How to turn one plant into many plants | Propagate prickly pear with me!

Many cactus and succulents are very easy to propagate - it's another way these plants reproduce in the wild, by literally cloning themselves. I happened to have some prickly pear pads lying around the garden so I thought I would take the opportunity to show you how I propagate these plants. Is there a set recipe for propagation success? Not really. Rule-of-thumb? Perhaps. Let the wounds of the propagate dry and/or callous before planting. Once planted, wait patiently for the plant to root before watering. This is probably the hardest part. The risk of watering too soon is rot but rot is not necessarily the end of the world either, especially for Opuntia.
The key is to these thing is to experiment and try, fail, then try again and again and again until you start to relax and get a feel for how things go. At some point, casualties will still happen but it just won't be a big deal anymore. Have fun with it!
Connect with me on Instagram: / cookiescacti
DISCLAIMER: I am not an expert! Don't listen to me if what I say doesn't make sense. The only way to figure out what works for you and your climate is to try it (and have fun).

[@cookiescacti]

Hello my cactus friends! I've received multiple comments about how distracting the dog barking is. And I hear ya! Unfortunately, it's my neighbor's dog and I have absolutely no control over it. Our yards are separated by 6.5 feet tall cinder block fences so I don't even know what the dog looks like!

[@janetg3984]

Thank you for not screaming/yelling at the dog or throwing things over the fence. You're right it is annoying but when we have neighbors sometimes things can be noisy❤ everyone Shou choose to be pick their battles as well as you displayed here

[@cookiescacti]

​@@janetg3984 Thank you for understanding! It gets on my nerves too but there's really nothing much I can do about it. And really in the big picture it's not a big deal just a slight nuisance.

[@That0neMonkey]

A fellow cacti/succs addict here…I planted several pp pads about 6 months ago and they still have not rooted. Your video showed me I may not have covered them up enough. I thought the roots came from the callous! Glad I found your channel, really well done!

[@cookiescacti]

I'm so glad you found this video helpful! Now comes the moment of truth, let me know how it goes! I hope you get some pads to root!

[@That0neMonkey]

@@cookiescacti They did and one is already growing a baby! ❤

[@misfitmouse]

Thank you this was very informative and I loved seeing all the different types and ways they grow. I’m just starting and came across this video and just had to say thanks!!❤

[@cookiescacti]

I'm so glad you found this video useful! Happy growing! 💚

[@grasssnake3826]

Best video I've seen on the subject. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@cookiescacti]

Wow! Thank you so much for this! I still get surprised that folks find this helpful. When I first made the video I was like "I wonder who will watch this" 😂

[@BillLowenburg]

Thanks! While on vacation at the Jersey Shore I found a pad on the sidewalk in front of someone’s yard where they were growing. Wrapped it in a piece of newspaper and brought it home. I’m gonna let it sit on a shelf for a couple of weeks, then stick it in some soil and sand in a pot and NOT water it and see what happens. I like low maintenance plants and people. Thanks again, great video.

[@cookiescacti]

This is definitely one of the epitome of low maintenance plants. Can't wait to find out how the rooting goes!

[@effectivefocus]

I found my first pad the exact same way. Letting it sit now. Excited to see how I don’t kill it 😂

[@pappypeep8347]

Thank you so much for this video. I imagine MANY a cactus has been saved because of you posting this video. Much thanks!!!

[@cookiescacti]

You're so very welcome! This is so cool to know that folks are finding this information useful!

[@TheSuburbanGardenista]

Super helpful - thank you! Going to give this a try soon! 💚

[@cookiescacti]

You're very welcome! Happy growing! 💚

[@rickperez6342]

Very helpful. Your succulents are beautiful!!!!!!

[@cookiescacti]

I'm so glad you found this video helpful! And thank you so much! 💚

[@jwesenberg5443]

Wonderful video. I live on the west side of the Valley and have over the last few months planted my back lot in Agave, Aloa, Cactus and Yucca, almost entirely from pups and shoots, maybe 35 plants so far. Today I cut my first Prickly Pear pads and I am attempting to root those. Thanks for your tips.

[@cookiescacti]

Wow! Your back lot must look amazing! Good luck with the prickly pear propagation! I swear the secret is to forget about them and then surprise yourself one day with a bunch of new plants

[@BostonBitch333]

I’m in Florida and while at the laundromat this huge plant had so many pads laying around on the ground. I’m happy I found your page. Thank you

[@cookiescacti]

Ohhhh!! They are so fun to root! Even today I still find it miraculous when they grow roots and become a whole new plant. Such amazing, resilient plants!

[@brianfarkas8172]

Thanks for the helpful advise!

[@cookiescacti]

You're very welcome! Happy growing!

[@marjorieegert4085]

Thankful for this video.

[@cookiescacti]

I'm so glad you found this video useful! These pads are still sitting in those pots of soil. They're still hanging in there, no rot at least. Prickly pear really are amazing plants, ready to propagate always

[@Dr.RBZultrarunningnewbie]

Love this. Thank you, very helpful.

[@cookiescacti]

You're very welcome! Happy propagating and growing!

[@rogersambou8125]

Very nice simple to understand video, Thank you

[@cookiescacti]

I'm really glad you found this video to be helpful, Roger! Happy growing!

[@rhondastieler2970]

Found your video a few months ago… my cactus has flowered already! Can’t wait to see it grow. But based on the flower I would say it’s happy.

[@cookiescacti]

Wooohoooooooo! Flower=happy plant!

[@mrsjohnson1743]

Great video. Very helpful! Thank you.

[@cookiescacti]

I'm so glad you found this video helpful!

[@jieruio]

Very helpful! Thank you so much! 😊👍🏻🌵

[@cookiescacti]

You're very welcome! I'm so glad you found it to be helpful!

[@timward3116]

Big help! Thanks!

[@cookiescacti]

You're very welcome!

[@gypsyqueen411]

That looks like a beautiful starter

[@cookiescacti]

Prickly pear are such amazing plants - so resilient and intent on surviving!

[@rickperez6342]

Great video, thank you for all your knowledge and love of 🌵's. God bless you sister.

[@cookiescacti]

You're very welcome, Rick! I'm so glad you're able to find something helpful here.

[@davidkuo8779]

Nice, keep up the good work.

[@cookiescacti]

Thanks, Dad! I have more videos in mind - taking advantage of some time off of work!

[@groovybuddha667]

Thank you so much for the info you saved me from making a fatal mistake. I cut a pad off of a long spined purplish prickly pear cactus and I left in the perfect spot on the side of the house by accident. It got the perfect mix of sun and shade. And forgot about it for almost 2 weeks. Then I noticed a striking beautiful yellow flower dazzled with a lipstick red on the inside and it had two layers of this. So I put it in a pot with soil rocks and watered it. But I will forget about it again. However that flower is so marvelous! Thanks again

[@cookiescacti]

Wow, that is so cool! Isn't it amazing how resilient these plants are? I swear they want us to forget that they're there.

[@camillesmith504]

VERY HELPFUL!! 🤩🤠🥹thank you!!🌵🎍🦔🌞

[@cookiescacti]

I'm so glad! You're very welcome, happy growing!

[@bradleydanek3958]

This was very helpful. I have tortoises and other reptiles that love eating these. I want to start growing my own and you really helped with your information thank you.

[@cookiescacti]

Oh cool! They grow so quickly it would be a perfect snack source for your tortoises and reptiles!

[@newmanmansell760]

Oh, sure😌👌💞This video is useful

[@cookiescacti]

Ha! Thank you for clearing up my big question, Newman!

[@jimini1976]

New Sub, Love your tours of all the cacti nurseries in AZ. I'm in upstate NY, my collection is packed in my basement for winter. I have around 500 or more plants, most are big prickly pear and bunny ears that were propagated from fallen pads and cuttings. I grew a bunch from seed for the first time in 2019 and they are doing well. The rest came from big box stores. I haven't made it to the western part of the USA yet. Someday I hope to visit TX, NM and AZ. I'm trying to grow apple trees this winter indoors👍🙂

[@cookiescacti]

Wow, 500 plants indoors! That's incredible! Do you have an Instagram account by any chance? I would love to see how you setup your basement for your plants. Do you move them outdoors for the summer months? Thank you so much for taking the time to comment! I have you have a chance to visit the southwestern states, you would have an absolute blast!

[@jimini1976]

@@cookiescacti I don't have instagram or FB. I do move them outside towards the end of April until early November depending on weather. Takes me 3 days to move every thing in or out. I also have a bunch of lemon trees and succulents. I started with 2 plants in 2008🌵🎍🌵🎍🌵✌🙂

[@cookiescacti]

@@jimini1976 Woww! 3 days to move them all! I admire your dedication. I used to move all my cactus/succulents when storms came through or for the winter but my laziness kicked in big time so I just leave them where they are now. This is the first winter of leaving everything where they are. I hope that come spring I don't have too many casualties.

[@backdraft57]

Great video thank you

[@cookiescacti]

Thank you! You're very welcome!

[@ncgrof]

Thank you!

[@cookiescacti]

You're very welcome!

[@carrlozXemiliano]

Thank you for your knowledge. I am currently experimenting with a nopal I used as a mask and know potting soil this was helpful to know my instincts are well underway. Everything about this video was perfect! ❤

[@cookiescacti]

I'm so glad you found this video helpful! Propagation is so much fun

[@peterwatson8838]

Thank you. Your video was a great help to me. Keep up the great work! God blessing you.

[@christopherhurley223]

So I went to Texas and climbed a mountain and on the top of it straight out of a movie was a prickly pear cactus at the very very tip of the peak.. I grabbed a piece and climbed back down it's my only souvenir :p just planted it thanks for the video

[@cookiescacti]

Wow, that must have been beautiful!

[@luckyhobbit8894]

Stick the pads in dirt. Forget about them. Have big plant. Got it. Thank you!

[@cookiescacti]

Excellent summary 😊

[@denniewhittemore5651]

Thank you

[@cookiescacti]

Thank YOU for watching!

[@janetg3984]

Excellent video and explanation ❤ The summer of 2021 I found a tiny single piece of prickly pear growing in a corner of my yard. It was literally the size of my thumb nail. I had just rescued a puppy who digs up anything but the fence. Lol so I pulled it out of the ground and did exactly this process. I didn't use any soil at all. I only used the dirt in my yard. Today I just planted in the ground near my front door because it was getting way to big for a pot. I'm so shocked because I kill every plant I've tried. I love these because It's really hard to kill them and your water bill isn't sky high I'm in Tucson...

[@cookiescacti]

Wow, what a great story and I love reading that you were able to propagate your plant successfully! And how easy and inexpensive it was. Literally a pad and dirt. Love this!

[@sahajjeewanbydrlata]

❤❤❤ thanks dear

[@cookiescacti]

You're very welcome!

[@mrstigbittys]

I'm so glad I found your video! I've been wanting a prickly pear cactus of my own, being jealous of several neighbors who currently have lush plants and full of fruit! Your video is so informative, so now I'm going to ask a few of my neighbors for some fruit AND a paddle or two 😉 I had no idea they were so easy to grow, and I love that you have a recycled dirt bucket! I've been dumping mine in the yard 🤦🏻‍♀️ I'm in central NC in newly zoned 8a. Prickly pear grows surprisingly well here in its own. BTW... do you have a video on propagating aloe? I have the worst trouble growing them in pots and my last one is dying.

[@cookiescacti]

Woohooo! I'm so glad you found this video to be helpful! Soon you'll have a ton of plants of your own! I don't have a video on propagating aloe but the concept is very similar. Pull some pups off, let it try out a bit if it has any open wounds. Then stick it into some dry soil and patiently wait - mist from time to time if it's hot and dry. It can take some time. The trickiest part I've experienced is that after they root, to be careful with the watering. I have rotted newly rooted aloe so many times! Same procedure for Agave too... but Agave seem to be the least rot prone of the prickly pear and aloe for me so far.

[@gypsyqueen411]

I'm going to go cut some and try this. Thanks!

[@cookiescacti]

Yeah! You'll end up with a ton of plants!

[@marycardenas8186]

You for help thanks

[@cookiescacti]

You're very welcome! Happy growing, Mary!

[@kevinanthony3888]

They will even root out in mid air after being detached for quite a long time and yes, they will also root from the calloused end. If you put the pad on its edge in the pot, it will also root and give more pads that way. I've just taken two large pads out of a box that was closed for over a month and they'd begun to root in the complete dry and dark.

[@cookiescacti]

Aren't they just the most resilient plants? I love them so much for their ability to survive.

[@andersnrregren9087]

Nice video thanks for sharing, i got my large opuntia ficus indica as a single pad. here in denmark we pay about 10$ for a single pad and if you are lucky it is rooted in a pot.

[@cookiescacti]

Ohhh love ficus indica, I've seen many of them growing like trees around town. Incredible plant!

[@imarielmermaid]

im in New Jersey and i just found out we have native cactus (prickly pear). lived here my whole life and never knew that. i just found one in the wild and colelcted pods (of course i'm naive and grabbed it with my hands n the spikes got EVERYWHERE. pretty sure my jacket is ruined that i put them in the pocket of lol. but thank you for this video. i will get gritty soil and hopefully propagate the pads i got!

[@cookiescacti]

Omg my skin reacted reading about the glochids! Ahhhh! I feel like we all go through some sort of glochid experience at some point. I remember I was carefully moving a pot and my thumb touched a pad, thumb knuckle immediately embedded with tons of glochids 🙄 On another note, how cool is it that prickly pear show up practically everywhere??

[@imarielmermaid]

@@cookiescacti lol yes omg that sounds horrible 😅 when my pads are ready to plant, i'm going to use your paper method or some tongs. but super cool! would never think cactus could even grow in NJ. it was by the beach so the grainy soil makes sense! but who'd think right across from NYC is cacti growing lol so wild.

[@jcb1066]

There are Opuntia native to every one of the lower 48 states, but they are usually not common. Illinois, where I live, has three native opuntia species.

[@sarahzuber8219]

Ahh! I have been watering my two prickly pear pads (props). I’ll stop and hopefully I don’t see rot. OMFG those red glochids are killer! Those “hairs” get everywhere. Right now in Phx, Az the temp is 116-120 F so I have my props in the shade with a little morning sunlight. I also have a Snow Prickly Pear cactus that I’ve grown from individual pads. They grew SO FAST. They are recovering from a bad cochineal scale infestation. I am learning so much about cacti just by having them on my patio.

[@cookiescacti]

Light watering might not be too bad, but definitely safer to err on the side of caution and try to make sure they've rooted before watering. If they've completely calloused off, maybe they won't rot. Who knows.... all a matter of trial and error. I've also heard that spritzing the cactus skin with water can help them root but I have no proof LOL. It's been a hot summer so far! We're all waiting for those monsoons to come in! Stay cool!

[@mreverybody1150]

Red glochids sounds like Bunny Ears version of Prickly Pear or Rufida prickly Pear. I never keep any of those because the glochids can even blow in the wind. They can seriously damage eyes / eyesight too.

[@wiimshii]

Opuntia the best genus!

[@cookiescacti]

One of the most resilient and beautiful genus of plants for sure! They're the one cactus that you can find just about everywhere, which is absolutely incredible.

[@kaycee2745]

This was very helpful. thank you! I put cuttings in a pot. They've been there for 2 mos. watered a couple times when it is dry. I want to plant on the ground this fall. Is that a good idea? I'm in arizona.

[@cookiescacti]

I'm so glad you found this video helpful! Planting in-ground in the fall is perfect. It'll give it time to acclimate to the sun by the time the next growing season comes around. Just keep an eye on it when you first put it in the ground for sun stress/burn and have some shade cloth ready just in case and some help with frost. Otherwise, these prickly pear are pretty darn hardy.

[@Les0613]

Great information, thanks. I have a prickly pear that needs trimming and offered the neighbors the pads. This will very helpful. Do you fertilize prickly pears? Also, how long before they bear fruit? My plant is three years old and about 5 feet tall and gets full sun.

[@cookiescacti]

I don't fertilize because they grow like weeds here! They don't seem to need much.... but I'm not sure about fruit. I've had two plants in the ground for probably three years, and I finally got a few flowers last year but none bore fruit.

[@lupitasandoval7505]

Very good tips to propagate our opuntia , are you planning to go nursery shopping soon ? 😅😊

[@cookiescacti]

I do have some plans in mind for more nursery shopping! I'm on winter break now and may be able to find some time to make more shopping videos. The only issue is that the nurseries I want to record are all in Tuscon, which is a bit of a drive from Chandler. I'll try to get at least one in!

[@101michelleJR]

I may have missed it, but can you root half a prickly pear or do you have to get them down to the bottom "knob?"

[@cookiescacti]

You can root partial prickly pear pads. You just need some areoles for roots to grow from

[@ZE308AC]

Yucca plants also do the same like cactus and agave just stick into in the dirt and it will grow

[@cookiescacti]

Very interesting! I'm actually visiting New Mexico right now and I see yucca everywhere!

[@ZE308AC]

@@cookiescacti good with growing yucca

[@carrlozXemiliano]

Do you know how deep pots should be? For a nopal that’s maybe 20 inch being planted flat

[@cookiescacti]

I haven't thought so much on pot depth. I usually pick a pot that fits the size of the pad but I imagine you can probably pot it in almost any size pot when you're trying to get it to root.

[@drachirnegeer4857]

Hello, great garden! Can you tell me what that turquoise colored cactus is called? Its viewable between the 9 and 10 minute mark. Thank you!

[@cookiescacti]

The columnar one? If so, I think it's Pilosocereus pachycladus

[@drachirnegeer4857]

@@cookiescacti thank you so much, and again, what an amazing set up you have built. Congrats!

[@cookiescacti]

@@drachirnegeer4857 you're very welcome! Happy growing!

[@robertosalazarjr1205]

How long after planting a leaf can I expect to the leafs or do I not eat them at the beginning but for how long don't eat

[@cookiescacti]

I'm not quite sure what you're asking here but if you're asking about how long it takes for a new pad to emerge, sometimes it takes a while. I don't have a good answer as I haven't paid attention. But eventually the new pads do show up!

[@TwilightVaramek]

i assume eventually thease will flower and produce fruit or are there verairtys or prickly poear that dont fruit

[@cookiescacti]

Yes, the big pads in this video will eventually flower and produce fruit. I know because one of the mother plants flowered this year. I'd imagine that all prickly pear flower, but that's an uneducated guess without doing any research, I could be completely wrong.

[@donnamccall8063]

Hi do you leave them in the shade all that time? I’m in Missouri and it’s early summer now.

[@cookiescacti]

I did for these just because I kind of forgot about them under the pergola. If it wasn't summer, I'd put them outside to start acclimating them to the sun. Now I'd wait until later in the season before doing so since the sun is so strong in the summer here in Arizona. Perhaps Missouri would be okay now, but it all depends on how strong the sun is there.

[@donnamccall8063]

I am trying to propagate, and not sure if shade, indoor or outdoor etc

[@cookiescacti]

I've heard that it's better to give them some protection when they're in the process of growing roots, it'll slow down the drying out process too. I'd say some protection at the least during the hottest part of the day. Then once it has rooted you can gradually acclimate it to the sun.

[@donnamccall8063]

@@cookiescacti thank you!

[@cookiescacti]

You're very welcome! Happy growing!

[@mreverybody1150]

Someone told me that when the pad has no roots, it will take in water through the pores. I watered mine once after putting a pad into cactus soil and it grew a new pup within a month. The moist soil triggers it to do this apparently.

[@cookiescacti]

I've heard something very similar as well, that spraying the cactus skin with some water helps prevent it from drying out and it encourages root production. What amazing plants!

[@andersnrregren9087]

Why falling of so easy is it to much water or to little to hot or to cold or is it just a normal opuntia thing?

[@sarahzuber8219]

I think it’s how they naturally propagate.

[@cookiescacti]

I agree - it's a normal opuntia thing, one way easy way they propagate. Every time I transport a multi-plant in the car it's almost guaranteed that I'll find a pad lying in the car somewhere lol.

[@samcompton3994]

Hey, great video as usual, have been following your channel among others regarding Cacti for a while now and just wanted to say, great work and keep it up :-) don't want to startle you BUT your address is very clear and visible from this video, it may be a good idea to blur a certain portion of the screen when you're using your post to pick up the pad :-) Regards Sam :-)

[@cookiescacti]

Oh shoot thank you so much for the note about my address being visible! Ahhhh! I had no idea! I'm going to take this video down and re-upload with proper edits. Thank you for the positive words!!

[@cookiescacti]

Hi Sam - I wanted to thank you again for catching the very important missed detail! I will avoid using mailers in the future - I found that KZbin studio has some blurring features that I added to the video to blur out those details. I really appreciate your comment!

[@Agustin-jo8mv]

Thanks. I think I rotten mine. lol. The soil was wet. Gonna try again now haha

[@cookiescacti]

I've rotted so many! I can't even count the number that failed. But just try again and again and again...

[@Agustin-jo8mv]

@@cookiescacti haha. Luckily I can buy them at my local Mexican store. 😊 haha. They're like $.60 each, for a big pad.

[@Agustin-jo8mv]

I planted 2 pedals last week and 1 is still alive! The other one rotted. lol. WIN!@@cookiescacti

[@corneliuswalrus]

I can attest that they can live for a ridiculous amount-of time before potting up

[@cookiescacti]

💯💯💯 incredible plants!

[@mhxprs]

How do you transfer later thank you

[@cookiescacti]

I treat it like any other cactus when repotting. Pull the plant with root ball out of the pot. Pat the root ball to loosen it up a bit, and replant.

[@annamariasacco2688]

Can I just plant into the ground?

[@cookiescacti]

Yes, absolutely! It'll be just like how nature does it, well almost, nature lays the pad on the ground. Either way!

[@mreverybody1150]

'These pads can sit like this for a really long time' 2 years apparently ha.

[@cookiescacti]

LOL!! For real! I bet if it's cool and not horrendously dry they can probably sit for years like this. Amazing plant!

[@tdpiersonavoca]

Cool helpful video. (Except fort that stupid barking dog)

[@cookiescacti]

I'm so glad you found the video to be helpful! Yeah, unfortunately the neighbor's dog is unavoidable. It barks at me anytime I do stuff in my yard 😪

[@ZE308AC]

Glockest are the worse 💯😢

[@cookiescacti]

The WORST! When I accidentally brush against a prickly pear pad I know my day is ruined 😭😂

[@ZE308AC]

@@cookiescacti most definitely

[@mreverybody1150]

@@cookiescacti That's why Ive got mostly spineless one. They grow spines that fall off, or don't grow any at all. The glochids I notice on some don't hurt at all too. I purchased what looked like a small pad from Etsy but when it arrived it was the size of two peoples hands and grew 5 pads from itself that were almost as big. I use Copper rings to protect them from slugs.

[@ruthhoward9169]

This was a very helpful video and I thank you for it. But I do have suggestion. It really bothered me to hear that you "lie" the cactus on the ground, instead of "lay" it on the ground. People lie down, but something inanimate is "laid" down by you. You speak very clearly and eloquently, so I don't know whether English is your second language. I have a second language and sometimes I make mistakes, so I don't want to be critical. But it just glared out at me! Have a great day!

[@cookiescacti]

I appreciate the feedback! Now I'll never forget it (but I might, I don't trust myself). Someone else pointed out that I spelled Tucson wrong in another video (I spelled it Tuscon!! Ahhhhh!!) and I was so embarrassed! English is mostly my first language but I still get confused on when to use "who" vs "whom" and many other grammar things.

[@robertblankenship1856]

Dog barking makes it very hard to follow what you are saying. I gave up.

[@cookiescacti]

I hear ya. The dog barking is completely out of my control, unfortunately. It's the neighbor's dog and the yards are separated by 6.5 feet tall cinder block fences. Thanks for giving it a try anyway.

[@robertblankenship1856]

@@cookiescacti I love dogs, and most animals in general-but uncontrolled barking is a hangin' offense... For the owners, not the dog: it just means the dog needs more attention and some other outlet for it's energy! Thanks for the reply. 🐶

[@cookiescacti]

@@robertblankenship1856 understood, it's just completely out of my control when it comes to recording videos in my backyard. They always bark at me when I'm moving around in the yard - I think their barking shows up in the majority, of not all, of the videos recorded in my yard. Trust me, it annoys me too 😪

[@lesliewysong1357]

Try putting on the close captioning should be able to do that , it helps me

[@laurenprascak2313]

Your video is super educational but the dog in the background, barking is so annoying. Go feed that dog or give it some attention or something.

[@cookiescacti]

Thank you for the feedback! That's not my dog, it's some neighbor's dog. And our yards are fenced so I can't access it.

[@armandolara7838]

If an airplane flies by its still your fault 😂 jk

[@WestTexasSmallTown]

I bet you feel pretty stupid now huh?

[@BigsexyChickenthighs]

Thank you for the info ❤