Hello everyone! I have a slight problem. Last night as I was looking over my ferocactus for bugs, I've been fighting an infestation, and a chunk of spines fell off!
I have been using some IPA on it in my battle against the bugs. Could that be the cause?
(the pictures are, once again, wonky. I don't know how to work this picture thing)
Is this something I should be worried about?Spines falling off?!
Re: Spines falling off?!
This shouldn't be a problem. Could be you caught the cluster of spines on something. Start to worry if more drop off.
Cactus enthusiast on and off since boyhood. I have a modest collection of cacti & succulents.
- greenknight
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- Location: SW Washington State zone 8b
Re: Spines falling off?!
Depends just what you did with the alcoholgreenknight wrote:I agree. Alcohol couldn't cause that.
--ian
- greenknight
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Re: Spines falling off?!
Maybe if you watered it with alcohol. I've never tried that. Wouldn't recommend it - might be fatal. Use it sparingly.iann wrote:Depends just what you did with the alcoholgreenknight wrote:I agree. Alcohol couldn't cause that.
Spence
Re: Spines falling off?!
I think Ian might be suggesting a more personal use.greenknight wrote:Maybe if you watered it with alcohol. I've never tried that. Wouldn't recommend it - might be fatal. Use it sparingly.iann wrote:Depends just what you did with the alcoholgreenknight wrote:I agree. Alcohol couldn't cause that.
Cactus enthusiast on and off since boyhood. I have a modest collection of cacti & succulents.
Re: Spines falling off?!
Yup, takes quite a bit of force to knock Ferocactus spines off, but if you're clumsy or drunk you can do it!
--ian
Re: Spines falling off?!
I spritzed it with the alcohol. I'm pretty sure It just caught it wrong on the q-tip I was using to spot kill some bugs. My friend did knock it over a little bit, so that might have knocked it loose a little to start with. Everything looks good now.
Thanks guys!
Thanks guys!
Re: Spines falling off?!
I have a couple of Ferocactus about six inches across. I can pick them up, pot and all, just using two spines. Catching a hook in my skin is very painful because my skin gives way before the spine does! I have managed to know one areole off the smaller Ferocactus though, must have caught it at just the right angle because I lived to tell the tale
--ian
- greenknight
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- Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2013 4:18 am
- Location: SW Washington State zone 8b
Re: Spines falling off?!
The juvenile spines are not quite as tough as the one on mature plants, Still not very easy to knock off.
If you've been drinking IPA, though, anything could happen
If you've been drinking IPA, though, anything could happen
Spence