Rooting cuttings in All sand/perlite

[Derkshaman]

I have a clone of some bridgessoid that I've been growing for years, one that has a seemingly nonexistent immune system. Every year it seems that I loose a plant and am forced to make cuttings, which I even dust with sulfur. After a couple months of scabbing, I attempt to plant the cuttings as I do with all my other clones, with a careful mixture of 1-1-1 soil-perlite-sand. Even with this, I find that the cuttings will rot and die if any rain happens to fall, or sometimes even if it's too humid! Even out of the rain, I will run into weeping black tips (let alone bottoms) on healing cuttings! None of my other clones are so finicky and have so many cases of rot even with ideal care.

My success rate rooting this clone hasn't even been 50%...

So I'm aware that I need to try something new. Can I leave these cuttings just sitting around for half a year, and expect them to throw roots? Should I leave them in an all perlite, or all sand mixture? If so, does sand work as well as perlite would? I wasn't aware that cacti would shoot roots out into nutrient-less substrates. And should they have any light during this time? I assume they should stay exclusively in the shade until rooted.

[Change]

I like to leave my freshly sliced cutting in the sun for a day or 2 to help them scab up and so the UV from the sun can sterilize the wound.

Im not sure if that will help or not, but it definitely speeds up the callousing time.

[Derkshaman]

I like to leave my freshly sliced cutting in the sun for a day or 2 to help them scab up and so the UV from the sun can sterilize the wound.

Im not sure if that will help or not, but it definitely speeds up the callousing time.

I appreciate the tip. I'll incorporate this technique from now on.

[zelly]

when you say 1-1-1 soil perlite sand, what kind of soil are you referring to? would this be the soil you dug up in your yard or some store bought stuff?

here's what i would do....get a bag of EB Stone's cactus mix http://www.ebstone.org/products/eb-stone-organics, then run it thru a 3/8" mesh screed to screed out the larger chunks of forest product....(mix in 1/3 sand at this point if you wish) then I'd put the calloused cuts in BONE DRY soil and place the pot in morning sun, afternoon shade, & under some type of cover such as a uv resistant corrugated green house panel.

I would probably also be having a mental / verbal conversation with the cutting along the lines of if it wanted to rot, well I'd be perfectly happy to chop it up in little pieces & bury it in the garden where it could rot to its heart content.

do not plant in pure sand & perlite (imho) is a piss poor substitute for pumice. depending on the manufacturer, perlite can be true volcanic ash or it can be nothing more than 'expanded foam'. Most of the perlite sold in the US is the expanded foam crap & used extensively in all kinds of commercial mixes.

Once you see new growth at the tip, then you could start watering, bottom watering would work well

If you take the time and make an effort to communicate your concerns with the plant, it may surprise the hell out of you......

[Strontium Dawg]

I love zelly's mentoring program for young cacti:

Pep talks.

Motivational videos.

Interventions for wayward cuts.

Threats of violence if all else fails.

Tough love.

[mysubtleascention]

I tried a variation of the sock method last winter..

After the cutting is calloused,a wrapping of cotton cloth where the roots are going to be,and a rubber band to hold it ..

Worked for all the cuttings in the try-out.

I usually make my cuttings at the end of growing season and put them in room temp during winter to set roots.

Sometimes a laptop computer ventilator may be quite helpful to speed up the drying of a cut surface, or to heal initial mold formations

[Derkshaman]

Perlite is pretty lame, the bags are often half dust!

I'd like to buy pumus but it's so so readily available where I live, and it's very expensive!

But I guess since it's reusable cost is well worth it.

I think I ought to use more of this, versus sand.

Normally the soil is a mixture of compost, coco coir, or screened potting soil. I don't have any compost left this year, and had a bag of Fox farms soil that ive been using lately, and it doesn't need much screening like the majority do.

I like your advice Zelly, I'll be sure to put a better effort into communicating with my plants.

[NoEyeballs]

The 20l bags of perlite are alright, I root my calloused cuttings inside near my grow box in a pot in about 3-1-1 perlite, prop sand and seed raising soil. Fastest rooting I've experience with this was 21 days, was also halfway through winter

[Derkshaman]

Is there a way to link photos directly from my flickr? And to avoid the 2mb limit?

Anyways, here's the mother plant I was talking about... seems to be pulling through in the end, putting out offsets now.

I got around 15 more feet of cuttings now to plant! They are scattered about, but here's most of them.

[zelly]

I'd like to buy pumus but it's so so readily available where I live, and it's very expensive!

go to ebay & search for pumice.....its mined in south/central Ca & available at a local Farm Supply store, 50 lb bag for less than $10.

http://www.globalpumice.com/

[Maxuel Powers III]

I have a strain of Brigesii that will just rot out from the humidity in the air. You can cut it dry out the cut, and sulpher it, and 2 weeks and its dark brown mush. I'm 9b. We've found this perticular bridgesii just can't grow in 9+ I've got dozens of lil pups from trying to save it. Also Growing in the tropics I've found a mix of 60-70% pearlite, and 40-30% soil which I use 50% Cactus Soil, 20% sand, and 30% potting soil. This tends I've only had like 4-5 plants rot out and they were obviously genetically predisposed to it. I just got thru 52 days of straight rain and didn't cover a single cacti and only that 1 strain rotted out, out of about 200.

Which brings me to a question I needed to ask zelly, wanted to get pics but you can probably just answer this. In some of my trays of smaller yearlings when they get too dry the roots die out and the top gets burnt like and coarked. It usually just breaks thru new green and new roots form. But I'm also having the corking problem when my yearlings seem to get over watered. I've noticed it on a huge A. Valdezii. Its still on pere but the sides and pups are corking and the others are fine. I also noticed it on my Trich seedlings that got over wet. Is this a normal symtom of yearlings getting overwatered or is it somethig else I need to look for?

Also about pumice availablilty. Here where I live you can call all the pavers and nurseries that exist and they have no idea what pumice is here. One time I even asked one of them where the pearlite was and they said it was on the fert ban list and wouldn't be back in stock for 3 months.

Edited September 22, 2015 by maxpower097

[Evil Genius]

Pumice is a great allround medium. Personally, I only root in pure sand or birdsand because it has additives like calcium and anise, what helps to avoid infections. All of the mentioned methods of rooting are better than using standard soil, which is really a terrible way to root and I am sure that your plants will reward you with plenty of healthy growth (and roots) if you sit them into a mineral medium.

[Derkshaman]

Pumice isn't available anywhere (obvious) where I live either. I've made a lot of calls and asked around. I would never consider spending $17 just for a flat rate box of it. After some time though, I finally pinpointed a sand & gravel company, 40 minutes from my casa, that sells pumice by the square yard... I'm hoping to negotiate a smaller purchase! Lately, the bags of perlite I buy are DUST... what a waste, so I have no other choice but to switch.

Really looking forward to being able to water without floating perlite ;D.

Power, the cactus you describe sounds just like mine! It is literally the only cactus I have ever had rot, and it does this quite often... it's impossible to grow a flawless piece for very long, because they are so quick to bubble up black and then scab up! Just wondering, what state do you live in?

Madgenius, I appreciate your feedback! Zelly had talked me away from rooting into minerals... I like to hear everybody's way of doing things. I have since potted up several cuttings in my typical 50% perlite mix, but instead used small 4-inch terricota pots to stay even drier. I have the several cuttings remaining, which I will try rooting in sand or etc like you encourage. So you do recommend some plain, non-compacting sand?

[Kykeion]

You are not watering your cuttings before they have roots are you?

[Derkshaman]

You are not watering your cuttings before they have roots are you?

Definitely not! It's not my first rodeo

As I was saying, amazingly enough, this clone has even rotted just sitting in air, and I live in Arizona.

If it wasn't so attractive at times, I would have given up on it long ago. It has no immune system. On top of that, it really procrastinates on rooting.

Speaking of slow rooting... I have a hybrid trichocereus cutting that won't root; I've never really had this happen before. I got cut a 60cm piece in half- a tip, and the midsection from right below it... The tip rooted and established itself very quickly, and in fact, this led me to assumed the mid cut was as well, being in the same conditions, dry soil for over a month in 100-110 degree weather, and began watering it regularly. Eventually, it was getting really slim and still hadn't made an offset, so I dug it up expecting to find a grub of some sorts. Instead I found a cutting still without roots, after 5 months!

This piece has no rot or anything; the callous was well developed and even months of watering without roots didn't hurt it. So since then, I have repotted it, put it in a place with just some morning sun, keeping it dry most of the time and splash it with water every once in a while... it's now been another month, a total of 6 months since planting.... no roots!

I assume patience will eventually sort this out! It's still a little odd to me though, and I'm open to any suggestions.

Edited September 24, 2015 by Derkshaman

[Kykeion]

I have since potted up several cuttings in my typical 50% perlite mix, but instead used small 4-inch terricota pots to stay even drier. I have the several cuttings remaining, which I will try rooting in sand or etc like you encourage. So you do recommend some plain, non-compacting sand?

Lol, not accusing you of being noobish, just read this part and thought hmmm... that would explain the trouble. I'd guess poor genes then, or Ariz is just too hot.

I feel your pumice pain. I used to be able to find decent sized bags of both pumice and cactus soil locally and at a reasonable price, but now no one carries them anymore (big and cheap). Last I looked a 4qt bag of pumice was like $15. I did find someplace selling pumice on line for $10 for ~50 lbs, but shipping is another $26. Not incredibly unreasonable, but it feels weird when shipping costs 3x and much as the product.

There is also the fact that every retailer online lists the amounts they sell in different units of volume or weight so it is incredibly difficult to figure out where the best deal is.

Edited September 24, 2015 by Kykeion

[Maxuel Powers III]

Power, the cactus you describe sounds just like mine! It is literally the only cactus I have ever had rot, and it does this quite often... it's impossible to grow a flawless piece for very long, because they are so quick to bubble up black and then scab up! Just wondering, what state do you live in?

The deep deep south.

Edited September 25, 2015 by maxpower097

[Yeti101]

Finally (after a week of looking) found the old post I was looking for - http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=23144&p=240011 I've used the method chiral describes - never had it fail yet.

[Maxuel Powers III]

Speaking of slow rooting... I have a hybrid trichocereus cutting that won't root; I've never really had this happen before. I got cut a 60cm piece in half- a tip, and the midsection from right below it... The tip rooted and established itself very quickly, and in fact, this led me to assumed the mid cut was as well, being in the same conditions, dry soil for over a month in 100-110 degree weather, and began watering it regularly. Eventually, it was getting really slim and still hadn't made an offset, so I dug it up expecting to find a grub of some sorts. Instead I found a cutting still without roots, after 5 months!

Big totems sometimes do this cause they have no grow tip to burn up energy, and the totem is so large is takes months for it to dehydrate enough to tell it to pop roots. So you tip can root in 3-4 weeks, and I've seen the same totem take 8 months to root. Then I've had them take 5-6 months to root the totem, then another 6-7 months to actally sprout a pup. Dehydration I've found is one of the biggest factors in getting it to drop roots. When I get super dehydrated cuts from overseas my record rooting time is 4 days.

[Derkshaman]

That makes perfect sense. I've noticed the same thing!

I'm more concerned though now. This one has already dehydrated pretty bad. It's wrinkled and the ribs are sharp! Surely it should feel the need to get rooted.

I give it water sometimes because it's at no risk for rot (after having made it through months of regular watering when I assumed it had roots). Perhaps I should force it dry for even longer.

[Conv3rgence]

Have you tried IBA or other hormones?

[Derkshaman]

I have before. I'm not convinced it's useful for trichocereus. I mainly have used it because of the added fungicide... but I rarely use it. Do you recommend to?

The piece that I'm struggling so much to root has is already real skinny and has a thick callous. I don't think it has any application for that plant at least.

[Derkshaman]

Update guys... on the piece I was struggling to root.

So, for some reason the thorns were all bent to point downwards... so I actually confused the top for the bottom! And I always thought this was a mistake I could never make.

Basically I took it back out of the soil to check for roots... and there was a small white pup trying to grow underground! I took a closer look and noticed the v- notches were upside-down. Something tells me the piece will be rooted pretty quickly, now that it's right-side-up. How embarrassing

[Maxuel Powers III]

LOL at least you admitted it.

[highdesertcacti]

i did that with a bridgesii once,,, how bad is that?