Succulent problems guide
- ElieEstephane
- Posts: 2909
- Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2016 12:10 am
- Location: Lebanon (zone 11a)
Succulent problems guide
Gotta love the internet. Was browsing something totally unrelated and i found this because of a photo. It is very detailed guide of most problems that can occur with succulents (and cacti). It's a must see
https://debraleebaldwin.com/uh-oh-succulent-sick/
https://debraleebaldwin.com/uh-oh-succulent-sick/
There are more cacti in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
One of the few cactus lovers in Lebanon (zone 11a)
One of the few cactus lovers in Lebanon (zone 11a)
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- Posts: 87
- Joined: Mon May 01, 2017 4:36 am
Re: Succulent problems guide
I know that there are many plant diseases and plant pests that attack succulents as well as other plants. I know that it is very easy to damage cactus and this damage usually never goes away. I talked a well known cycad grower and he said that coffee grounds can be mixed into the soil and the chemicals in the coffee grounds is a good insecticide. There are many alkaloids in coffee grounds that prevent insects from eating the coffee bean seeds.
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- Posts: 1
- Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2018 6:16 am
EUPHORBIA AMMAK PROBLEM ;/
I have a lovely EA and I just noticed this eve it’s getting what I think is rot at the base.... I have a couple of pics attached.
Things I thought I was doing correctly..
-Replanted it in cactus/succulent mix soil
-Placed it in S facing light.. doesn't have a lot of direct sun though..
-And I’ve only watered it twice in 2-3 months..
I immediately took it out of the pot to let it dry as it was moist to the touch in the dark areas at the bottom..
Your help/time is much appreciated as this ruined my night
Hopefully it can be saved as it seems old and was $$!
Thanks!
-Eric
Things I thought I was doing correctly..
-Replanted it in cactus/succulent mix soil
-Placed it in S facing light.. doesn't have a lot of direct sun though..
-And I’ve only watered it twice in 2-3 months..
I immediately took it out of the pot to let it dry as it was moist to the touch in the dark areas at the bottom..
Your help/time is much appreciated as this ruined my night
Hopefully it can be saved as it seems old and was $$!
Thanks!
-Eric
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- Posts: 1
- Joined: Tue May 14, 2019 11:30 am
- Contact:
Re: Succulent problems guide
That was a great information.
- mikethecactusguy
- Posts: 2173
- Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2019 12:51 am
- Location: Indio Ca
- Contact:
Re: Succulent problems guide
What a great find! I think this should be a pinned post in the Succulent Growing Help subforum
Los Angeles, California (USA)
Zone 10b (yearly minimum temperature 1-5° C)
Fishhook cacti are like cats, they only like to be petted in one direction
Zone 10b (yearly minimum temperature 1-5° C)
Fishhook cacti are like cats, they only like to be petted in one direction
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- Posts: 29
- Joined: Wed Jun 19, 2019 11:56 pm
Re: Succulent problems guide
Really cool and helpful!!!!
Re: Succulent problems guide
Great find! This is absolutely helpful indeed.
Succulent Blogger at https://SucculentAlley.com
- Edwindwianto
- Posts: 497
- Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2019 12:43 am
- Location: Bangkok - Thailand
Re: Succulent problems guide
Have just read it
It was well spent 10mnt
Thanks for sharing
- WayneByerly
- Posts: 1240
- Joined: Sun Apr 06, 2014 10:35 pm
- Location: In the north end of the Sequachee Valley, 65 miles north of Chattanooga Tennessee USA. Zone 7a
Re: EUPHORBIA AMMAK PROBLEM ;/
First, there were NO pix attached. Not callin' you out on this, or fussing at you, or trying to be rude to ANY extent, but being able to see it MIGHT have been useful in helping to determine what kind of advice anyone would give you.emeuller0204 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 7:00 pm I have a lovely EA and I just noticed this eve it’s getting what I think is rot at the base.... I have a couple of pics attached.
Things I thought I was doing correctly..
-And I’ve only watered it twice in 2-3 months..
I immediately took it out of the pot to let it dry as it was moist to the touch in the dark areas at the bottom..
I've got a pair of E. ammak of which I am inordinately proud of and love like my breath, so i'll post a couple of pictures here along with some history, HOPING that it will help.
I bought these in Dec of 2015 and they were already fairly good sized. .
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They didn't put on much growth by Oct of 2016 ... only about 2-2.5" ... .
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I took these two pictures today, brushing away dirt so that you could see the damage MINE had received when I noticed it in April of 2018. Keep in mind however that this picture is from today and the damage has been "repairing" for two years. I noticed that one of the pair was rotting at the base, and immediately came here for advice. And boy, let me tell you, the advice I got was GOOD advice (you seeing this greenknight?)! You say that you've only watered yours a couple of times in 3 months ... but that it was wet to the touch. That has a tendency to tell me that your soil mixture is staying wet too long ... maybe you should mix a good bit more pumice in it. .
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It was suggested that I separate the two plants (despite the fact that the roots were as big as my pinky finger and circled the pot they were in 2 or 3 times) and put them in their own pots. Also that I go to a grittier soil mixture. I did so, and you can see by the above pics how much of my soil is PURE GRIT. But in the process of separating the two stalks by SAWING through the roots (they lost about 50% of their roots in this process), I crushed the top of the tallest of the pair by dropping the waterhose on it. The damage was MUCH worse than the following picture suggests. After cutting the top off and "rounding" the ribs (so that it would look more natural ... I thought I was going to cry ) I put them in their own pots with a mixture that was about 80-85% inorganic and 15-20% organic because of something that I had read that talked about how they liked a little more organic material than cacti do while STILL wanting a quick draining soil. .
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The stalk with the damaged top didn't do much of anything in 2018, but by July of 2019, each of the five ribs were making SUBSTANTIAL growth on a set of arms ... ONE for EACH rib. .
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In November of 2019 the arms were substantially larger. In fact, by the end of they growing season the stalk was 21" tall and the longest arm is 8.75" long for a total of almost 30" of height. .
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Unfortunately, the 2020 season only gave me about 3" of growth as is evidenced by this picture. .
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The storal of the morey is ... Your ammak CAN survive serious damage ... as is evidenced by these pictures . Make your soil mixture grittier, and let the soil go almost completely dry between waterings. PAY ATTENTION to the state of your soil. In transplanting the rotting stalk, I cut off dead roots. You may be able to see that that stalk has developed a new set of roots. If your "rot" is too bad ... CUT IT COMPLETELY OFF just above the rot and go through the re-root process that is so popular with xeric plants. It WILL survive such a drastic trim job... and probably be better off for having grown a completely new set of roots.
It is true ... this is a xeric plant, and can withstand a fairly high degree of drought ... it will SURVIVE ... but it won't THRIVE ... it's a plant for goodness sake, and it NEEDS it's water ... just don't let it STAY wet.
Lastly ... and I am VERY reticent to offer this, but I know how much I love mine and how I would feel if it dies ... if NOTHING you do helps, and yours dies ... send me a PM and I'll cut off one of the smaller arms of MY ammak, root it and send it to you. The people here at this forum have been VERY good to me ... I think it only just and condign that I return the favor where its needed and where I CAN do something.
Make the moral choice & always do what's right. Be a good example. Be part of the solution & make a contribution to society, or be part of the problem & end your life with nothing but regrets. Live a life you can be proud of! Zone 7a
- greenknight
- Posts: 4821
- Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2013 4:18 am
- Location: SW Washington State zone 8b
Re: Succulent problems guide
Thanks for the shout out, Wayne. Glad to see that project turned out so well - and I know it was a big project sawing through that mass of roots.
Totally agree with your conclusion about emeuller0204's problem.
Totally agree with your conclusion about emeuller0204's problem.
Spence
- WayneByerly
- Posts: 1240
- Joined: Sun Apr 06, 2014 10:35 pm
- Location: In the north end of the Sequachee Valley, 65 miles north of Chattanooga Tennessee USA. Zone 7a
Re: Succulent problems guide
Turned out tbe some of THE best advice i ever got... as I LOVE my ammak! Thanks again for your input... Thanks to you i've one of the most beautiful plants in my entire collection!
i just wish that i had seen his post earliergreenknight wrote: ↑Wed Oct 07, 2020 11:45 pm Totally agree with your conclusion about emeuller0204's problem.
Make the moral choice & always do what's right. Be a good example. Be part of the solution & make a contribution to society, or be part of the problem & end your life with nothing but regrets. Live a life you can be proud of! Zone 7a