Help needed. Sick grafted Loph.

[Maxofoz]

I'm hoping it's not too late to save this girl. I bought it in August and the stock slowly started browning at the bottom. It was sent bare rooted and the seller told me to pot it in 50% course sand and 50% sifted potting mix. I repotted it again in late September , this time with some fine stone. Now the pup has a black top and is extremely soggy. The bottom of the stock looks very sad and between the buttons it has developed what looks like rust.

Here's a photo before I received it, August 11.

This photo is Sptember 18.

These are today.

This is another plant in the same mixture that seems healthy.

Sorry about the quality of the photos, they are taken on my iPad.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I don't know why my iPad decided to post the pics upside down.

Edited November 21, 2015 by Maxofoz

[wert]

your stock might have had the life squeezed out of it.?.

I would do 1 of 2 things.

firstly cut the stock at the base. check its insides for rotten vasculars. if rotten you know what must be done.

if not, let your stock callus then repot.

I have seen this sort of thing happen on spachianus grafts and cutting, rerooting gives them a new lease of life for some reason.

hope this helps mate it's a nice looking plant.

ps. could be nothing if you just keep it dry for a couple of months? hard to say. but I'd cut it at the very base and inspect just in case theres some nastys making there way up to mr scion.

Edited November 21, 2015 by wert

[Maxofoz]

Thanks for the advice Wert.

So I cut the base and pup away.

The centre looks ok but the inner ring looks woody. This is my first experience with any type of cactus so I don't know if this is normal or not.

I'm hoping I just need to let it callous over and repot.

[wert]

hey man that looks fine. its hard to tell in the pic but if it was rotting it would have dark brown stains on some or all of the vascular ring.

don't worry man you will be suprized how hard the plant bounces back on a new set of legs "roots"

I cut and cullus then repot allot of plants they really enjoy a new lease of life in fresh soils.

just be sure to let him cullus up real good before you plant him again.

and keep the base cause it will eventually send out a pup and wella, you have another cacti for your collection.

have fun.

glad it wasn't rot mate.

[Maxofoz]

I'm totally relieved, thanks wert.

I was fearing the worst because of the condition of the pup.

Will now have to be patient but am looking forward to her bouncing back.