another of my succulents. *sigh* I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I just don't see how I could be possibly overwatering... Maybe a lack of light ... gosh I just don't know.

Anyway, my current question is about some cuttings I mail ordered. I planted the Opuntia fragilis cuttings and then they started growing something off the top that I thought might be a flower at first but then... it just kept growing and growing and now I have this:

Image Not sure if the picture will show up...here is the link and I attached the picture too.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByC_vE ... sp=sharing

Is that normal? I thought this cactus tended to be smaller more bulbous cactus but it seems to be growing really long!! I just don't know if I'm doing something wrong somehow.

The taller cuttings next to it, Cylindropuntia kleiniae, don't seem to be doing anything at all. So who knows if I'm doing anything wrong there either..

I planted them both mid February in cactus potting mix and topped with a little pea gravel. I haven't watered as I read you are supposed wait for them to take root first.

Any information would be really great! Thanks for reading and helping a newb out. I would really like to have a nice little cactus/succulent collection if I could just somehow stop murdering my plants without meaning to! (Would that be plant-slaughter?) hehe

Adrienne
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coltonschultz
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Re: Opuntia fragilis cutting help

Post by coltonschultz »

The long green things on the top are in fact new growth! Also, the new growth looks a bit etiolated, meaning the plant is growing long and tall to try and find more light. I would suggest moving those guys to a sunnier spot, and they could surely use a drink since they are rooted and showing new growth. More sun, a little bit of water, and these guys should be growing nicely.
sckwee
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Location: Denver, CO

Re: Opuntia fragilis cutting help

Post by sckwee »

Thank you so much! I will try and find a sunnier locale for them! Also, the original cuttings are looking sort of...like raisins...is there a point at which I should remove them or just bury them or something? Gosh I'm a newb!!
coltonschultz
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Re: Opuntia fragilis cutting help

Post by coltonschultz »

Give them a gentle tug, and if they show some clinging to the soil then you are safe to water. If you're not sure about them having roots, you can always pull them out carefully and look. I've had some opuntia cuttings that looked like complete raisins but had roots. If they do, give them a drink, if not, you may want to toss them
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hoteidoc
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Re: Opuntia fragilis cutting help

Post by hoteidoc »

Toss them? fragilis generally are "plump", altho "raison-like' during winter dormancy. I'd cut the etiolated growth off -- new "normal" growth is just going to make it top heavy & it will break off anyway -- let the cut dry (out of the sun) for 3 or 4 days & then just lay in flat in your "soil" -- in a pot or if you have room, outdoors, & leave them for 2 - 3 wks. It will form roots along the length of it. Now that you have enough light -- windowsill or outside -- you'll get normal segments growing out. With a toothpick, knife, screwdriver, etc. gently try to move the cutting. If there's resistance, you've got roots & you can H20 a little.
Once bitten by the cactus collecting/growing bug, there is no known cure!
There's no 12 step programme for Cactaholics...so I shall just have to get some more!!
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CactusFanDan
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Re: Opuntia fragilis cutting help

Post by CactusFanDan »

Badly, badly etiolated growth. Remove all the green, spindly bits and stick it in full sun. However be sure to acclimatise them over a few weeks to stop them from sun-burning. They can all go in full sun, but be sure to acclimatise them slowly. Full sun, high heat and a little water should see them well. :P O. fragilis roots very easily from cuttings, even cuttings the size of a coffee bean will root readily.
-Dan
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sckwee
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Re: Opuntia fragilis cutting help

Post by sckwee »

OK but if I remove all of the new growth what do I do with it? Can it be planted? The original cuttings are all raisin like.. I did water them today and moved them closer to the window... I'm just sad at the thought of cutting off the new growth.... :(
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CactusFanDan
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Re: Opuntia fragilis cutting help

Post by CactusFanDan »

sckwee wrote:OK but if I remove all of the new growth what do I do with it? Can it be planted? The original cuttings are all raisin like.. I did water them today and moved them closer to the window... I'm just sad at the thought of cutting off the new growth.... :(
Throw the new growth away, it'll probably just rot if you try to root it. :? It'd probably best just to put the cuttings outside somewhere and forget about them for a while, or to water them every so often if you live somewhere really dry. O. fragilis is tough as boots. A small stem segment can go for 8 months without water easily. :P They're tolerant of moisture too. I could probably grow this one in a rockery here in my dull, rainy part of the UK. :wink:
-Dan
Happy growing!

There is always one more glochid. Somewhere.
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sckwee
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Re: Opuntia fragilis cutting help

Post by sckwee »

Man... Could cry! I'm just horrible at growing things! Oy. Well in my south facing window here in Denver they are going to get all the sun they could want. It's still getting well below freezing here though so I'm scared to put anything outside... But as long as you think these little raisin cuttings will produce some more growth after I cut this growth off then I guess I'll cut it off... *tears*
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CactusFanDan
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Re: Opuntia fragilis cutting help

Post by CactusFanDan »

O. fragilis also happens to be extremely cold hardy, with a natural distribution going up through parts of Canada. :P Depends on the form you have (and if that really is O. fragilis... It looks a little odd to me). If it helps to make you more confident about how tough these are then here's a picture of one of mine looking slightly thirsty. :) Picture taken in January. It's still not had a drop of water since though.
Opuntia fragilis (1).JPG
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-Dan
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hoteidoc
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Re: Opuntia fragilis cutting help

Post by hoteidoc »

You're not horrible @ growing (these) things -- this is what everyone's are looking like (in upper 1/2 of US)-- raisins, wet, cold raisins! But you're also not "listening" to what has been said by 3 different people! The spindly part NEEDS to be cut off, but it can be used to generate new fragilis!! That's the bonus of most cactus growing -- "bad" things typically generated most cacti :lol: :D It's all how you look @ it.
Once bitten by the cactus collecting/growing bug, there is no known cure!
There's no 12 step programme for Cactaholics...so I shall just have to get some more!!
promethean_spark
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Re: Opuntia fragilis cutting help

Post by promethean_spark »

I wouldn't say it needs to be cut off, but the plant does need a lot more light. It will probably get sunburned if you put it straight out, since its lost its protective tan. Try partial sun for a few weeks before full sun.
sckwee
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Re: Opuntia fragilis cutting help

Post by sckwee »

Just thought I'd give you all an update on my cactus' progress since you were all so kind to help me!

And of course I can't seem to get the pictures to just show up here but here are the links:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByC_vE ... sp=sharing" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByC_vE ... sp=sharing" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I put the long pieces that I took off the tops on some soil so we'll see if they root too, wouldn't be surprised if they don't but would be kind of neat if they did.

I wonder if there is a better container for them in the more long term.... hmmm...The only south facing outdoor space would have to be in a moveable container... if they could survive north facing next to a house haha I have the perfect outdoor place! haha]

They seem to be doing very well, thank you all for the help! And of course, if you know of any cuttings good for the Denver,CO area I'd like to try them!
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hoteidoc
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Re: Opuntia fragilis cutting help

Post by hoteidoc »

sckwee - those plants look fine! And I'm suspicious that taller of 2 in 2nd picture is not is fact a cholla -- & supposed to be like that! :lol:
Once bitten by the cactus collecting/growing bug, there is no known cure!
There's no 12 step programme for Cactaholics...so I shall just have to get some more!!
sckwee
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2014 3:14 am
Location: Denver, CO

Re: Opuntia fragilis cutting help

Post by sckwee »

What do you think it is? Haha I love a good mystery!
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