Sick Cactus
Before:
Hello,
I’m writing with a care question about my potted Echinocereus grandiflora I bought at Cactus Jungle about a year or 18 months ago:
It has developed scaly, brownish yellow areas near the base and midsection of the main plant and on a few of the larger offshoots. Any idea what this affliction is? Can it be reversed??
Please help! I don’t want this guy to die.
I live in SF and currently water the plant thoroughly once-twice a month in spring/summer and maybe two times total from september-march. I put it outside in the summer when its hot but otherwise it sits in my sunniest window area (only 6-7 hours of non-quite-direct sun though). Should any of that change?
Also want to say that I have been extremely happy with this plant, and all the others I’ve purchased at CJ, as well as all the in-person advice at the store in Berkeley. Thanks!
Look forward to hearing from you,
Matt
Matt,
It is a fungal infection. You should treat with a fungicide as soon as possible. We would treat it with the product MildewCure followed by Neem Oil few days later. Re-treating after seven days. Hopefully that will stop the infection. The plant will carry scars, however once it is healed the pups will eventually grow large enough to hide the worst of it.
Good luck,
Hap
And just to add: When bringing a plant outdoors after the winter, even if it’s been in a sunny window, you need to harden the plant off or it will sunburn. That means taking a week or two bringing it out into progressively more sun until it’s been accustomed to the UV.
