New plant-- and a question :)

10 years ago

Hi Everyone! I do hope everyone is having a great day! I got this for myself last week for a "just because" present to myself~~ aint she purtty??
{{gwi:86458}}

But I do have a question about my Easter Cactus. Last year this time she was in full bloom, very pretty. But her flowers didn't come off when they died, but she kept on growing new segments. This went on for a good few months.

Well I mentioned this in the S/C forum and was told to pull off the dead flowers, and since then she hasn't shown any signs of new growth, new segments and no buds. Did I do wrong by pulling off the dead flowers? Is there something I can do to help her? She looks healthy enough. (well, to me she does) She just isn't growing anything new.
{{gwi:86460}}

Any advice would be very much apprecieated, from both of us~~ :)

Marjie

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Comments (6)

tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
10 years ago
The first thing I think of when these plants stall is root congestion, because it puts the brakes on extension. Is it badly root bound? Have you been fertilizing faithfully?

Al
Lamora
Original Author
10 years ago
Hi Al, ok, thanks, haven't thought about it for the first question, I do remember someone talking about stalled growth and root bound being hand in hand a while back, but of course, I forgot...

But a fur sure! for the second question. I water/feed it every 10 days to 2 weeks, sometimes more if needed, but that is the average.

I will check it real close in the morning and see if it is root bound.. can't see a thing in this light! Will let you know. :)

Thanks for the imput~~
Marjie
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teengardener1888
10 years ago
The first one i believe is Dracaena glossfeldiana
Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
10 years ago
TG, did you mean D. godseffiana? The name they're having us use today is D. surculosa, AFAIK. One of few plants I've encountered that really can't be adjusted to more sun. A little in the early morning is all it can take w/o ugly burning, except during winter when it really liked it. After seeing Marjie's pretty leaves, I'm going to push it toward the shadows a bit more. She IS purty! Goddess9 has a really tall one.

Aren't people always saying it's normal for the holiday cacti to kind of pause after blooming? Have you changed its' location? I haven't had that kind, but it has that general look of a plant that would perk up if put outside in a gentle but thorough rain, 65-70 degrees at the time. Anything like that due to happen there soon?

Think it was you saying recently there's no weather channel where you are. Weather.com is the same thing, 24/7, not just "on the 8's."
Lamora
Original Author
10 years ago
Hi again.
Al, I looked at it real good this morning and it doesn't seem root bound, nothing coming out of the bottom of pot, Soil looks and feels good, but maybe it is time for a repotting? Just to make sure? It's been a year now since I repotted it. It is 2 different cacti in one pot, should I seperate them? or would it matter?

purple- Yes, you got the name of the first one right, common name? it has a few, I like Gold Dust myself~~ lol.

As far as my EC goes, it stopped growing after I pulled off the dead flowers sometime late last fall, quite a few months after the bloom, It was growing real well before I did that, with the dead flowers still attached, then it just stopped. I thought maybe it was because of the Fall/Winter setting in, so I wasn't too worried about it. But now it is Spring (finally got here!) and it isn't growing, just sits there doing nothing, no growth, no new segments or blooms.

I am just hoping that when I was told to take off the dead flowers, I didn't hurt it. Some seed pods fell off when I did that too, some came with the flowers, some just fell off later, I am wondering if those falling off did something to not let it grow?

Other than that, it seems pretty healthy, no browning or drooping or anything like that. So IDK what happened or is happening to it right now that is isn't progressing. All I know for sure is IF it flowers, and they do not fall off after they die, I am NOT going to pull them off!! Just let it alone...

But right now it is 60 F and going to get warmer as the day goes on. So I think I will put them all outside for some fresh air... but... very little direct sun... if any... ;)

Marjie
Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
10 years ago
Maybe just a case of not seeing the change since you look at it so often. I see new baby leaves on there.

So the stall equals time spent inside? Sounds like just not enough light inside your house (or specifically, where this plant was,) for growth, just stayin' alive. Looks fine, maybe a little dusty, which I'd let the rain fix as mentioned above but I know it doesn't rain there often. I don't think it had anything to do with removing or not removing the flowers.

No reason to separate or not separate, just depends on if you want one bigger, fuller pot, or multiple pots. Personally, I'd prefer to propagate cuttings over trying to separate the plant from your pic if I wanted multiples.

Early in the morning or late, first or last hour of the day are the best for trying "new sun" on plants that have been stuck inside all winter, or the dappled light under a big tree. Sudden sun at noon is not the thing to do, or a day with tons of wind and gusts.