How to straighten up a crooked cactus?

[Quixote]

I just received a little cactus in the mail. It's seed-grown, around 9 cm tall so far, and unfortunately it seems like it has been growing up with one side pointing to the light, so it has grown a bit crooked.

Is there any hope to straighten it up, or will i have to cut off the tip and plant it?

I was thinking to just place it by the window bending away from the light, so maybe it would straighten itself up... do you think that will work?

[Fluss]

It won't ever go away completely, but if it gets thick enough it wont be as visible as it is now, it's only way more prominent now because of it's size.
It might be hard to achieve the required circumference, if it's in the north western Europe growing conditions.

[Quixote]

Thanks for that, even though it's not the answer I wanted to hear. Do you think I should leave some negative feedback on eBay? The two pics of the cactus the seller put up were angled in a way that didn't show how the bend...

[CβL]

Maybe, but then can't he negative feedback you? The bend is not an issue at all. You can always take a cutting later from straight growth and then you'll have a straight plant. As long as the plant is healthy that's what matters.

[bogfrog]

I have a few crooked cactis, i try rotating them to grow straight, it doesnt seems to do much but may come right after a few years.

Negative feedback is something that (IMO) should be approached with caution, (good) people work extremely hard to keep consistant positive feedback and most sellers prefer that you contact them directly if you arent happy with your purchase. That way they can talk through with you why you arent happy and come to an agreement without affecting their reputation.

Atleast give them the chance to make it better, if you wouldnt have purchased the plant knowing it was bent, perhaps you could tell them that and ask for a partial refund, or just clarify that you arent 100% happy and would like it if they show their products more accurately in the photos.

Edited June 24, 2013 by bogfrog

[bit]

Got a picture of it? I've had plenty of luck straightening up bent plants, especially brigesii. If you stake them or lean them in a way that causes gravity to work against the bend, they come right.

[CβL]

I think he means that it's actually grown crooked (kind of like when you lay a cutting sideways, and it starts growing at 90 degrees straight-up).

[Bert&Ernie]

just put it in full sun mate it will straighten up by itself

[qualia]

post a pic? if it's the sort of bent which occurs when you lay it down flat for ages and just the tip grows up the you have to either cut it or live with it,

or if it looks just like it's been growing facing one way to the sun for ages you can fix that by simply placing it in the sun with the bend facing backwards (or keep rotating it in the summer),

Edited June 24, 2013 by qualia

[Bert&Ernie]

also suck it up man crooked cacti look better than straight ones in my opinion anyway

[woof woof woof]

But if you must straighten it out,............ we will give you the secret cactus straightening incantation rituals.

[Kykeion]

I agree with bogfrog, contact the seller before leaving negative feed back.

[Quixote]

Well, I didn't give the guy any negative feedback. Didn't contact him either, it's just a small 9cm plant, so I can't really be bothered with complaining, but I'm still annoyed with that it isn't straight. Ordnung muss sein!!!

But it seems a healhty plant, so I guess it will just have to straighten itself out. When it's so small, I guess it will have a chance. Might post some pics tomorrow.

Thanks for all comments and advice

Edited June 24, 2013 by Quixote

[AndyAmine.]

Im pretty good at torturing my cacti when I go through a depressive period so have had to straighten a few out in my time.

It all depends on how bad the bend is and where along the column it is.
I usually use a change in sun direction, a bit of gravity or a change in growing angle if I have to (by putting the pot on an angle or temporarily tying it down a bit). This works because the growing tip will always want to grow upwards and will also want to point toward the sun so you can use that to advantage.

I have also bound them against a stake and tightened the stocking a little each few days.
They are amazingly pliable and will bend easily without damage if done over a period of time.

Edited June 25, 2013 by AndyAmine.

[Evil Genius]

First, i dont think youll get this straight on the short term. Its the same as with cacti that didnt get enough light and which are etoiliated. But on the long term, im sure it will straighten itself. So far, i´ve never heard of someone giving negative feedback for a crooked cactus. Neutral maybe if its really bad but negative sounds kinda harsh if seller didnt explicitely mention how wonderfully straight his cactus is. Thats just like bringing bananas back to the store because they are too straight.

[kapitän kamasutra]

Is it a columnar cactus? If its only 9 cm by now you can easily hide the crook under the soil when it has grown some more.

[Stillman]

Send it to one of those camps they have in the US that seems to work, I watched a doco on it and they were all heaps straighter after that. lol

[Quixote]

Is it a columnar cactus? If its only 9 cm by now you can easily hide the crook under the soil when it has grown some more.

Yes, columnar. Was thinking of hiding it under the soil as you say, either that or military school as suggested above

Edited June 26, 2013 by Quixote

[zelly]

I had a crooked cactus once that I wanted straightened out, so I used a duct stretcher on it.

Straightened it right out!!!