inducing puping?

[smogs]

is it possible to do anything to encourage a cacti to pup? i have san pedro stump that doesnt seem to be doing much... although it has just entered dormant period

[Flip]

Since it's a stump it will eventually have too...

You should mention if it's a new, unrooted cutting,

a established cutting or a base plant that has been tramatized.

Just saying "stump" doesn't quite "cut it"

If it's a cutting,

it's first priority is to establish it's support system (aka roots)

having done that comfortably, it will build up some reserves and then start new growth -in that order.

give it some time, unrooted cuttings usually

won't do much above ground their first year

Light, Marmth, Food and Water are the best things.

[smogs]

yes i should have

its a cutting that has been established for a few months and i cut the top off to give to someone else.

[Absinthe]

It'll eventually pup. I discovered a neat trick to increase the amount of pups.....

When you take a cutting off the top, the most likely point of pupping is the closest areole to the cut part. Therefore, If possible, cut in such a place or angle that will increase the amount of closest-to-top areoles and you should get more pups. It's really obvious with fast growers such as the Trichs. This is only really useful for cacti with relatively few ribs that you want to increase your collection size of.

Jon

[ramon]

When cutting your cacti they should be cut off at a angle anyway so that any rain in future will run off and not cause rotting

[mescalito]

An unrooted cutting laid on a shelf in low light will pup without the need for roots too

[psylogic]

Mine usually take a little while before they pup eg at least a month or two after cutting them. I have just got two new pups they in the last month which it right in the cusp of there dormant period (which i believe it between mother day and fathers day).

Patients is the best bet

[Rev]

if you have a columnar cactus you want to pup mutilate the growing tip

a heated knife can be used to kill it

makes them start pupping elsewhere

kind of drastic i know but good for the ones that dont root well except as pups - unlike pedro where you can easily regenerate from 'chunks'

[Ed Dunkel]

Or just drive a nail down the tip, nice and round.

[smogs]

does copper kill cacti too like most plants?

ie a copper nail driven into stem

[Guest electro]

it will pup.. just slowly coz its cold now ...

[SirLSD]

also if it is potted, transplanting into a larger pot has always promoted pupping in my limited experience.