What is the proper way to root cacti offsets?

[keithp2012]

All mine end up drying up or rotting and never root! My offsets are thumbnail size. I remove them and wait a week to callous, then what to do next is confusing.

Do I place them in rooting hormone and leave in dry soil or gently water? Or no rooting hormone and leave soil dry or gently water? Can I mist with a spray bottle instead?

[george76904]

Depends on the kind of cactus but generally I prefer to have slightly larger offsets before I remove with the hopes of rooting them. Waiting a week is good, rooting hormone has not seemed to provide noticeable difference in the speed at which the offsets root though. As for watering... I prefer to place in slightly damp medium and then leave it alone for however long it takes to root. The only way it will absorb water is through the roots so watering a cutting without roots is pointless. However they loose water through the skin so misting them helps in that the water on the skin will evaporate before the water in the plant will. So I must my cuttings and offsets occasionally. Some things like opuntia, echinopsis and pereskiopsis root incredibly fast and take off growing right away. I have also had others just sit there for months on end. When it comes down to it it ultimately depends on time and the growing conditions. Most cacti will root given enough time and the right growing conditions.

[7george]

Some cacti root easy before detaching, others (people say) never root. Cuttings must be in shade or semi-shade and the process should be started in the right time, better in spring. I don't water offsets, just slight misting of their tops or of the soil (rooting media) around them from time to time. Many offsets root perfectly in dry conditions. Some desert or hard-growing cacti may take many months or even years before to root.

Rotted or dried offsets may mean that these were too small, held in too hot place, cutting or healing was not done in proper way or the atmosphere was too humid.

I heard about one "miracle" rooting media - granules of Seramis. Kind of baked clay that makes even "impossible" offsets to root fast and safe. Has somebody tried it?

[keithp2012]

I've been trying to root Gymnocalycium mihanovichii

[snarfie]

I've been trying to root Gymnocalycium mihanovichii

Well, that's the problem, gymnocalycium is one of those hard-growing cacti. For people who are experienced with rooting small cacti, even this is almost impossible. The only succesfull rooting of a g. Mihanovicii i've done was from a cutting that was about 8 cm diameter. I think the smallest size for rooting gymnocalycium with reasonable succes is about 5cm diameter, because that will be about the size when they have enough time to regenerate before drying out. Making cuttings the size of a thumbnail will be pretty useless because they don't survive unless you have the perfect rooting conditions and a sterile environment. The only method i know for rooting such small gymno cuttings is putting them on sterile agar.

[josephferpes]

All mine end up drying up or rotting and never root! My offsets are thumbnail size. I remove them and wait a week to callous, then what to do next is confusing.

Do I place them in rooting hormone and leave in dry soil or gently water? Or no rooting hormone and leave soil dry or gently water? Can I mist with a spray bottle instead?

Here's the best way to remove offset:

At first, locate a pup and cut it away at a 45 degree angle. A slanted cut on the parent will deflect water so the area doesn’t rot before it can callus. Some propagators like to dust the cut end of the offset with sulfur powder to prevent fungal issues and rot. This is not necessary in most cases as long as you allow the cut end to callus fully. This may take few weeks or months. The end should be dry and hardened, slightly shriveled and whitish.

This can also be done on your own.