Cactus
Gardening Reference » Gardening in 2006
by quindici on December 04, 2006 03:33 AM
I have two cactus plants about 3' ft high that are beginning to turn yellow. Since I live in Southweset Florida, I assumed these are native to this area anad can't understand why this is happening. They are contained in large (18")pots. Can we fertilize, if so, what kind. Since I am new to this site, I may need help to send a picture of these plants. Thank you in advance.
by margaret e. pell on December 04, 2006 07:31 AM
Hi, quindici, and welcome! It took me over a year to figure out my most meager pic skills, so if you need help, someone ELSE will be along. In the mean time, please give a more detailed description. Lots of people confuse some Euphorbia with cacti, do you have a name for what you have? No cacti are native to Florida, you just get too much rain (I lived in Orlando for a while, and though I don't know Marco Island, I'm sure it gets more humidity than any cactus will want). Are they columnar, clumping, have leaf-like things near the top 1/3 (if so, they're probably Euphorbs), how long have you had them and when did the problem start? Is the yellow all over, just at the top or bottom, firm and dry or mushy to gentle pressure? It's winter, even in Florida, and at a first guess you are overwatering them. Cacti rest in winter, so fertilizer would not be a good thing. What kind of soil/pots/drainage/sunlight do they have? I grow mine in terracotta with a fast draining soil. In the summer they get watered only when they are dry. In the winter they don't get watered. I watered them for the last time before Thanksgiving and won't even think about doing it again until after Valentines' Day. They always get as much sun as I can give them. Don't be afraid of the Florida sun, these plants will love it. But adjust them over a few weeks if they've been in the dark. They want the drier, cooler (but not shadier) rest in order to flower next year. Good luck, and I'm looking forward to hearing from you!
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may God bless the WHOLE world!
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may God bless the WHOLE world!
by margaret e. pell on December 04, 2006 07:33 AM
Wow, that just made 500. I had no idea I spouted off that much. ![[Embarrassed]](im/redface.gif)
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may God bless the WHOLE world!
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may God bless the WHOLE world!
by joclyn on December 04, 2006 01:18 PM
welcome to the forum, quindici! i can't help with the cactus question. i can help with the picture issue, tho!
start an account at a hosting website - i use photobucket.com cuz it's free and it's really easy to use (they also have a pay account that has more storage space); there are a few other sites around too.
just upload your pics to the hosting site and if you use photobucket, it provides the hotlink info right there under the picture once it's been uploaded. just copy the address line (the IMG one) and paste it into your post and the pic will show once you submit the post (and if you do 'preview post').
oh, and margaret, you are a very good spouter!!![[grin]](im/graemlins/grinnnn.gif)
congrats on 500!
start an account at a hosting website - i use photobucket.com cuz it's free and it's really easy to use (they also have a pay account that has more storage space); there are a few other sites around too.
just upload your pics to the hosting site and if you use photobucket, it provides the hotlink info right there under the picture once it's been uploaded. just copy the address line (the IMG one) and paste it into your post and the pic will show once you submit the post (and if you do 'preview post').
oh, and margaret, you are a very good spouter!!
congrats on 500!
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