How often should I water my cactus?
Cacti should never be watered on the same schedule as shrubs and perennials. From April to September cacti only need to be watered once a month at a slow drip for 2-3 hours for established plants. Newly planted or transplanted cacti can be watered twice a month for the first three or four months after planting. If you already have a drip irrigation system, you should put 1/2 gallons per hour emitters on all cacti. It is important to put all cacti on the tree valve or their own separate valve and not the shrub or perennial valve.
It is essential that all cacti have time to completely dry in between waterings. Always try to remember that your yard is an extension of the desert, therefore you must emulate the natural conditions for cacti of their original regions.
At the end of October you should stop watering all cacti by putting good plugs in all of your micro tubing going to each cactus. In April you can remove all plugs and resume your regular watering schedule.
Do I need to weatherproof my cacti?
Yes, you do need to weatherproof your cacti. Winter time will soon be here; therefore it is best to begin getting prepared for the dreaded frost ahead of time. You should purchase a large amount of frost cloth from your local nursery to cover all frost sensitive cacti and succulents. If you are not sure what to cover, it is best to be safe by covering all of your succulents and thin skinned cacti such as cerus monstrauss, cerus puruvians, etc. Listen to the weather forecast at night and cover your cacti anytime temperatures will be under 40? F (just to make sure it does not get colder than predicted).
If you are planning to transplant any cacti this spring, you should cover them with shade cloth to prevent sunburn. I recommend using a 30% shade level cloth for your cacti and a 40% or 50% shade level cloth for your succulents. Many of your cacti will need to be covered for only the first year until they have acclimated to their new location.
My prickly pear cactus has white sticky spots – what are they and how do I get rid of them?
When your prickly pear and cholla cactus begin to be covered with white sticky mounds, it means you have a cochineal problem. The white sticky mounds are actually the housing for cochineal bugs. When these first start to appear it is best to spray them off the cactus pads with a power nozzle at the end of your hose. If the infestation begins to get out of control, I suggest treating the areas by scrubbing them with insecticidal soap from Home Depot or unscented dish soap. In small areas you can scrub with a tooth brush but for larger areas it is best to use a long handled brush.
During the winter months the most effective method of cochineal eradication is to spray with Volck Oil spray (dormant season insect killer) which can be purchased from Home Depot during winter months only. I prefer this method of eradication because no scrubbing is required in order to kill the cochineal insects.
Why is my saguaro cactus leaning?
If your saguaro cactus at home is beginning to lean, do not lose hope for there are ways to remedy the problem.
The three main causes for your saguaro cactus to lean are:
- it has bacteria nercosis at the base
- the balance of the saguaro cactus is offset by having too many heavy limbs on one side of it
- there is a water source nearby your saguaro which is loosening the soil around the base
Most saguaro cacti less than 18 ft tall can be straightened manually but large saguaros with several arms must be straightened by either a cradle truck or by crane.
When you first notice your saguaro cacti begin to lean you should take action immediately so it does not eventually fall and destroy property or injure any bystanders.
For more detailed information on this topic email: TheCactusDocotorAZ@gmail.com
What is Bacteria Necrosis?
Bacteria necrosis only attacks saguaro cactus and is usually due to too much water near your saguaro, infected by a metal object, heat stress or frost damage. If you see a leaning saguaro in your yard and oozing with black goo near the base of your saguaro, chances are it is infected with bacteria necrosis.
One of the first signs of bacteria necrosis is a swarm of gnats that are concentrated around a particular area on your saguaro cactus. Gnats will always be present whenever your saguaro cactus is infected with bacteria necrosis. Another sign will be when you see a browning area that is unlike any other part of the saguaro. Chances are you will probably also be able to see black goo oozing from the saguaro browning. The most prevalent sign of all is that you will be able to smell very strong nauseating odor. This will occur when your saguaro cactus is in its last stages of decay.
Whenever you are sure that your saguaro cactus is infected with bacteria necrosis you should have it treated immediately by a certified specialist who has lots of experience doing saguaro surgeries. If you catch your saguaro cactus in its initial stages of bacteria necrosis there is an 80% chance that it can be saved and continue to live a long healthy life.
Always remember if you or your friends ever need saguaro help with a dying saguaro the Cactus Doctor is always available to ensure your saguaro’s health and is always willing to give out valuable saguaro information.
