Why does my Cactus never Grow ?

[@desertplantsofavalon]

Hi Guys :-D In this video I share 5 reasons why your Cactus never Grows 🥰🌵

[@OffGridInvestor]

I come to realise a bunch I bought in shops AREN'T in peat although they LOOK like it. I got a whiff one day and realised they were IN HORSE MANURE. Cheapskates.

[@desertplantsofavalon]

@@OffGridInvestor Oh my golly haha, its unbelievable what some of these plant sellers would plant their cacti in to sell, my friend bought a cactus that was potted up in purely polystyrene bits and was top dressed in grit, she wondered why the pot felt so light and thought it was in peat but got a shock when she went to repot it and saw all the polystyrene bits, amazingly she said all the roots were still good, thanks so much for your fantastic comments and support and wishing you a wonderful plant powered Tuesday today XXXX

[@PaulKeil]

I read somewhere a while ago that someone bought a cactus and were watering it for a couple of years and even giving it fertilizer occassionally but it didn't grow at all. They decided to repot it at this point only to discover it was plastic.

[@desertplantsofavalon]

haha, oh my golly, I have seen some very realistic looking fake cacti too, thanks so much Paul for your wonderful comment and support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER from across the Emerald Isle XXXX

[@OffGridInvestor]

Hope they didn't pay much 🤣🤣

[@desertplantsofavalon]

@@OffGridInvestor 🤣😆🤣😆

[@falzonp1]

Lovely video Lyn! Lots of interesting and important information! Thanks for sharing your knowledge about Cacti! Have a great afternoon and evening my friends Lyn and Hans! Lots of love and happiness!

[@desertplantsofavalon]

So happy you loved the video and info Sylvia :-D and thanks so much for your wonderful Friendship and amazing comment and support and for watching, and Hans and I are sending you and Paul lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER from across the Emerald Isle to Malta for a fantastic evening XXXX

[@ZiggySearchfieldCactus]

Well done Lyn 🙂 I've got a few that aren't growing, I'll put a video up at the end of the month 🙂 Hope you and Hans have a lovely evening 😊😊🌵🌵

[@desertplantsofavalon]

So happy you loved the video Ziggy :-D and thanks so much for your wonderful comment and support and for watching, and Hans and I are sending you and Jackie lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER from across the Emerald Isle for a wonderful evening XXXX

[@cactuscapacity]

great video!!! we have completed our greenhouse, and found that, 110F is a great temp for cactus growth. Unless dormant cactus should be kept between 50-100F. During the cactus dormancy temps should be between 35F and 75F, This will make for the best cactus growth... I found all of the other reasons are peripheral compared to temperature alone. High temps and filtered sunlight are the key components along with a biweely watereing on the globulous and every 5 days for the Trichocereus and more light for them as well... We have been working our tails off and have just got a chance to catch up on your videos!!! I turned 44 years old today and have many great blessings including this wonderful show you have shared with us today!

[@desertplantsofavalon]

AWWWWW HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you, I hope you had an awesome day, and thats FANTASIC news you guys have completed your greenhouse too, I bet you guys have been very busy getting the greenhouse all sorted, thats so exciting, thanks so much Parnell and Jakaiya for your wonderful comment and support and for watching, and Hans and I are sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER for a terrific Tuesday today XXXX

[@Cactimania]

Excellent video, Lyn. A good question and you gave the best answers. I’ll be checking one of my Gymnos this week that hasn’t done anything for ages. I have to start bringing the plants in this week as well as it’s going to get very cold at the weekend 🥶 Thank you for sharing with us as always, Lyn. Have a lovely evening from Edith & myself to you and Hans ❤️🌵☀️🌸🌺🌼🏜

[@desertplantsofavalon]

So happy you loved the video Daz :-D I have to bring in all the Euphorbia and other plants tomorrow too as they have forecast the temps to be as low as 3c tomorrow night argh, and just 2c at night this coming weekend, its been 20c here today and sunny and warm the past few days but from tomorrow the temps are going to drop like a rock and just 12c forecast for tomorrow its crazy, thanks so much Daz for your wonderful Friendship and amazing comment and support and for watching, and Hans and I are sending you and beautiful Edith lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER to England and Singapore for a fantastic evening XXXX

[@morrisparkintheozarks6831]

Great video Lyn!! Yes , there are so many reasons this happens as you pointed out. Many of mine are starting to shrink now since they can sense winter coming. Even the outside opuntias are starting to wrinkle. Great to point out each possibility!!! Lets everyone know what to check, weather from pests, root rot , growing conditions or just turning in for the winter!! Thanks for sharing Lyn!!! From Morris Park in the Ozarks, to across the emerald isle, have a wonderful day!!! Peace, Love, Plants!!!✌️💖🌵🌴🌷🌳🍀💐🪴🌿🌸🌹🌱🌻🌾😃👍

[@desertplantsofavalon]

So happy you loved the video Clyde :-D we have been moving in a lot of the plants indoors this week, all the Euphorbia and other sensitive plants as its gone from 70f to just 52F overnight and the temperature has dropped like a ton of bricks, Winter really does feel a lot closer now, thanks so much Clyde for your wonderful Friendship and fantastic comments and support and for watching, and Hans and I are sending you and beautiful Deb and all the pets and plants all lots of love and happiness and PEACE, LOVE, PLANTS and PLANT POWER to Morris Park for a brilliant Thursday XXXX

[@gmatt2498]

Yeah lynn I've seen people with cactus plants on the table too with no Brite light and I said that can't be good! Very good info. 👍🏼 🌵🌿🌱🌼

[@desertplantsofavalon]

So happy you loved the info, and thanks so much for your wonderful comment and support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER from across the Emerald Isle XXXX

[@mollys1584]

Great video Lyn! I had a rainbow hedgehog since the Winter and it wasn't coloring up like I was expecting. Then I noticed it was leaning a bit. Uh oh....it was rotten all the way thru.

[@desertplantsofavalon]

So happy you loved the video Molly :-D oh no with your Rainbow Hedgehog cactus, they are very prone to rotting and I have lost a couple of these in the past too, thanks so much Molly for your wonderful comment and support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER from across the Emerald Isle XXXX

[@heatherstephens9295]

😢😢

[@desertplantsofavalon]

@@heatherstephens9295 XXXX ❤

[@nathalieslachmuylders]

Great video, Lyn, thanks! I know a few people who do exactly the opposite of what you advise : ) and indeed, they wonder why their plants don't do well.. The myth of no watering is a fierce one indeed. Best wishes xx

[@desertplantsofavalon]

So happy you loved the video Nathalie :-D and thanks so much for your wonderful Friendship and amazing comment and support and for watching, and Hans and I are sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER from Belfast to Dublin for a terrific Tuesday today XXXX

[@TerryJent]

Another reason why a cactus may stop growing is that the soil has become too alkaline from using tap water. Some cacti need a lower PH soil and will stop growing completely unless you correct it. A teaspoon of vinegar in a gallon of water will lower the PH. Gymnocalyciums are one genus that need more acidic soil.

[@ZiggySearchfieldCactus]

I only use rainwater on mine Terry, got 4,000 litre storage now. If I've got some like Turbinicarpus that like a bit of alkalinity, I add chalk to the soil mix 🙂🙂🌵🌵

[@desertplantsofavalon]

Thats a brilliant point Terry, I remember when I lived in the south of Ireland and the water was very hard and high in lime, a few of my Gymnos lost their roots and I had to re root them and they recovered really well once I switched over to rainwater, thankfully our water where I live now in Northern Ireland is very soft, thanks so much Terry for your wonderful comment and support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER from across the Emerald Isle for a fantastic Sunday XXXX

[@Luna-sv5ut]

Thanks Lyn for all the great infos 🌵🌵🌵 I always watch with great interest.🤩🤩

[@desertplantsofavalon]

So happy you love the info Luna :-D and thanks so much for your wonderful comment and support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER from across the Emerald Isle XXXX

[@DFJA01]

Thanks for another great video Lyn. I have an Echinocereus Rigidissimus that did nothing for months. It was in a window that got what I thought was plenty of light. I repotted it and checked the roots, and all seemed fine. Eventually I put it outside a couple of months back and it has really taken off. The moral of the story is that even if you think you have enough light, for some types it may not be. And I'm still trying to figure out if glass filters out certain important frequencies that can make a big difference.

[@desertplantsofavalon]

So happy you loved the video :-D thats fantastic news about your Echinocereus rigidissimus, I notice that the plants I put outside love the fresh air and rain, I have really noticed how much slower and definitely how much lesser my cacti flower in the green covered polytunnel I have compared to the conservatory and greenhouse I had at my other house, I think a lot of my cacti will really love the new clear cover polytunnel I will be getting, I wonder about the glass too, I think its very possible that it can filter out some frequencies that outside light provides, thanks so much for your wonderful comment and support and for watching, and sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER from across the Emerald Isle XXXX

[@OffGridInvestor]

I know certain types of cheap plastic roofing are made to filter out UV.

[@desertplantsofavalon]

@@OffGridInvestor XXXX 😃🌵❤

[@heatherstephens9295]

Your poly tunnel is like a wonderland ❤ Thanks for all this great information Lyn - absolutely fantastic!👍👍❤️

[@desertplantsofavalon]

So happy you love the information and the polytunnel Heather :-D and thanks so much for your wonderful comment and support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER for a terrific Tuesday XXXX

[@brittascharmsandbeads9057]

Interesting ! 👍 And a kick in the butt for me to get to repot those that I haven't already repoted... 🙃👍

[@desertplantsofavalon]

So happy you found the vid interesting Brit :-D and I have so many plants I have to repot before the Winter starts, I am so behind with all the repotting this year haha, thanks so much for your wonderful comment and support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER from across the Emerald Isle XXXX

[@teotwawki551]

Awesome video as always ❤thanks for sharing your knowledge 👍 your positive attitude is appreciated these days 🐈‍⬛🌵☮

[@desertplantsofavalon]

So happy you loved the video Johnny :-D and thanks so much for your wonderful comment and support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER for a terrific Tuesday XXXX

[@jillianleblanc9370]

Good morning to you vary nice cactus collection lovely

[@desertplantsofavalon]

Good morning Jillian :-D so happy you love the cactus collection, and thanks so much for your wonderful comment and support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER from across the Emerald Isle XXXX

[@walterblanc9708]

Wow, thats some collection!, thankyou for the info.

[@desertplantsofavalon]

So happy you loved the collection and info, and thanks so much for your wonderful comment and support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER for a super Sunday XXXX

[@petercalthorpe7966]

G'day Lyn, fantastic tips for cactus lovers . 👍🏼👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🌵🌵🌵⚘😘❤

[@desertplantsofavalon]

G'day Peter haha :-D so happy you enjoyed the tips, and thanks so much for your wonderful Friendship and amazing comment and support and for watching, and Hans and I are sending you and beautiful Ellyn lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER to Downunder for a fantastic Monday today XXXX

[@petercalthorpe7966]

@@desertplantsofavalon ⚘😙❤💋

[@desertplantsofavalon]

@@petercalthorpe7966 XXXX 🥰❤😃

[@janecarter3583]

Hi Lyn, love the video, very good advice. Hope you and Hans are OK xxx❤️❤️❤️

[@desertplantsofavalon]

So happy you loved the video and advice Jane :-D and thanks so much for your wonderful comment and support and for watching, and Hans and I are sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER to Cheshire for a brilliant afternoon XXXX

[@janecarter3583]

@@desertplantsofavalon xxx ❤️❤️❤️

[@desertplantsofavalon]

@@janecarter3583 XXXX 🥰❤❤❤❤😻

[@consciousnessfreedomdiscip8585]

Lovely to see our round friends again 🤩, was a bit late to find the vid .

[@desertplantsofavalon]

thanks so much for your wonderful comments and support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER for a super Sunday today XXXX

[@garygilliam1890]

Good information thanks have a great day across the blue waters my friends

[@desertplantsofavalon]

So happy you loved the info Gary and thanks so much for your wonderful comment and support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER from across the Emerald Isle for a super Sunday XXXX

[@hal0hal0mc]

I bought 2 Opuntia polyacantha last year (native to here in Colorado) and one has produced so many pads I've taken about 10 cuttings. And even this year have taken cuttings of last year's cuttings. I also got a O. basilaris that i thought died in winter so left it in a trash heap for the summer. Planted it a month ago bc i realized it might be alive and it started growing.

[@desertplantsofavalon]

WOW thats amazing how fast your Opuntia polycanthas have grown, and thats brilliant news with your Opuntia basilaris coming back into growth, thanks so much for your wonderful comment and support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER from across the Emerald Isle XXXX

[@marchasaam8863]

Good info , thanks!

[@desertplantsofavalon]

So happy you loved the info Marcha :-D and thanks so much for your wonderful comment and support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER from across the Emerald Isle XXXX

[@mimirose4012]

Thank you, and I have a question also. I've had a gymnocalycium cactus for four years, and every couple of months, it's ravished with mealybugs. I'm unsure if just to give up? Please help!

[@desertplantsofavalon]

Mealy bugs really are the pain of us cactus growers lives, and Mealies always have a love for Gymnos as Gymnos have lots of little ridges these pests love to hide in, sometimes if the rubbing alcohol and the Neem oil and Diatomaceous earth is not working and I still get mealies I then have to use an insecticide, I avoid using them if I can but with plants that seem to be always getting mealies a systemic insecticide is often the only way, I notice my Ferocacti and Gymnocalyciums are the ones that I seem to have to deal with mealies a lot, I use Neem and rubbing alcohol and dust them with Diatomaceous earth but have to use 'Provanto ultimate Bug killer' it seems to be one of the few insecticides that really works for getting rid of mealies, it really is a never ending battle with these Mealy bug beasts, thanks so much Mimi Rose for your wonderful comment and support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER for a terrific Tuesday XXXX

[@solarwinds-]

Nice tip. I thought my Gymno was dead as it is still purple/brown but when I give it a tap, it does not sound hollow. So I watered the arrangement in which it is planted. I noticed in between the ribs of the plant the skin looks like it might be turning green again. Here's crossed fingers. 🤞

[@desertplantsofavalon]

So happy you loved the video Marie :-D I notice that Gymno;s can go really dark purple brown after the winter, but its amazing how they will soon green back up again once they have been watered, I bet your Gymno will be green as an apple again very very soon, thanks so much Marie your wonderful comment and support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER from the Emerald Isle for a fantastic Tuesday XXXX

[@solarwinds-]

Thank you so much for your guidance, Lyn.@@desertplantsofavalon

[@desertplantsofavalon]

@@solarwinds- XXXX 🥰❤🌵

[@mtilford7978]

Thanks Lyn for very informative video. I have some small cacti that I can't name but always worried about overwatering even in summer. Maybe that's a reason they remain small and don't ever flower. Regarding their light reqirements, will the bubble wrap insulation inside my little greenhouse make a negative difference? I have to leave the larger plants and agaves in there but can bring small plants and aeoniums indoors to a spare room windowsill. Good idea? I always learne such a lot from your videos 🥰

[@desertplantsofavalon]

So happy you loved the video and learn a lot from watching them, the good news is the bubblewrap won't hurt the light levels for your plants, and cacti and succulents don't need as much light in winter when they are resting, thanks so much for your wonderful comment and support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER for a wonderful Wednesday today XXXX

[@carolstuff]

Nice 🌵💚

[@desertplantsofavalon]

thanks so much Carol for your wonderful comments and support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER from across the Emerald Isle XXXX

[@tracyhughes8233]

Would you recommend coco coir as a soil alternative?

[@desertplantsofavalon]

Hi Tracy :-D yes Coco coir is a great soil alternative, I know many growers who use coco coir as a soil alternative for cacti and have great success using it, I haven't used it myself but I know many growers who really like to use it and have good success with their cacti, thanks so much for your wonderful comment and support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER for a terrific Tuesday XXXX

[@kaktus_cactus]

Awesome video, I've discovered one of mine suffered from dry rot😢

[@desertplantsofavalon]

Oh no so sorry to hear one of your cacti got dry rot Magda, I lost my little Turbinicarous swobdea to dry rot last week too, its one I had grown from seed in 2015 I was gutted, thanks so much Magda for your wonderful Friendship and amazing comment and support and for watching, and Hans and I are sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER for a terrific Thursday XXXX

[@mickeyrosato2567]

I have a spineless catus that looks like a pine cone. It looks gealthy, has a nice green color, is firm, but hasn't budged since I got it about 5 years ago.

[@OffGridInvestor]

Sounds like an ariocarpus of some type. Expensive seeds that aren't easy to get for those kinds.

[@mickeyrosato2567]

Pinecone Tephrocactus I just Googled it.

[@desertplantsofavalon]

Thats fantastic you have just found out you have a Tephrocactus Mick, they can be very slow growing, I have one that only puts out a new pine pad every couple of years, if the roots are good and it looks green and healthy thats all good, but you can still give it a fresh repot into a change of soil next Spring to give it a little boost haha, thanks so much Mick for your wonderful comment and support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER for a terrific Tuesday XXXX

[@mickeyrosato2567]

It took forever for it to grow enough roots to anchor it in the pot.@@desertplantsofavalonI keep waiting for new growth. I'll repot next spring.

[@desertplantsofavalon]

@@mickeyrosato2567 XXXXX 🥰❤

[@solarwinds-]

Hey Lyn , My Trichocereus Grandiflora is growing but it's not growing taller, it's growing fatter. It's been doing that for about 3 years now. Is that normal?

[@desertplantsofavalon]

Hi Marie :-D yes the good news is Trichocereus grandiflorus will often plump out and over time it will then start to grow more columnar, my Trichocereus grandiflorus was a small chubby barrel for a few years and kept getting fatter until it suddenly took a big growth spurt upwards and then grew pups, thanks so much Marie for your wonderful comment and support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER from across the Emerald Isle XXXX

[@solarwinds-]

Oh! Goodie! I can hardly wait for the pups! THANKS@@desertplantsofavalon

[@desertplantsofavalon]

@@solarwinds- XXXX 🥰❤😘

[@MissysPinkCactus]

I have a gymnocalycium pflanzii albipulpa and I repotted it because it wasn’t growing, Since the day I bought it. I’ve had her for 5 years. Her roots were healthy. But during winter of last year it snowed here worse than ever. Snow accumulated on my polytunnel and it didn’t break but it sunk into a bunch of my cacti. The gymno was one of the cacti buried underneath. It shortly obtained these perfectly round orange spots. It hasn’t affected it besides cosmetic damage and none of my other cacti got it. Is it a fungus?

[@desertplantsofavalon]

Hi there

[@MissysPinkCactus]

Thank you lyn! The spots are actually white now and have gotten smaller. Hopefully it goes away over time. ❤❤❤🌵🌵🌵

[@desertplantsofavalon]

@@MissysPinkCactus thats fantastic the spots have gone white, they have healed over and thats brilliant because it means its not a fungus XXXX 🥰❤😃

[@kamlasenkasvell5469]

❤❤❤❤

[@desertplantsofavalon]

thanks so much Kamlasen for your wonderful love and support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER from across the Emerald Isle XXXX

[@OffGridInvestor]

I come to realise a bunch I bought in shops AREN'T in peat although they LOOK like it. I got a whiff one day and realised they were IN HORSE MANURE. Cheapskates.

[@desertplantsofavalon]

Oh my golly with the horse manure haha, I can just imagine the smell when you go to water them LOL! although horse manure is a great fertiliser as a soil addition for plants its not the ideal for cactus, thanks so much for your wonderful comment and support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER for a terrific Tuesday XXXX

[@KamalUddin-nc5mg]

❤

[@desertplantsofavalon]

thanks so much for your wonderful support and for watching, and sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER for a wonderful Wednesday XXXX

[@sugarspiceatn1]

❤😊

[@desertplantsofavalon]

thanks so much Steph for your wonderful support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER from across the Emerald Isle XXXX

[@liteweightpup2561]

😀

[@desertplantsofavalon]

thanks so much for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER for a super Sunday XXXX

[@brigitterauscher5031]

🌵🌵🌵🌵❤❤

[@desertplantsofavalon]

thanks so much Brigitte for your wonderful support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER for a terrific Thursday XXXX

[@animelord123]

For me the oposit my cactus are over grow so i don't have space to grow more😅😅😅

[@desertplantsofavalon]

hahaha, thanks so much for your wonderful comment and support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER from across the Emerald Isle XXXX

[@scifirank]

👁💚🌵👻🕸🕷😎

[@desertplantsofavalon]

thanks so much Frank for your wonderful support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER for a terrific Thursday today XXXX

[@scifirank]

You're very welcome! I hope you're getting some of this lovely sunshine like here in Glasgow today! I know my cactus and air plants are just soaking it up! I suppose I should move the cactus plants onto the window sill soon as it's a bit cooler there. I have my heating on quite a bit in my flat (no polytunnel, I'm afraid). I only hope that's the right thing to do!! Have a wonderful Thursday! 👁💚🌵👻🦇🕸🕷😎@@desertplantsofavalon

[@desertplantsofavalon]

@@scifirank The weather is gorgeous and sunny here in Belfast today too, its gone very cold but beautiful sunshine, I have been moving a lot of plants back into the house this week as the temps have dropped like a ton of bricks haha, and just 2c forecast for the nights at the weekend, the windowsill is perfect for your plants, I have to have the heating on in my office and I have a lot of plants I overwinter in there but they get through the winter ok, I keep them all mostly dry but give them a light watering over winter if they show signs of shrivelling too much, have a wonderful evening and sending tons of love and happiness and sunshine from Belfast to Glasgow XXXX 😎☀🌞☀👻🌵😃

[@vampyreist]

❤

[@desertplantsofavalon]

Thanks so much for your wonderful love and support and for watching, sending you lots of love and happiness and PLANT POWER from across the Emerald Isle XXXX