Frailea root loss

Trouble shoot problems you are having with your cactus.
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Salazar
Posts: 279
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2016 8:02 am
Location: Philippines

Frailea root loss

Post by Salazar »

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
IMG20220415152518~2_copy_690x1002.jpg
IMG20220415152518~2_copy_690x1002.jpg (87.82 KiB) Viewed 640 times
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
DaveW
Posts: 7376
Joined: Thu Dec 20, 2012 2:36 pm
Location: Nottingham, England/UK

Re: Frailea root loss

Post by DaveW »

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
Salazar
Posts: 279
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2016 8:02 am
Location: Philippines

Re: Frailea root loss

Post by Salazar »

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!
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jerrytheplater
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Location: Bloomingdale, NJ (USDA Zone 6b)
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Re: Frailea root loss

Post by jerrytheplater »

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.
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mikethecactusguy
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Location: Indio Ca
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Re: Frailea root loss

Post by mikethecactusguy »

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 The Cactus Guy
Enjoying the Spines
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