Gymno Sunburn

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GreenThumb
Posts: 85
Joined: Tue Jul 30, 2013 12:32 am

Gymno Sunburn

Post by GreenThumb »

I've been waiting for my newly acquired/repotted gymno to wake up and hopefully water it soon. Then suddenly I happened to notice white spots on its side - a definite sunburn! :-k #-o We've been having some cold snaps which resulted in intensified sunlight pouring from the window where the gymno sits. It's been dry since the first repot back in November.

I found this old link that suggests that being thursty contributes to the sunburn.

http://cactiguide.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=645" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

When would be a good time to water my poor friend given its new trouble - the sunburn that is?

I also had no idea that the cacti had to be rotated. ](*,)

Any advice is much appreciated!
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CactusFanDan
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Re: Gymno Sunburn

Post by CactusFanDan »

It can also be the opposite with watering and sunburn. I tend to find more that over-watered plants sunburn more easily. Watering probably won't make much of a difference to that sunburn. The damage on your plant isn't too severe and it'll probably heal and colour up again without heavy scarring. :)

Cacti don't have to be rotated. :P However, if you're growing them on a windowsill, they will tend to grow to one side in order to try and obtain more light. If this is the case, then you can rotate them to get them to grow straight again.
-Dan
Happy growing!

There is always one more glochid. Somewhere.
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GreenThumb
Posts: 85
Joined: Tue Jul 30, 2013 12:32 am

Re: Gymno Sunburn

Post by GreenThumb »

Thank you for your quick response, CactusFandan!
I feel better now.
DaveW
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Location: Nottingham, England/UK

Re: Gymno Sunburn

Post by DaveW »

Rotating cacti could cause sunburn if the plant had always been grown facing the sun in a certain direction. In habitat from a seedling cacti have always had the same orientation towards the sun, therefore the normally shaded side may be less tolerant of full sun.

I tend to use my plant labels to indicate which way the plant usually faces the sun, depending on which staging they are on for obvious readability. When re-potting I try and remember which side the label went and hence which was the sunny side of the plant. Certain cacti like Parodia (Eriocactus - Notocactus) leninghausii and it's allies produce a crown that is normally slanted towards the sun even though the stem will continue to grow perfectly upright without leaning, which is natural growth and rotating them produces an uncharacteristic plant.

http://violapinnata.blogspot.co.uk/2012 ... ge-jr.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Copiapoa columna-alba normally slopes towards the sun in habitat, which is said to only expose the woolly covered crown towards the hot sun whilst keeping most of the body in cooler shadow:-

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/48651808" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Having said that however I have had Gymno's burn on my lower staging's, whereas some up on the top shelf did not. So sometimes there seems to be no logic as to why they do so. The main problem is early in the year when they are not accustomed to full sun and are suddenly exposed to it.
GreenThumb
Posts: 85
Joined: Tue Jul 30, 2013 12:32 am

Re: Gymno Sunburn

Post by GreenThumb »

DaveW wrote:Rotating cacti could cause sunburn if the plant had always been grown facing the sun in a certain direction. In habitat from a seedling cacti have always had the same orientation towards the sun, therefore the normally shaded side may be less tolerant of full sun.


Having said that however I have had Gymno's burn on my lower staging's, whereas some up on the top shelf did not. So sometimes there seems to be no logic as to why they do so. The main problem is early in the year when they are not accustomed to full sun and are suddenly exposed to it.


Hmmmmmm.. Interesting. Plants are the strangest people as someone said. :D
LOVE the photos!
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