Excellent and resilient plants, cacti are rarely troubled by numerous problems. However, cactus may also cause you some problems. One of the problems is a cactus that is falling over or drooping. You can discover the causes of your cactus drooping or toppling over in this essay, along with solutions.
Weak roots or being potted in a container that is too big for the plant are a couple of the main causes of a cactus drooping or toppling over. Other causes might include bugs, lack of sunlight, underwatering, and more.
How can a sagging cactus be fixed?
It might be challenging to gauge how much water to give a cactus plant. A dehydrated cactus will frequently take on a purple hue and soften. Later, the leaves get wrinkled, and the branches may droop. Cacti that have received too much water will also sag, droop, and possibly get root rot. Your plant will have proper drainage if you place it in cactus potting soil, and frequent watering might help it recover from dehydration. Another solution is to repot a root-bound plant into a bigger container. If your plant has received excessive water, let the soil air out. Just until the top 2 inches of soil have dried up do cactus plants need water, and even then they only need enough to allow some drainage from the pores in the bottom of the container. The cactus will know it has enough moisture if water starts to drain from these holes.
What can I do to make my cactus stand up?
You may have planted your cactus too loosely in the soil if it is drooping from the ground. Additionally, it can indicate overwatering. We all know that before the next watering, the soil where the cactus is placed needs to be fully dry. Otherwise, the ground will get looser and the earth will begin to harden around the cactus’ base. Replanting a cactus in dry soil or adding more soil around the cactus’ base are two possible solutions to this issue. Additionally, you can encourage your cactus to grow upright by covering the soil’s surface with a coating of gravel or small rocks.
Carefully insert a 6-foot stake into the hole. Once the stake is in place, use a shovel to scoop the soil back into the hole. The stake should be buried about halfway to prevent bending from the weight of the cactus. To hold the cactus straight, pick a stake made of a robust material, such as bamboo or hardwood.
Cut off the tape’s loose ends with a pair of scissors after tying a loose knot in it. Avoid wrapping the cactus with the tape too firmly. If you tie too firmly, you risk damaging the surface and inviting pests and infections.
What kind of plant are overwatered cactus?
The obvious indicators of an overwatered cactus caused by a fungus in the soil include black or brown blotches and mushy stems. It’s time to carefully chop them off with a knife if you experience any of these bodily symptoms. Use a sterilized knife while handling a rotting plant to prevent the spread of the infection.
You will have to exert more effort if the damage is severe. Essentially, what you’ll be doing is multiplying the portions of your plant that are still alive. Wear nitrile gloves to protect your hands from the cactus’ spines while you chop off the rotting sections, and exercise extreme caution when handling the plant. After cutting out the damaged areas, let your cuttings air dry for a few days, or around a week.
How can you determine if a cactus has been overwatered or not?
The cactus won’t typically seem radically different from day to day because underwatering typically happens gradually over time.
There are a few indicators, nevertheless, that will let you know if your cactus is submerged.
Signs of an Underwatered Cactus
Knowing the warning signals of an underwatered cactus is crucial for prompt response. Your cactus will have a better chance of recovering if you do this.
The most typical warning indicators of a submerged cactus include:
The Cactus Is Light Green or Yellowish
Since this normally happens gradually over time, the color change might not be apparent right away.
If your cactus begin to become light green or yellowish, keep an eye out for more symptoms of an underwatered plant.
The Spines Are Falling off Easily
A well-watered cactus has roots that go far into the ground and take in water there.
Their root systems do not, however, work correctly while they are underwater because the dearth of nutrients in the soil leads them to wither away.
As a result, the spines become fragile and easily detach.
another typical indicator of a submerged cactus
The Cactus Is Wilting
Due to nutrient deficiency, their spines cannot support the plant adequately, which causes them to lose their shape.
This causes plants that were once upright and firm in shape to become limp or droopy over time.
Decay at the Base of the Plant
Roots will cease developing and begin to deteriorate over time if they are unable to absorb enough nutrients from the soil as a result of a lack of water, which will eventually result in decay at the base of the plant.
It’s possible that you won’t immediately notice whether or not your cacti are underwater because this normally happens gradually.
The New Growth on Your Cacti Is Weak and off Center With Older Growth
Lack of nutrients will have an impact on how a cactus develops new limbs.
In this instance, you’ll see that the younger growth is somewhat deformed and less symmetrical than the older ones-another indication that the cactus has been submerged.
Can you bend a cactus back into shape?
Restarting will be your only option to get the plant back to straight because you cannot go back and fix it. More light will keep this plant from bending, iann wrote. It will grow straight up in bright light, particularly outdoors in the direct sun. It will typically lean against a window.
The Pot Is Too Big or Too Small
Because they are placed in pots that are either too big or too little, cactus frequently topple over.
A cactus’ roots will grow slowly and become spindly if it is placed in a pot that is too big. As a result, the cactus may become top-heavy and topple over.
The roots of a cactus will be restricted and unable to expand correctly if it is placed in a container that is too tiny, on the other hand.
How To Fix It
Plant your cactus in a pot that is the right size to prevent it from toppling over.
When repotting cacti, it’s a good idea to use a container that is at least twice as wide as the plant.
For instance, you should select a pot that is at least 30 inches (76 centimeters) wide if the width of the cactus is 15 inches (38 centimeters).
If your cactus has already overturned, you can fix the situation by moving it into a bigger pot.
Replant it in new soil after removing as much of the old soil as you can.
Until your plant develops new roots and is strong enough to stand on its own once more, you can also add a stake to provide support.
Stakes won’t harm your plant permanently unless you leave them there after the initial issue has been fixed for an excessive amount of time.
The Pot Is Not Heavy Enough
A cactus can become top-heavy and topple over if it is not placed in a sturdy planter.
This is frequently the case with cactus that are potted in lightweight plastic or terracotta pots.
In the event of severe winds or other environmental variables, the plant should not topple over, hence the cactus pots should be hefty enough to prevent this.
A hefty terra-cotta pot is the ideal sort of container for cactus. Since terra-cotta pots are durable and porous, they can take in more moisture from the soil.
Before adding soil to plastic pots, you can lay down a few big stones at the bottom of the container. Your plant will remain erect thanks to the weight added by this.
You might need to take extra precautions to preserve your cactus if you are in a region with frequent strong winds.
The Soil Is Not Suitable
The cactus will be unable to take moisture from the ground if you use heavy or soggy soil, which could lead to it toppling over.
Because they lack drainage capabilities and have a high nutrient content that could burn roots if in contact with them for an extended period of time, these sorts of soils shouldn’t be utilized for growing cacti (especially compost).
Your plant is more prone to rot in heavy or damp soil, which could result in the cactus toppling over and dying.
Use light-weight, well-draining soil to stop your cactus from toppling over.
A cactus soil blend is the ideal soil for cacti. A suitable soil mixture for cactus also has one part coarse sand, one part pearlite, and one part potting soil.
If you had planted your cactus in the wrong soil, you can fix the issue by moving it into a new pot with a cactus-specific soil mixture that drains effectively.
Make sure to water the plant sparingly until it has adjusted to its new pot.
The Cactus Is Overwatered
Cactus plants may survive brief periods of standing water in their soil, but they typically only need to be watered once every one to two weeks.
The excessive water will cause the soil to become soggy and the plant will be unable to absorb moisture from the earth if you have been watering your cactus too frequently or using soil that doesn’t drain correctly.
It’s critical to wait until the soil is totally dry between watering sessions in order to avoid overwatering your cactus, which could lead to it toppling over.
Before determining whether or not another watering session is required, you should wait at least a week. Additionally, it’s crucial to use a pot with drainage holes and well-draining soil.
Allowing your cactus to dry out for a few days can help you solve the problem if you think it has already been overwatered.
After that, if there is still water in the pot, drain part of it until only about half an inch of water is left at the bottom of the container (this will prevent root rot from occurring).
When you are repairing your overwatered cactus at this time, wait to water again until the soil is entirely dry between each session.
When keeping plants indoors, it’s also crucial to choose soil that drains well, use a pot with drainage holes to minimize pooling water around the roots, and frequently air out the plants so that air movement can also speed up their recovery!
Once the issue has been resolved, use well-draining soil and a container with drainage holes for your cactus.
The Cactus Is Underwatered
Lack of water can cause the soil to become dry and hard, making it difficult for roots to absorb moisture from the ground (and therefore, there isn’t enough support for your plant).
If left untreated for a long enough period of time, dehydration brought on by underwatering can also cause plants to fall over and eventually perish.
By watering more frequently than once every one to two weeks, you can solve the problem if you think your cactus has been submerged.
Make sure to water the soil until it is thoroughly saturated, then let the extra water drain from the pot.
After watering, give your plants at least a week to recover before determining whether you need to water them again.
Additionally, it’s crucial to use a pot with drainage holes and well-draining soil.
You should wait to water your underwatered cactus again during this time until the soil is completely dry between applications.
The Cactus Has Frost Damage
The majority of cactus species are sensitive to temperatures below freezing and suffer frost damage if exposed to them.
Frost damage to a cactus can make the plant weak and brittle, making it challenging for roots to receive moisture from the earth (and resulting in insufficient support for your plant).
You might notice that the leaves on your cactus have become brown or black and are wilted if it has been harmed by frost.
Due to the injured leaves’ loss of structural support, the cactus plant may also be drooping or tilting.
The first thing you should do if your cactus has been harmed by frost is to place it in a secure location where it won’t be struck again.
Bring your cactus indoors so that it can repair any damage caused by the frost. If there is still another frost warning in your location, you might also try to cover it with a blanket or sheet.
In order to avoid overwatering them as they heal from the damage brought on by the frost, you should also reduce watering until new growth begins to appear.
During its recovery phase, you could also want to try bringing it into brighter lighting settings by placing them under fluorescent lamps, for example.
This will facilitate greater photosynthetic energy production and hasten the healing process for these plants!
The Plant Is Top Heavy
Because they are living beings, plants develop. Cactus plants gain weight as they grow larger. The plant may eventually topple over as a result of this.
The cactus is more likely to topple over as it grows higher due to issues with weight distribution brought on by its increased height (which will affect stability).
Cactus roots can only support a certain amount of weight before they begin to pull to one side or another, which eventually leads the cactus to fall.
You can try to rebalance the weight by cutting some of the longer branches if your cactus is top-heavy and tipping over.
Additionally, it can aid in air circulation around the plant, which will enhance both its general stability and health.
A bigger container might be a good idea if you want to give your cactus more room at the base for root development.
When strong rainstorms or resuming winds during the winter come in the future, this will offer superior support.
Try to stake your cactus up with a piece of wood or a metal rod if it is still tumbling over. This will prevent it from topple over during inclement weather like storms or strong winds.
To stop them from wandering around too much in strong gusts, you could also try tying them down with a rope since this will also secure their anchor!
The Roots Are Rotting
Root rot is a disease that develops when roots are kept damp for an extended period of time, leading to their decomposition and eventual death.
Your cactus plant’s roots can no longer hold its weight as a result of rot damage, which makes them weaker.
You must remove any damaged roots from your cactus if it has root rot, and then repot the plant in fresh potting soil.
Make certain the new container has adequate drainage so the roots can dry out rapidly (this will help stop the rot from spreading).
In order to avoid overwatering them as they heal from the harm caused by root rot, you should also reduce watering until new growth begins to appear.
During their healing phase, you might also want to consider shifting it into brighter lighting.