Good day
While going through my plants today I noticed something off with my Frailea phaeodisca when I picked up it's pot. It seemed loose and when I gave it a pull it came off the soil. It had lost its roots!
I immediately dumped out the rest of the soil to check for pests and found nothing unusual not even dead roots which was unusual.
Anyway this is how it looks
As you can see there are barely any fibrous roots.
Any guesses as to what could've caused this?
I know Fraileas are pretty short lived plants by cactus standards could this be a sign that the plant is senescing?
Thank you
Frailea root loss
Re: Frailea root loss
Is it in the growing season where you are since cacti can lose their hair like feeding roots in dry periods and regenerate later, because it looks pretty healthy? I tend to loose them as I keep them too dry and hot in summer.
A good article on growing Frailea's ex-situ by Angie Money was in the BCSS Journal "Cactus World" in the link below:-
https://www.frailea.com/Articles/Cactus ... 02c22cfdbc
Also details of plants in habitat and their growing conditions in these articles by Marlon Machade, a Brazilian botanist:-
https://www.frailea.com/Articles/Cactus ... 57cf2ae9e5
https://www.frailea.com/Articles/Cactus ... e3c585af58
A good article on growing Frailea's ex-situ by Angie Money was in the BCSS Journal "Cactus World" in the link below:-
https://www.frailea.com/Articles/Cactus ... 02c22cfdbc
Also details of plants in habitat and their growing conditions in these articles by Marlon Machade, a Brazilian botanist:-
https://www.frailea.com/Articles/Cactus ... 57cf2ae9e5
https://www.frailea.com/Articles/Cactus ... e3c585af58
Re: Frailea root loss
It's always growing season here, I'm in the tropics.
But now that you mentioned that too high temps and lack of water can cause this. This hasn't been watered well the past two weeks cause most days have been pretty cloudy. But this week it's been getting pretty strong and hot sun.
Thanks so much DaveW!
But now that you mentioned that too high temps and lack of water can cause this. This hasn't been watered well the past two weeks cause most days have been pretty cloudy. But this week it's been getting pretty strong and hot sun.
Thanks so much DaveW!
- jerrytheplater
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Re: Frailea root loss
I keep my Frailea watered all year long. I also keep them at room temp during the winter.
Jerry Smith
Bloomingdale, NJ
45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
Bloomingdale, NJ
45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
- mikethecactusguy
- Posts: 2173
- Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2019 12:51 am
- Location: Indio Ca
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Re: Frailea root loss
just remember temps are also important. If it does not cool down enough at night the plants stay in "day mode" to preserve water. Watering when they are dormant will lead to brown rot. I lost over 24 plants last summer because I did not follow this rule about temperatures.
Mike M
Mike M
Mike The Cactus Guy
Enjoying the Spines
Enjoying the Spines