question about peyote

[Mycophile]

I desperately need some help to save one of the most fantastic Peyotes I have ever seen. The cactus is more then 40 years old (bought in 1966 as a small button) and about 2 or 3 years ago this one was still very, very healthy. But look at it now. Something needs to be done...

The owner didn't take care of it (enough) and I could not stand that anymore. The cactus is now mine and I feel like I'm on a mission.

Unfortunately I'm no expert on cacti and taking care of them.

What should I do to make him healthy again?
What should I definitely NOT do?

 

[Caduceus Mercurius]

When was the root placed into fresh cactus soil for the last time?
Has it been outside this summer?
Could it be that it got too much water?

 

[Mycophile]

When was the root placed into fresh cactus soil for the last time?
> At least a few years ago
Has it been outside this summer?
> no
Could it be that it got too much water?
> is possible, but I don't think so.

 

[aryaman]

I also thought you just gave him too much water,but if is not that...can be a cryptogamic problem.
Try out an anticryptogam,maybe better with an inorganic one.
But I suggest to also ask to some dedicated cactus forums,they'll surely know better than me and many others here.

 

[Goran.Hrsak]

Mycophile, listen. I can give U probability with more then 75% accuracy what is wrong with this oldie. How old is he? 2008-1966=42 years!! :!: :mrgreen: Very nice! I presume that cacti is straight from Sonora desert? :nod:

Made from button? This "little" clone bro? I can see many wounds on him, couple harvestings came from U little guy? Aren't they? :yawinkle: Just by looking on your back and counting number of heads I can tell that U were harvested minimally 3 times. :question: Is this true?

Back to problem.
If this cacti hasn't seen new soil for more then 3 years period he needs it momentarily!!! :axe: :!:
Before any doings on Peyote replanting U need to have soil out water for at least one week!!!! :!: If it isn't dry that long or if U have maybe water it today(bad luck my friend) place it on radiator or somewhere near NORMAL heat. Nothing above 35C°!! And try to evaporate as much water is possible!

Next thing what U need to do is right soil mixture. There exists shit load of soils for each plant itself(wonders) but combining can make wonders into miracles! :goodman:

U need "cacti" soil 60%, 20% of fine evergreen black soil or normal plant soil, 15-20% of clay (look round your hood, dense and sticky soil with brown shit color is what U want), rest 5% could be earthworm residue (little piles of sticky soil) mixed with clay but that isn't so important. (maybe can do more damage then good cause those little piles are one of the most fertile soils on Earth with high mineral levels within!!!!)

Use some fertilizer, watch how U use it! How much! Use less then more. Use only 60% of recommended cause new soil will give U what U need.
Fertilizer needs to be combined with those two minerals!!(N&P) They will help your Peyote to defend himself. But watch it!!
If U are unexperienced cacti grower use only 50-60% of mine recommended dose for Peyote CACTI!!! ONLY 25% from 50-60% Do not ever look other plants and how much bottle say and how much N and P fertilizer they need. I fry some cause of that. Maybe U will need to buy two of them cause U need same number of minerals. Also watch how U mix that closely!
(N) nitrogen - encourages good top growth.
(P) phosphorus (phosphate) - encourages good root growth

I am writing this post some time and forgotten has this cacti been on sun this year?!?

NEXT TIP IS FOR EVERYONE!!!! REMOVE SMALL BROWN MARBLES FROM CACTI!!!!!! THEY ARE DISEASE CARRIERS!! MOLDS, HIGH MOIST ON NIGHT TIME, FUNGI, NOT TO MENTION SUBSTANCES FROM THEY ARE MADE!! DENSE CONCENTRATION OF "TOXIC" MINERALS!! REMOVE THEM AT ONCE!! THEY LEAVE DISTINGUISH RUST COLOR ON CACTI LIKE ONE ON YOUR PEYOTE!! CUT OF AND PEAL OF "RUSTY" PARTS FROM CACTI AND CACTI HEADS.

RESPOND QUICK AS U CAN AND TELL ME WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THOSE "MARBLES" AND RUSTY SKIN.

SEND MORE PHOTOS, OF SOIL, OF DETAILED HEADS, THINK LITTLE, NEED YOUR HELP JUST LIKE U NEED MINE.

PEACE
LIGHT
BLESS
LOVE

 

[mrvn]

Hello, cacti-lovers
i got a really nice peyote in my small cacti collection.
1button whit 3 pups
But i changed my soil a while a go
for a mix of 70points of "seramis" and 30 points normal cacti soil.
But baked clay hold water and release it slowely over time.
So i should water less frequente than before.
I forgot about this :?
And now i've got a really swollen peyote with 2 bursted pups and 1 really swollen pup.
I already laid a heat mat under my peyote greenhouse to try and evap some water,
but what should i do whit the bad pups?
Cut theme of and hope new pups grow on the wound?
But this is something i can do only once,
so i need some advise and opinions thanks, Mrvn

 

[Goran.Hrsak]

For your problem responsible is couple of factors. I had similar problem once. What U have done wrong is soil mix with "baked clay" - "round hard balls" or clay in shape of small gravel. U can see it on picture colored in deep orange color. This shit almost cost me couple of cuttings. What they do? They are like perlit or vermiculite but even harder in water storing properties.
WHY U ANYWAY MIX SOIL WITH IT?
And now U get rooting cacti. Smaller heads with thiner skin are irreversibly damaged. What also shows overload with water? Main head! Is it on touch hard as rock and skin looks very thin and slightly discolored? SIGNS OF OVER WATERING!

What U need to do. First never replant cacti if soil isn't out of water for minimum 15 days. In some cases U can stimulate drying. And U will do it NOW! Place pot on heat source. Like radiator, under lamp, near stove. But watch it! Never leave it more then 30 min near higher heat degrees.
So this intervals will take 48 hours to complete. Also remove soil near heads to clear them of from contact with earth and "clay".
What U need to do also. U need to scrape of rotten parts of cacti. Very gently "stab" heads with pencil or similar object. U will see how much tissue is already dead. Probably all discolored tissue. When U remove very soft tissue use sharp knife and clean little bit more. Until U see healthy cacti green tissue.

If U need more answers just ask.

Peace
Light
Love
Bless

 

[mrvn]

Goran,Thanks!
I'm working on it, gonna repot this weekend to normal cacti soil.
I've got a pedro on the same mixture going to repot it aswell.
whenever i'm ready i'll post a pic for more tips.

peace.

 

[Goran.Hrsak]

KEEP ME POSTED REGULARLY. OR AS U CAN.
WITH IMPROVEMENTS OR DAMAGES.
ALSO AS I SAD REMOVE "CLAY" ROCKS AND REPLANT CACTI INTO NORMAL SOIL. BY THE WAY, DO NOT USE "CACTI SOIL" BOUGHT FROM STORE! WORTH SHIT! CACTI IS DURABLE AND HARD PLANT BUT HE ALSO LOVE BIGGER AMOUNTS OF FOOD AND LET'S SAY FREEDOM! :wink:
SO USE OLD BLACK EARTH FROM OTHER PLANT IN THE HOUSE AND ALSO REPLANT THAT ONE INTO FRESHLY BOUGHT ONE. THIS WAY EVERYBODY WILL BE SATISFIED! WATER NEW EARTH VERY LITTLE. U MUST BUT VERY LITTTLE. 3 SPOONS. KEEP ME POSTED

PEACE
LIGHT
LOVE
BLESS

 

[mrvn]

Well i had to remove 2 and a half button they turned into soft snot I'll let the wound dry a bit before replanting.
Something strange when i cutted one button, there was this blood like liquid. This is rotten cacti, right? I tried to remove a mush as possible but it goes down in to the roots.
O well, lets hope my cacti recovers.

 

[GOD]

You have big problems . The cacti are to wet and now infected with something bad .

Stop watering , LEAVE THEM ALONE and let them dry out a bit . The problem will either solve itself ......or not .

I would go hydrophonic if i were you .

 

[Goran.Hrsak]

U haven't clean of all dead stuff of the cacti. If U leave this like, your whole cacti will be gone. Also pick it up from soil. U have passed "the limit" for successful recovery without risky movements. Test rots for any damage. If U see same thing like U have on heads also remove it! And U probably have it. So do that quickly! If U see higher amounts of damage on roots U will need to cut of healthy heads of the roots. Sorry man, but thats truth! I know that U are optimistic as I am but that optimism will cost U everything. "Blood from cacti" is pus or liquid manure produced by bacteria. U need to scrape of all of that!!! As I sad before, cut and cut until U have only healthy green tissue for cacti wound. And then smoke 2-3 cigarettes and collect ash from them. Spill some water on ash, spin it until U have fine paste. Use this to cover cacti wounds. Very old and successful way how to defend and kill bacteria from any plant material. Salvia, Peyote, Pedro, MJ, Pegan and so on.

U need to cut cacti like U have done it on one head from last pict. And there past it with ash creme.

Ask if U need more advices.

Peace
Light
Love
Bless

 

[Cactusplaza]

Hello,

I have seen your pictures. There are three possibilities why you have this bacterial infection that causes rot:

1)The plant has got to much fertilizer and water. The skin then rips and an infection can start.

2) I see your soil mix is not 'gritty' enough. Use 25% clay, 25% coarse sand, 25% 1-3 mm grit and 25% peatless potting soil.

3)The plant container does not dry quickly. Stagnant water causes rot.
(try using a 1-2 cm top layer of grit. It does wonders!)

Hope I helped!

 

[Cactusplaza]

Hello,

It looks lik eyour Lophophora has had spider investation.
My best advise is repotting. You potting soil is not the correct one for most cacti. Please use more grit. Do not use peat for lophophora williamsii.
Apply a top layer of fine grit (1-2 cm).

Its a beautiful specimen. It should recover when treated right and repotted.

 

[mrvn]

Thanks all,
The wounds are allmost dry and i'm gonna replant them this weekend. I checked my other peyotes and they are showing simular brown spots so i'm gonna replant them as well.
I don't think its gonna survive i had to cut off a lot of bad cacti. O well lets hope the best. Peace

 

[GOD]

High Cactusplaza ,

Why do you say spider infestation ? And what would you recomend against them ?

It looks to me like someone has totaly neglected a very healthy cactus and because it didnt get enough water it shrunk .


Any ideas what one could use as a part of a hydro substrate that takes up place and is light ? Stones / sand = heavy . Perlite to small and powders to quick .

 

[GOD]

Grow them hydrophonicaly . Peyote will grow well in just gips ( maybe gypsum ? ) from smashed up plaster board . You have to use bigger pieces than by pedro and torch so it drys quicker . With the other two a smaller grain = holds more water is better .

If i were you i would first get rid of your substrate , then try to cut real bad bits off , then let the wounds on the rest dry , then repot in a hydrophonic / mineral substrate .

At garden centers one can get sulphur and charcoal powder and / or quinine and charcoal powders or just charcoal powder for cacti . You put it on the wounds and it keeps them clean , kills contaminents , drys them out and helps to form a dry skin on them .

 

[JustinNed]

Looks like an ugly situation, best of luck!

 

[Goran.Hrsak]

Thanks all,
The wounds are allmost dry and i'm gonna replant them this weekend. I checked my other peyotes and they are showing similar brown spots so i'm gonna replant them as well.
I don't think its gonna survive i had to cut off a lot of bad cacti. O well lets hope the best. Peace

If Peyo cacti shows same symptoms do exactly what I told U in first post. Pick it with round object like pencil. If tissue is "hard" and doesn't puke brown matter that mean U are safe. But on first sign of brown spots (they are more like copper like or in the rusty color?? are they?) slowly peal off that DEAD LAYERS!! YES THEY ARE DEAD AND KEEPING THEM ON CACTI WILL DO MORE DAMAGE THEN GENTLY PEALING-CUTTING OFF! Trust me! I had similar problem, NO MAN SAME! And just like U decided to wait. What happens after some time? Hell broke lose! Bacteria start to chew roots and everything goes to shit! So remember, this is your last stand! If nothing helps, what ever U do nothing helps, then U pick sharpe knife and cut off green but 100% healthy heads of. leave them on news papers and wait roots to show up, so U can continue that particular cacti growth.

P.S. REMOVE PEYOS FROM THAT SOIL MIX! PRONTO! REPLANT IT INTO MENTIONED SOIL. THIS IS WHAT I HAVE TO SAY FOR NOW. U WILL LOST ONE YEAR MINIMUM TO 4 YEARS IN CACTI GROWTH TIME BUT U WILL STILL BE THE OWNER OF THEM!

PEACE
LIGHT
LOVE
BLESS

 

[Goran.Hrsak]

This isn't spider infestation. Here in Europe we do not have such spiders, maybe in Mexico, yes.
GOD- do not ever place perlite-vermiculite-little gravel or round stones like ones on picture near cacti and peyote especially! That shit from clay rounds kills everything! It sucks toxins, become planet for bacteria, contain water more then perlite and other harmful ingredients.

If U have cacti with poor over looking on water count just pour pipe water trough jar. Leave pipe open 10 secs. Let water trough the jar. No fear cause soil can't suck that amount of water in so little time. But enough? Yes that will be enough. I can freely compare this with washing! Open pipe to "max" and pour water like U washing earth from "dirty earth". And then place pot on lid with "deep lids" and fill it with water. Washing trough will awake cacti and stimulate "inside clock" that rain is falling. Small thin capillary roots will start to grow rapidly! And thats why U have water under cacti, in the lid. Roots will suck out what they need and how they need it. CAPISH?

Also such cacti is full of alkaloids by the way.

Peace
light
Love
Bless