Growing a pencil cactus

I have a pencil cactus that I LOVE b/c it's so hearty (and i have a tendency to kill all things green). However, since I'm not a green thumb I know nothing about "pruning"...literally. I need some guidance on how to prune my pencil cactus so it will grow more from the bottom instead of getting top heavy. Is there a particular part that you cut or does it matter? Do you cut off the new branches or old?

 

I'm sorry, but I don't know the answer to your question about pruning. I've never pruned one, I've just let them grow however they wanted. Perhaps someone else knows.

 

I have one growing indoors right next to a south window (2 1/2") They are pretty easy plants to grow and a conversation piece to boot! As far as watering, it will get a good soaking after the soil has dried thoroughly, about once a week in the summer, every two weeks or so in the winter months.
Cuttings will root in anything fast draining in a small shallow pot to start off with. I like to use either a cactus soil or reg soil with small orchids bark chips and/or perlite added.

 

Reference pruning your pencil cactus, these are about as forgiving as any succulent that you will find. If you nip only the branch ends, growth will be seen at or near the site of the cut, so further back along the branch is probably the answer that you want, and likewise, cutting a ways back on the upright main branches will cause the plant to grow into a more bushy form.
By the tiime they reach small tree size, which can be done in larger indoor pots as well, they often are amazingly "bushy" and full in appearance. Keep in mind, as well, that each cutting can be easily rooted into a new plant, and that by inserting the new plants at the base, you can grow a dense growth of plants that will give you the appearance of a very real bush........ as previously noted, wash any of the milky sap off immediately, as it is very caustic and can easily burn flesh, particularly on sensitive skin.
Hope this helps.

 

Thanks so much.

 

Hi, I'm so glad I found this site. This weekend my husband and I were going to yard sales and I came across a huge plant that was really interesting looking. I didn't dare voice my desire to buy the plant because of it's size. I knew my husband wouldn't want to get his car dirty schlepping that thing all the way home. Did I mention it didn't even have a pot?? While looking the plant over I figured it was more related to a jade type plant rather than a true cactus and I have really good luck growing succulents. I hate to admit to petty theft but when nobody was looking I broke off one little piece which, I might add, started to bleed white goo all over my hand. Serves me right I guess. Anyway, I had a bottle of water in my car and stuck it in there till we got home. I did get most of the milky goo off my hands but at some time during the ride must have brushed my lips because they started burning a little. I'm glad after reading the other posts that I didn't manage to get the stuff in my eyes!! I didn't allow the little branch to scab over as mentioned earlier but I just stuck it in a pot with some of my other succulents and hoped for the best. Now I'm kicking myself for not buying the big one. They only wanted $5. for it. If this little piece doesn't take I'm going to definitely find another. I really need to find out what types of plants I have. I'm just glad they seem to thrive on neglect.

Thank you all for your info

 

When mine became overly pot-bound one time, it stopped producing the little leaves it gets in the summer.It was finally moved into the next pot size up and it grew it's little leaves again.