Philocacti Posted July 22, 2014 (edited) So every time this year, when it's extremely hot, most of my Trichocereus cacti display this very thin rib or wrinkled parts but the growing tip in either case is firm and they're growing as normal. My only hypothesis is that they display this to avoid the intense sun, just the same as when growing pereskiopsis in full sun the leaves are smaller then those that are grown in the shade. Does anyone has any explanation or idea to why this happens? Edit: I tried taking pictures with different camera position and they're always posted sideways Edited September 26, 2015 by Philocacti Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bert&Ernie Posted July 22, 2014 I thought that sort of thing happens when the cacti stop growing as much over winter and then grow way faster in summer so you get this kind of I dunno what to call it but pretty much what you see in the pics... Also the wrinkles are usually a sign of dehydration... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Philocacti Posted July 22, 2014 It's mid summer here and they only started displaying this recently. I water once every 3 days. The tip is firm and growing nicely but the mid body looks skinny like a cereus. I wouldn't risk watering at 2 days. What's really strange is I have individuals from the same seed batch displaying it while others don't. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bert&Ernie Posted July 22, 2014 Strange... I was really only just guessing haha Maybe its like the cactus using the water/energy from lower down to fuel all its new growth....I dunno I am sure someone who actually does will chime in xD 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
solaritea Posted July 22, 2014 Maybe its like the cactus using the water/energy from lower down to fuel all its new growth.... That's what I think is happening. It's summer for me, and some of mine display this right now. Old and new growth, all on the same plant. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M S Smith Posted July 22, 2014 Yeah, probably just the redistribution of water usage. I'm in a particularly moist environment that gets quite a bit of rain and only notice this plants that seem to be rooting slowly. Sometimes my plants, including T. bridgesii, stay wet for weeks on end and do just fine. If I were you I would probably water every other day. ~Michael~ 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hostilis Posted July 22, 2014 (edited) ^^^ That happens to my TBM's. Sometimes when it's been a few weeks since watering all the older pups will shrivel and the new ones will stay firm and growing fast. Edited July 22, 2014 by hostilis Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
franky Posted July 22, 2014 ^^^ That happens to my TBM's. Sometimes when it's been a few weeks since watering all the older pups will shrivel and the new ones will stay firm and growing fast. One of my TBM's is doing this atm it's weird all the others I have are perfect Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hostilis Posted July 22, 2014 One of my TBM's is doing this atm it's weird all the others I have are perfect Just means they want more water IME. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Philocacti Posted July 23, 2014 Solaritea yup that's what's happening here as well. Michael, I'll try watering one pot every other day, which means the soil won't get completely dry if it doesn't rot and becomes all plump again, I'll do that with the rest. hostilis my TBM is doing the same, especially type A, but their showing black rot at the same time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hostilis Posted July 23, 2014 hostilis my TBM is doing the same, especially type A, but their showing black rot at the same time. Yeah philocacti, my TBM's and bridgesii in general get crazy scaring and black "rot" no matter what I'm doing. When they're hydrated, dehydrated, actively growing, dormant, doesn't matter, they're always getting weird scaring for no apparent reason. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nitrogen Posted July 24, 2014 Yea mine get the same thing - my psycho0 clone is doing it a lot these days.. During hot summer months you can water pretty much every day with impunity.. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zelly Posted July 24, 2014 Yea mine get the same thing - my psycho0 clone is doing it a lot these days.. not only that, the 5-6 monster plants you left over here have all shriveled up into nothingness.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slice Posted July 25, 2014 (edited) Most of my plants are inside a greenhouse which means they survive 55 centigrade during summer (with doors open) They need everyday watering to continue living. Some of the most sensitive like Scops do show wrinkles.Im taking them out tomorrow. To prevent base rot with intense watering I use a silicate based product which strengthens cell walls,it seems to help. Inoculating the soil with beneficial fungi also is a good idea, "good" fungi "fight" "bad" fungi"... My seedlings are constantly immersed in water during summer which makes them grow faster and stay cool. Pots are contained in trays and are watered by flood irrigation.Very few rot. Edited July 25, 2014 by slice 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wert Posted July 25, 2014 When i water cacti i flood them for 12-24 hours. Ie submerge the soil level in h2o. Dont know if ide do this to aztekiums but eveything else loves to be given the chance to indulge. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mutant Posted July 25, 2014 (edited) This is definately NOT a weird phenomenon, this is normal dehyderation during summer peak, when the trichocerei struggle to keep the water before it dehydrates from the soil. Trichocerei DONT LIKE summer peak (especially mid-noon full on unshaded sun), I am sure its the same for US states that have as hot of a summer or more as me or you Philocacti... Water every other day, every day, or even twice a day ........ well do this gradually.... Use mulch (straw) or pebbles during summer to help soil keep the water more. with more often watering they will recover.. I am having that in my new small greenhouse (doors and windows open) ... more , rather than plants in the open, but it happens there too if they're dehydrated... the wrinkling can occur in the whole body and even the tip if they're badly dehydrated.. MS Smith is spot on I think when he says its all about water re-distribution in the cactus... like always with cacti, a couple days good watering and they're back into shape.. PS: Seedlings usually dont do this as they are tougher than mature ones... PS2: If you water every day and some cactus rots, maybe you should reconsider your substrate.. do you actually fertilise your pots? are they in clay pots? Clay pots would also explain the degree of dehydration in 3 days waterings intervals, but well, its not as hot here as there, I guess.... Edited July 25, 2014 by mutant 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slice Posted July 25, 2014 (edited) took my Scops. out of the greenhouse... the heat is too much for them Edited July 25, 2014 by slice 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Philocacti Posted July 26, 2014 Ok so it's pretty normal during high heat waves..... I increased my watering and today I found these mushrooms growing in one of the pots 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mutant Posted July 27, 2014 Awesome ! Looks like some Leucocoprinus sp, or some other genus from the Coprinellus complex. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Philocacti Posted July 31, 2014 (edited) Although I haven't done a scientific experiment I'm seeing evidence that supports the theory in my 1st post that the ribs shrink to reduce exposure to intense light. As I was watering my collection I started weeding long grass and I noticed that one of my montrose bridgesii had a pup totally hiding under the grass. As shown in the picture it's very bright green and plump...even compared to the one beside it. The 2nd pic is another column that's taller then the ones in the 1st pic and it's extremely shriveled. Edited July 31, 2014 by Philocacti Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Evil Genius Posted July 31, 2014 took my Scops. out of the greenhouse... the heat is too much for them Hi slice, looks like my grannys legs in undies! 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mutant Posted August 1, 2014 hey Philo the weeds this time of year are also stealing lots of water from your cacti roots. Especially these fucking grasses and hey what is the biggy thing in the background? a huge semi-monstrosa bridgesii? the theory in my 1st post that the ribs shrink to reduce exposure to intense light... there could be some truth in that, but cacti do this anyways if they are dehydrated, irregardless the sun, but you might be partly right.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Philocacti Posted August 3, 2014 (edited) and hey what is the biggy thing in the background? a huge semi-monstrosa bridgesii?My theory was, if I let these tall grasses grow, they'll provide some shade for the lower parts of bigger cacti and shade for pots with small seedling around these pots. They would also ensure that the soil wouldn't hold water for a very long time. But things got out of control. Yup, the one in the background is a montrose bridgesii and it's not showing this phenomenon Plus this pot with eileen and SuperPedroXPsycho0 cluster cluster Edited August 3, 2014 by Philocacti 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mutant Posted August 3, 2014 I see where you're getting at with the grasses... trichos (ao cacti) they like shade at the peak of hotness, that's for sure... well it would be unfair to call it semi-monstrosa, it seems to be too naughty.. a beauty, a proper freek Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Philocacti Posted June 11, 2015 I think I've figured out what's happening (at least in my environment). I think the ones that are in more sunny spots for them to handle, display this rib shrinkage. This a SS02XBRIDGESII These are bridgesiiXSS02 As shown in the picture the columns on the front row are displaying this shrinkage but the one on far right and the one in the back have their normal "pumped" column. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites