How to save a cactus: how to understand that a flower is dying, why it dries, how to revive, if only it has started to disappear, what to do if it is already dying, how to reanimate?

With problems in the cultivation of cacti, all plant growers, especially beginners, are found.

Indoor cacti, contrary to their generally recognized vitality, are sick often and, so to speak, varied. A cactus can begin to lose thorns and processes, dry and dull for completely different reasons.

Knowing the symptoms and understanding the nature of the disease, you can have time to take measures to save the cactus from death, so that it does not completely dry out.

How to understand that a plant is dying?

A dead cactus either dries like a mummy or rots. If the cactus grows even a little, new spines appear and live green tissues remain, it can still be reanimated.

You can find out what can cause a cactus to die and how to understand that a plant is dying, here.

Why disappears and what to do?

Consider why a flower dries or rots, how it can be saved and revived.

Fungus

Fungal rot is the most common cactus disease.. Symptoms may vary depending on the pathogen. The most common manifestations that make it possible to diagnose are rot on the root neck, followed by the transformation of tissues into a sap mass, or the cactus trunk bends and dries in just a few days. Also, the fungus can manifest itself in the form of a darkening of the stem, spreading up the vessels.

Fungi actively develop in conditions of excessive watering, cold wet wintering, and if the plant has unprocessed wounds.

The resuscitation of the affected cactus can be carried out in the following ways.:

If the stem is affected at the site of the wound on the cactus skin and the decay is small, then diseased tissue can be cut with a sharp knife and sprinkled with gray.
If the defeat affected the crown, then it is cut to a healthy tissue, and the cactus is used as a stock for vaccinations. You can disinfect wounds with charcoal, wood or activated, or brilliant green.
During the treatment of diseases of fungal origin, it is necessary to exclude any spraying with water, using fungicide solutions for this purpose.

Important! Fungal diseases have a lot of varieties, but any of them will progress faster if the cactus is in a cool room and the weather is rainy outside.

Even if the lesions that appear on the plant do not spread further, you need to treat the cactus with a fungicide.

Pests

Cacti purchased at the store are often infected with pests.. The manifestation of harmful insects, such as a tick or mealybug, can be diagnosed by the presence of a cobweb on the plant, a substance similar to cotton and stirring dots of different sizes piercing the skin of a cactus. If you use a magnifying glass, you can see how the juice stands out.

It is possible to fight with a tick with the help of acaricides, with a mealybug resorting to systemic contact-intestinal insecticides.

Rotting root system

Being in poorly drained, moist soil with excessive watering, the roots begin to rot (for details on why the cactus began to rot and what to do if the process goes from below, read here). The cactus itself reacts to such an ailment by changing the structure of the stem. It becomes soft, wilts and may break off at the base.

It is necessary to fight defeat with the help of a transplant according to the following scheme:

Cactus, together with the roots, remove from the old pot and carefully clean them from the ground.
Inspect the roots and trim soft and blackened. Make a slice close to the place where the living root begins.
For ten days, the cactus needs to be held outside the soil, put it on a piece of paper and prevent exposure to direct sunlight and low temperatures.
The cactus planting tank should have drainage holes.

Watering errors

Shoots of a cactus may begin to die off if regularly poured on it with cold water.

It is necessary to use settled water at room temperature.
If the cactus has dried out and its stem has wrinkled, the problem may be in insufficient watering.
The stalk needs to be felt if it is solid, and the soil in the pot is dried up, then the plant clearly dies of thirst, especially if the cactus is in an area of intense light.
If the stem is too soft to the touch and the soil does not dry out, then the plant suffers from excess moisture.

At this stage, it can be saved by transplanting and adhering to the recommended irrigation regime in the future.

Lack of fertilizer

Lack of phosphorus entails a cessation of cactus development.
With a lack of nitrogen, the cactus does not grow.
An insufficient amount of potassium provokes the appearance of yellow spots on the body of the plant and its deformation.
A lack of calcium can lead to cactus baldness and make it vulnerable to disease, leading to death (learn how to protect your favorite cactus from diseases and pests here).

Wrong soil

Greasy and water-intensive soil can cause irreparable damage to the health of the cactus.

Only light soil is suitable for growing a desert guest, with a small amount of peat, necessarily containing sand and small pebbles for aeration.

A concomitant problem may be a pot disproportionate to the root system.

After the purchase, you need to replace the storefront transportation soil with a suitable one and select a container for the cactus corresponding to the size of the roots.

Incorrect lighting

Lack of sunlight can manifest as pointed tops in spherical or rounded cacti or narrowed fibrous stems in stem representatives. Such deformation leads to a weakening and risk of disease.

To help the plant, you need to choose a place for it with adequate lighting. South or western windows are good.
If the cactus receives too much sunshine, burns in the form of yellow and brown spots may appear on its body (why does the cactus turn yellow?).
The plant needs to be moved to another place and cut off the affected areas so that healthy green areas come out from under them.

Is it possible to reanimate a plant if it has dried or decayed?

A dead cactus with the first signs of decomposition will not be saved, but if the plant has at least a little healthy tissue, especially closer to the crown, resuscitation is usually successful. Liven up a cactus as follows:

You will need a sharp blade that needs to be sanitized. Holding the head of a cactus with one hand, make an even cut a couple of centimeters below the last green papillae. Inspect the section carefully, if there are suspicious areas - cut them to a healthy tissue. Sharpen the cut like a blunt pencil by cutting a fabric with spikes at an angle of 45 degrees.
The slice must be dried for a week, during which time it will retract. Next, you need to provoke root formation. To do this, put the cactus on the edge of the glass and pour water on the bottom so that between the cut and the liquid level there are several centimeters. In one and a half weeks roots will appear.
When the roots reach a centimeter in length, the cactus can be transplanted into a small container and then follow the usual care. The only exception is top dressing - in the first year, transplanted cactus fertilizers are contraindicated.

Care

Proper wintering is very important for a cactus. From November to March, it must be kept in a bright, cool place at a temperature of 8-12 degrees above zero, without watering, fertilizing and drafts. It is necessary to take out of hibernation gradually - do not water abundantly immediately.

As the cactus grows, you need to transplant it into a new, more spacious pot, making sure that the soil level is the same as in the old tank.

In general, the unpretentious inhabitant of the deserts, nevertheless, needs a timely reaction of its owner to any negative changes in appearance or well-being. Compliance with the recommendations for care will help for many years to contemplate a healthy cactus in the interior, because any ailment is always easier to prevent than to treat.