Cactus Care

I have this grafted cactus and the top part seems to be doing fine, however, the bottom cacti has become weak and the flesh is transparent and rather squishy. It's lost all its sturdiness, I'm afraid its dying. There are no bugs or worms eating at it, and I followed watering and sunlight directions, yet it still has become weak. Any help in this matter would be most appreciated.

 

Rot. It is difficult to pinpoint the exact cause, but if you would get another one, try a more open growing medium that dries out faster.

 

Thank you. Depending on the level of rot my cactus has, is it possible to save it??

 

Transparent/translucent/watery flesh is dead. If it extends around the whole cactus, there is no hope of saving it.

 

Yes there is. It depends on how far it has spread vertically, not horizontally.

It is rarely worth it, except when the grafted plant is particularly valuable, but if you want to try you must cut the base above the rot. It spreads faster on the inside, so you must cut it several cm above the visible border (on the skin). There must be no trace of orange/black/brown on the cut surface. It spreads along the channels close to the centre of the stem, that is where you should look. The knife should be sterilized with alcohol or heat between each cut.

If there is enough green stem left (there must be enough to carry out the photosynthesis) it can be rooted by letting it dry for a few weeks and then plant it in dry soil (with good drainage and as little peat as possible). You must be very careful with water until new roots have formed and the wound is completely healed. The soil must not be wet, just a little damp, and even that can cause the plant to be attacked by fungi or bacteria. Rooting cacti can be challenging for a beginner, but you will always learn something. I killed a few Hylocereus myself before I got the hang of it.

 

Thank you very much for that detailed process. I appreciate it.

 

Since the top cacti is still okay can I graft it onto an aloe vera? And if so, how can I graft it (what is the process exactly?)

 

No, the stock must be another cactus (Aloe belongs to another family).
The grafting procedure for cacti has been described in detail by others and can also be found on YouTube. I'll see if I can find any links in my bookmarks.

 

Thank you.

 

About grafting techniques: there are some good instructions on CactiGuide, the "sticky" threads in the Grafting forum are well worth looking at.