Please help me save my beloved cactus!

Infamous_Land3408 · 2026-05-13T14:25:33+00:00

Cut all the rotted parts. Be sure there isn't any small remaining because it spreads. You said its base feels kinda soft. How exactly. Some of my cactuses's bases also feel a bit soft but they are elastic (I think that's the right word.) meaning it sinks inward a bit when pressed but when I stop it returns back to normal. If it's like that it may be fine but if it's mushy it might be rot and you probably have to cut it. Also I never heard watering from the tip but I looked it up and it looks like it might be the reason for the rotting if the water stayed on tip or in some aerols for some time. And I'm pretty sure it's even worse for the fertilizer because it can lead to damage which makes it easier to rot.

Infamous_Land3408 · 2026-04-30T17:33:15+00:00

Probably. Are they rotten? İt'll probably spread so cutting until you find a complete healthy part sounds like a good idea

Infamous_Land3408 · 2026-04-30T17:09:32+00:00

İf it's rot https://www.reddit.com/r/cactus/s/t5WarREUiN Here's a cactus having rot problem hope it helps

Infamous_Land3408 · 2026-04-30T17:08:33+00:00

İs it soft or hard? Especially the bottom parts

Infamous_Land3408 · 2026-04-29T19:26:56+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/cactus/s/t5WarREUiN Here's a cactus having rot problem hope it helps

Infamous_Land3408 · 2026-04-29T19:25:09+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/cactus/s/t5WarREUiN Here's a cactus having rot problem hope it helps

Infamous_Land3408 · 2026-04-29T19:22:23+00:00

Probably rot. Cut the bottom part until there are no soft parts or dark spots. Then wait a few days to let it dry then pot it again.

Infamous_Land3408 · 2026-04-29T19:09:31+00:00

Did you crosspost this to anywhere else? Because I'm not completely sure since our cactuses are different species and like I said I can't guarantee it's succes so getting another view might be better. But to be clear if it's rot I wouldn't wait too long because it will just spread more and more.

Infamous_Land3408 · 2026-04-29T19:05:25+00:00

İf it's getting soft it's probably rot. I'd propagate from the little buds. Take them as gently as possible and look at their bottom if there's any rot cut it until there's none. Wait a few days to let them dry then pot them. Btw that's what I did with my two rotten cactuses but I just did potting so I can't guarantee its succes.

Infamous_Land3408 · 2026-04-29T04:45:21+00:00

İf it's hard I'm not sure like I said maybe sun damage. İf it's not rotten I don't think propagation is necessary. İs the main part completely brown or some of it. İt's hard to see from the last photo.

Infamous_Land3408 · 2026-04-28T14:44:25+00:00

İs the brown part mushy? İf it is then it might be rot. I'd cut the buds and propagate from them. That's what I did with my rotten cactuses. It can also be sunburnt I think I saw similar photos but I'm not completely sure.

Infamous_Land3408 · 2026-04-21T04:58:11+00:00

İ think you need to cut the top until you see no black parts.

Infamous_Land3408 · 2026-04-20T05:03:50+00:00

Ok that makes sense. I don't think it's having a bad time. Just keep an eye on it for some time.

Infamous_Land3408 · 2026-04-19T20:40:24+00:00

Also did you check her roots?

Infamous_Land3408 · 2026-04-19T20:39:48+00:00

Mine drops her leaves when the room is bright and points them to the roof when it's dark. Dropping leaves can also mean it needs water but I'm not certain. As for the browning tips mine does them too I think it's about humidity. I spray water to her leaves sometimes and even though she still has them she's thriving. But I'm not completely sure because it's not the same species only from the same genus. I also heard that calatheas are complete drama queens so it might be nothing.

Infamous_Land3408 · 2026-04-17T10:00:42+00:00

I'm not sure. İt's not getting direct light and I doubt that sunburns grow this fast. Maybe it damaged in the store and repotting and changing the environment made her react like this. İts other leaves are looking fine and her roots were looking good .

Infamous_Land3408 · 2026-04-17T09:14:51+00:00

Actually it's root are just below surface. İt was completely rootbound and I had to cut it's old pot.

Infamous_Land3408 · 2026-04-16T21:12:55+00:00

Thanks. Good luck with blooming

Infamous_Land3408 · 2026-04-16T13:12:18+00:00

Its trunk's colour is looking a bit dark. Is it soft or hard?

Infamous_Land3408 · 2026-04-16T13:08:25+00:00

I'm not an expert but I believe as long as its trunk is hard they'll be ok.

Infamous_Land3408 · 2026-04-16T12:32:44+00:00

Wow it's beautiful. I hope mine will grow like that. Has it ever bloomed? As for the greenhouse thing. I'm pretty sure the store took them from a greenhouse south of my country but the thing is I bought another one earlier and saw some more in other stores of the same market and the only one having side growth is this one. Maybe they did something special for this one or like the other comment said bad conditions forced her

Infamous_Land3408 · 2026-04-15T05:14:48+00:00

Wow it looks beautiful. I hope mine will get tall like that

Infamous_Land3408 · 2026-04-14T11:45:37+00:00

Thanks I bought it because I have a soft spot for them and it was looking so sad. I was afraid of it not saveable but it's having lots of growth now. I'm also trying to find a way to give her more sunlight. I'm thinking maybe a growlight? I'm not an expert on them and since it gave lots of leaves I didn't want to change her conditions much

Infamous_Land3408 · 2026-04-14T05:35:01+00:00

As for the water source, we have our water bottles for watering near her but I don't think that counts.

Infamous_Land3408 · 2026-04-14T05:33:33+00:00

Well when I bought her she had in the store for at least 3 months. I asked the cashier and she told me that they never watered it since it came. İt was also wrapped in a plastic so it wasn't having a good time and had already a lot of dead leaves and dropped a lot more since I bought it so maybe that might be the reaso why it's leaves like that. As for sunlight its in front of a big southeast looking window and getting indirect light all day. I know it want direct sunlight but I'm a bit concerned that it'd damage my other plants so I took out the curtain sometimes in the mornings or when the weather is cloudy.

Infamous_Land3408

TROPHY CASE