Cactus is turning black help!
lizs225
Posts: 3
Hi! My beautiful cactus has a black tip. I had it for years and I never had a problem. my only thought is it just got really cold here in New YorK. Temperature change?Maybe not enough light or too little watering? But it has been at the same spot for a couple years now and always been ok.
How do I fix it? Thank you
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Too little water is not going to be a problem for cacti.
Too little light is often a problem for cacti.
Too much water is always a problem, particularly if the temperatures are low.
Simple care for cacti is don't water in the winter .........at all.
In the summer give it a good soaking and then leave to drain. Repeat just once or twice in the summer.
If indoors give it as much light as you without allowing it to burn in scorching sunlight.
Ok! but before I wrote on this thread I watered my cactus because I thought it was cause of little water. I haven't watered it in over a month so I thought it was that reason. Eek! But with daylight savings it def has less light too.
So how do I dry it out? Do I cut off the black part?
I would cut off the tip with a sharp blade, cutting down far enough to ensure there's no rot. The cut will seal itself over.
Just let the compost dry out and don't water again until late spring.
Fingers crossed
Thank you so much! lets see how it all goes !!!
Your cactus (looks like Cereus validus ; an extremely variable species) is showing typical etiolated (weakened) growth due to poor light -levels and probable overwatering in such a situation .
REMEDY :- Cut off both stems to around 1" below where the blackening starts and leave to dry (both roots and cut) for several months (Yes months) or until Spring returns , and leave in a bright moderately warm place .
In the Spring/Summer , give as much light is is theoretically possible ; (I assume it's windowsill grown , not the ideal place) ; nevertheless commence watering judisciously in such circumstances , and hopefully it will survive .
What is that brown strawlike stuff, is that growing?
Always water from the bottom, don’t pour water on the top, that may have caused the blackness on the top. Put gravel on top of the pot. Apart from that, they don’t look bad. They thrive on neglect, sometimes I forget to water them for months, then they’ll throw up these beautiful flowers.
heres a pic of one of mine, the shrivelled looking bud right on the top is a flower bud,
I just discovered my cactus turning black! I touched it and it broke what can I do!!!
I just discovered my cactus turning black! I touched it and it broke what can I do!!!
Pot up in a nice gritty compost in a clean pot,don't water until you know it has rooted.
Good luck!