How to Propagate Peruvian Apple Cactus From Cuttings

Easy step by steps on how to propagate new plants by cuttings. New roots should start 6 to 8 weeks
Peruvian Apple Cactus is a beautify cactus and has edible fruits. The fruits taste similar to dragon fruits.

[@venus8597]

super helpful tutorial thanks!

[@mayarada2059]

Thanks a lot for this video and it help and give me idea of how to repotting my very tall cactus .

[@TheGroundBeef]

perfect!! I love these cactuses! a limb broke off mine the other day, so im going to re-plant it!

[@sxn10]

Good move!! Plant them all. Adult ones look magnificent

[@juliesabuero9851]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge

[@sxn10]

You’re welcome!!!

[@MiscellaneousMichelle]

Awesome video

[@sxn10]

Thank you Michelle

[@TrenT83]

бро, спасибо за видео)

[@deniceouellette7216]

I had mine for 4 years & just came home to it rotted out & broke in half. I managed to save a baby & the top portion that wasn't rotted yet byt they are pretty light greenish yellow in color. I sure hope they survive.

[@ArwaShahin]

Your cacti are beautiful and in such a healthy shape. It's amazing. You seem to know a lot about their care. Maybe you can help me to save mine. I have one of these beauties myself (a potted one) and I noticed today that it is starting to shrimp. It getting worse with time. On a lot of websites they mention thag it means that I have over watered it. Just two weeks ago I gave it a pretty good amount of water after a month and a half of nothing, because the temperature here is starting to get higher in april. Might that be the cause? Was it maybe too much what I gave? I checked the soil just today though and it is completely dry. I want to know what the best thing is that I can do now, because I don't want her to die on me. They also say that the blades should be spongy before you water, but what if they are not... For now I gave her just a tiny bit water (150ml) because the soil was completely dry. I hope you can help me save her!

[@sxn10]

Hello Arwa, I am more than happy to help but it’s hard to diagnose the problem without seeing the plant. Is it possible to upload a video to your KZbin account for viewing? This way I can see the plant. How long do you have the plant? Has it went through a winter before? What kind of soil? How quickly does the water drain when you water the plant? Cacti are mostly made up of water so they need very little to none water. Only water during high temperatures season such as during summer. When I water them, I spray like mist. Let me know once you uploaded the video and provide as much details as possible

[@catherinegewertz8230]

Thank you, Steve! Can I use these same instructions to plant my cuttings directly into the soil of my yard (rather than into pots)? And: any tips on how to shear off the sharp spines so I can work safely with them?

[@sxn10]

Great questions, Catherine. Wear leather gloves instead to prevent the sharp thorns from poking you. Three concerns with planting fresh cuts directly into the ground. First, fresh cuts are prone to diseases such as mildew and rotten so we need to dry up the cut first. Secondly, fresh cuts are in shock and unable to withstand the heat. Remember it’s cactus so it’s body composition is made up of mostly liquid. Thus, fresh cut can dry up easily under direct sunlight. Last concern is that the water won’t drain well when plant directly into ground and this can cause it to rotten easily. Typically it takes 1+ months to grow new roots so keep them in the shade for a couple months to get the roots going

[@catherinegewertz8230]

Thank you!

[@jymkym11]

I live where we get quite a bit of rain, can I keep my planted cutting indoors while waiting for it to get rooted.

[@sxn10]

I would keep them out along the house wall to minimize the rain drops on them. The eve should prevent the rain drops directly on them. Use cactus premixed soil sold at Home Depot or other local stores. It’s specifically mixed for cactus so it can drain quickly.

[@sxn10]

Btw, in general, indoor air is not good for outdoor plants. Indoor air is too dry.

[@commercialelectrician133]

Great video I was thinking about getting some but I see the one you have have no spines and I see others that do have spines was looking for some on eBay

[@sxn10]

Those look similar but have thorns are maybe San Pedro cacti 🌵

[@commercialelectrician133]

Send some my way

[@sxn10]

@@commercialelectrician133 what’s your zip code? Check Craigslist for it

[@commercialelectrician133]

Texas 78596

[@sxn10]

@@commercialelectrician133 sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/grd/d/san-jose-peruvian-apple-cactus-15-and-20/7287919015.html

[@MKpixelfan]

When do you actually water the soil after you set them up? I had mine dry for 2 weeks to callous over, all was good, planted it into dry soil but after 2 weeks I figured they need some water....then another 2 weeks and we moved from CA to WA. What I'm starting to see is that it's starting to turn yellow a bit and the blades are softer than normal? We keep it mostly in the morning to mid day sun, usually half way is sunny and half is in bright light. So we will pull it up to see what's going on on the bottom but I'm afraid since it's 4-6 inches in deep soil (we have a 12x10 inch pot it sits in), maybe we need to keep it above the soil only? like you set that up? If you have any tips let us know. We are going to chop it if there are no roots and it's rotting and redo, have over 5 ft but we used cinnamon originally to help it callous without infection and the soil is mixed specially for it, still it's not happy.

[@sxn10]

Hi, you didn’t mention the soil you used so let me add some details on it. it’s important to use soil specifically mix for cactus. You can mix the dirt yourself or buy premixed cactus soil from Home Depot or other stores. Cactus lives in desert so the soil mix consists of mostly tiny pebbles or rocks and super high drainage. I normally waited a couple weeks before first watering but in your case, since you already waited 2 weeks for callous to build up before planting, I think it’s safe to water right away after planted. The best cutting length is one foot long. Longer is not better as longer cuttings need more energy to keep the cuttings alive. Remember the cuttings need a couple months or more to grow new roots. I highly recommend to keep them in shade for first two months or longer so they can grow new roots. They are new so they take a beating under the sun As for planting, I only plant them 2 to 3 inches deep. Make sure the soil are firmed to hold the cuttings in place Hope it helps

[@sxn10]

Also, the yellow is a sign of needing water. In this situation, give it regular water to keep soil moisture for a few weeks. After a few days of watering, the cactus should start to change color to light green.

[@MKpixelfan]

@@sxn10 We pulled it up and there's a single root coming out of the large one, sign of relief, I just don't know still how moist vs damp vs wet the cactus soil should be? thank you!

[@sxn10]

@@MKpixelfan my soil is specifically mixed for cactus so it drains quickly. I water it 2 to 3 times per week until they are green and then cut the watering to mist only here and there. To give you an idea of how much water, I used about 2 to 3 cups of water for a one gallon pot. Again, I only do this when the cactus is yellowish and stop once it turns green.

[@DesertDog2]

Hi, great video! I have a large Peruvian that lost a large arm. Do I need to cut off the bottom where it separated from the main cactus and let it dry, or can I plant that arm into the soil since it’s already dry. Thank you!

[@djrichardcrest2001]

Do you think it would be ok to plant them directly in the ground after the bottom dry out? Will it grow ok like that or do you recommend putting in pot to root first, then plant in ground?

[@sxn10]

Great question. They are needed to keep in shade for first couple months waiting for new roots. If planting directly into the ground, they might dry out due to the heat.

[@djrichardcrest2001]

@sxn10 thx. Do they still grow in the winter or do they go dormant during cold season?

[@sxn10]

@@djrichardcrest2001 they go into dormant during winter

[@kk-tm9qo]

Hey, when is the best time of year to propagate/cut this type of cactus? thanks

[@sxn10]

Hi KK, assuming your local weather is similar to Califirnia, I recommend to avoid cool to cold weather and it takes two or more months to grow new roots so it’s best to start propagate them starting in late March and latest in July. Those planted in July would have a couple months to grow new roots and survive the winter. Have fun! Steve

[@muzakkirdali2789]

My cactus is placed for 2 metres away from filtered morning indirect sunlight. Will it be fine?

[@sxn10]

As long as the cuttings are in the shade, they will be fine. Keep them in the shade for at least few months until rooting established. You will see young branches by then.

[@relentlesspaintball7]

How do you get rid of thorns safely without damaging cactus? My apple cactus hard to handle. Thank you

[@sxn10]

Great question. The thorns are small but it can hurt bare hands so wear cowhide leather gloves and leave those thorns along.

[@subtropicalpermaculture]

I use a cloth like a towel and rub the fruit off

[@cheribischel217]

Is propagation the same when a large limb falls off? Can I just cut it up & plant the cuttings?

[@sxn10]

Definitely!!! Cut it up and follow my method to grow them. LMK if you have any questions.

[@beatnik512]

Hi Steve, I have followed all of your directions so far for a 3 foot Peruvian apple cactus that had broken off due to high winds. 1. I used a hand saw and cut off the poor looking section at the bottom. 2. Covered the cactus with cardboard, leaving the end exposed to the sun. 3. Potted it just an inch deep in well draining cactus soil with supports in a shaded area. My question is: mist it immediately or let it sit? Protect it from any rain that may hit jt? It gets to be around 100 degrees Fahrenheit in Texas and will also pour rain from time to time. Thank you for your expertise!

[@sxn10]

Hi Nicholas, I would recommend to hold off water for first couple weeks and keep them in the shade. Put them somewhere the rain drops won’t fall on them so you have total control of when to water them. Since you are using premixed cactus soil, mist them every couple weeks should be fine since your temperature are in 90’s to 100’s

[@gaitedriderpair]

Why don’t they have any thorns? Can I remove them from the The plant I have?

[@sxn10]

There are some short thorns and you can easily avoid them so I would recommend to leave the thorns alone to give it an authentic look.

[@Sebi076]

Is it better to grow one from a seed or a cut

[@sxn10]

I’ve grown them from seeds as well. The saplings are tiny and die off easily. I found growing from cuttings are easier and quicker.

[@briancaballero2317]

I let my cutting dry for 3 weeks. Did I kill it?

[@sxn10]

As long as it’s not in direct sunlight. It should be ok

[@groverwoody9464]

How often should I water them?

[@sxn10]

Assuming you are using soil mix specifically for cactus which has very good drainage. If it’s newly potted plants and keep in fully shaded area, then mist them with some water every other week. If the air temperatures are in 90s, then you can mist every week. Since the outside temperatures conditions can change day to day, you can mist them and observe to see how it goes. The ones I kept in full sun, I mist them like once a week during the heat wave else

[@jennifer_loves_8766]

How long does it take for them to root

[@sxn10]

Some are quicker than others but in general, it takes a couple months to root.

[@jennifer_loves_8766]

@@sxn10 thanks

[@christmasmorning7685]

@@sxn10 After you pot them in soil, at what point can I water them? Should I wait 2 months for the roots to have developed? How can I know if the roots have developed?

[@sxn10]

@@christmasmorning7685 I don’t water them immediately after potting due to concerns possible rotten or infection cause by mold/fungus. I apply a light mist spray that won’t deliver water down to the dirt. I give a quick mist like once a month. I test for roots by gently lift the pot by holding the cactus. If the pot sticks, it’s indication of established roots. Once roots established, I move them to partial sun for couple weeks and then full sun

[@richardhuffman9069]

@@christmasmorning7685 a

[@suzzz72]

I just cut my 8 footer into 4 sections. I'm so nervous!

[@sxn10]

They are very hardy. Drop me any questions you might have. You got this

[@axeleratorbricks8866]

When will you water it ?

[@sxn10]

During rooting, they can go for months without water as long as you keep them in shade but I lightly spray misty water once every 2 to 3 weeks. It's like a flash spraying so not much water at all (note: the soil I am using in this video has higher water retention then regular cactus soil mix sold in stores). Once they are planted in ground, you can give them water when the soil appears to dried out. On my established plant is in ground with lots of clay dirt, I water like once or twice per summer. Once cuttings rooted, if you transplant them into a bigger pot under direct sunlight and using cactus mix, then you can water them once or twice every two weeks. Cactus soil mix has higher drainage.

[@yanezpb7109]

@@sxn10 I have a 10 foot cutting can I plant straight into the ground ???

[@sxn10]

@@yanezpb7109 I highly recommend to plant it in the 5 gallons pot first to establish the new roots. The cutting must be kept in the shade for few months until the new roots established.

[@shermanthomson8296]

Do you ever water the cuttings?

[@sxn10]

Depends on the weather but periodically watering is needed. During hot days like 90s degrees range, I would recommend watering once per week. Once or twice watering for 70s degrees range. Make sure to keep them in the shade for first few months

[@shermanthomson8296]

@sxn10 i cut them off the big cactus with a saw and they have a woody knot on the end unlike yours which are a cross section of the stem. Should i plant it directly or cut them again?

[@shermanthomson8296]

I have a picture but can't see a way to attach a picture.

[@sxn10]

@@shermanthomson8296 I know what you meant. That’s fine to plant them without cutting further.

[@sxn10]

@@shermanthomson8296 in my video, you can see similar cuts like yours and some cuts at the softer section. They are fine. You can plant them either way. They both work. Too bad youtube doesn’t support attaching photos to comments section

[@rodinunez5967]

can the cut be less than 6 inches?

[@rodinunez5967]

i just cut two wish me luck

[@sxn10]

Yes. Shorter will be fine. They will work

[@rodinunez5967]

@@sxn10Thanks for replying so fast. i ended up cutting two 1 footers and will cut them to smaller ones to plant. also cut a flower and will dry it out . idk maybe into a tea.i believe mine to be Cereus jamacaru though. the flower stems are fuzzy and the tallest stock was atleast 14-18 feet.

[@willymasangcay2373]

How can I order rooted or cuttings of peruvian apple cactus ? Hm per cutting + shipping to Macabebe Pampanga. Than you po.

[@sxn10]

I can help you with that. What is your email address?

[@rolly3706]

Thought u had to root it first guess not I'll try it thanks

[@sxn10]

It takes about a month or more for new roots to come out

[@mariloucaco6192]

No watet