Re-potting/splitting golden barrel cacti

[lhb2444]

Hey hey,

I need to repot a golden barrel cactus I've bought that has 2 heads and I'm hoping to split them into 2 and am wondering whats the best way to go about doing this?

Should i carefully try to slice through the divide between them or gently try to pry them apart?

[Evil Genius]

Its a hell of a job but somebodys gotta do it.

Well i´d do the latter. This way, you might rip some roots off but they´ll regrow if the plant is healthy and its way less intrusive than cutting blindly in the rootstock. The spines would probably fuck up the cut anyway. bye Eg

[lhb2444]

Sounds good, now the question is how do I gently hold this spiny little sucker whilst prying apart? haha, me thinks some thick gloves might be the go!

[Evil Genius]

How about some nice barbecuing Equipment?

http://www.edelstahl-in-bestform.de/bilder_gross_con/b0211_grillzange.jpg

But they are also sold by cactus growers. I have one and i couldnt touch some of my cacti without it. Truly a great investion.

Edited August 20, 2011 by Evil Genius

[Hellonasty]

Personally I would leave it as a double header and put it in a bigger pot.

[zelly]

If they are two individual plants with separate root systems I'd repot them, but if its 2 heads on one root system I'd most definitely leave them as they are.

As EG suggests, I use large BBQ tongs to handle all my spiny friends.

[mutant]

good advice and nice suggestion on the handling tool!

[lhb2444]

Yeah its 2 on the one root system not 2 seperate cacti in the same pot and I've just noticed a 3rd little pup emerging so I think I'll just leave them together and repot them into a larger pot.

I've actually got some BBQ tongs like that hanging around in the kitchen so thanks for the advice!

[Moses]

somehow i don't think them tongs would work splitting my golden ball

but they are great for cacti i would be stuffed without them, and you can get them in diff sizes too.

[mutant]

lol, yeah doesnt seem like they would help!!!