How to Cut a Cactus and Replant? A strategy for propagating your cactus plant is to root and plant a piece of it. You must gently take a clipping, allow it to try, and then root it in a suitable-sized pot with appropriate soil. Never overwater your cactus to keep them healthy.
Overactive toddlers, rogue animals, a casual bump, or an unanticipated mishap can all easily knock a chunk off your prized cactus plant. If this happens to you, don’t be concerned because you don’t have to throw away the chopped portion. While the main plant can survive even after losing a portion of its stem, it may appear wasteful to discard the detached portion and forget about everything.
The straightforward answer is yes. A large variety of cacti species can be easily reproduced from cuttings. Hedgehog, prickly pear and branching columnar cacti like the night-blooming cereus are some of the most frequent cactus species grown through cuttings. Also, if a piece of your cactus falls off by accident, don’t throw it away. Instead, let it root and grow into a new plant.
This article will teach you everything you need to know about cultivating cacti plants from cuttings. We will teach you how to develop new plants from cuttings, whether you actively took them from your plant or they broke off unintentionally.
How to Cut a Cactus and Replant?
1. Taking a Cutting to Cut a Cactus and Replant
When growing a cactus from cuttings, you must be cautious about how and where you obtain your cutting. In reality, this phase will determine your long-term success. If you make a mistake here, your cactus cutting may not grow into a new plant. The first step is to select a healthy and mature plant from which you will take your cutting. If your plant has pads, choose a mature one even if additional smaller pads have begun to sprout on top of it. Put on protective gloves and gently cut off a part of the plant that is at least a few inches from the top once you’ve found a nice plant to take cuttings from. This stage can be completed with a sharp knife or a hand saw.
Make cautious to cut the plant at an angle so that rainfall does not collect on the parent plant, which might cause rot. Before you begin cutting, you should also sterilise the knife or handsaw. This is to prevent bacteria from entering the plant through existing lesions on its surface. If you don’t feel comfortable handling a cactus plant in your hands, you can use cactus pliers or tongs instead.
2. Rooting Your Cactus Cutting to Cut a Cactus and Replant
Before you can root your cutting, you must first do a few things. To begin, place your cutting in a dry, cool location away from direct sunshine for a few days. If possible, keep the cutting vertical to avoid roots from sprouting out on the sides and to help it stay straight during drying.
Allow the cut end to heal for a few days to produce a callous. Don’t take the cutting and plant it immediately away since it will rot and leave you with nothing. Callousing closes the wound and protects it from bacterial and fungal organisms that could cause the cutting to decay once planted.
Rooting in a Pot:
When your cutting has completely dried and calloused, it is time to root it so it can grow into a new plant. You can either root your cutting in a planting pot or directly in the ground. We’ll go over both approaches. If you opt to root your cutting in a pot, choose the appropriate pot size. A large container is not required for a cutting. Simply choose something appropriate that isn’t too big for your cutting. Make certain that the container you purchase has plenty of drainage holes.
The next step is to fill your pot with an adequate potting mix. Let’s talk about the soil because it’s important for the survival and rooting of your cactus cutting. Your cactus, like mature cacti plants, requires porous, well-draining soil. Keep in mind that if the soil retains water for an extended period of time, the cutting at the base may decay. To be safe, consider amending your soil with plenty of perlite or sand to increase drainage.
Fill the growth pot halfway with potting soil and carefully insert the cutting. If your cutting is less than six inches long, it should penetrate the soil at least two inches deep and three to four inches deep if it is longer than six inches. To keep your cutting upright, consider using tiny stones or two wooden stakes tied together with rope.
Keep freshly planted cuttings out of direct sunlight. You can place the pot in a well-lit area, but keep the cutting out of direct sunlight until the roots are firmly established. You want to minimise sunburns and dehydration before your cutting establishes a strong root system.
Rooting in the Ground:
You can still root your cutting in the ground if you don’t have an acceptable container size. If you go with this approach, make sure to soften the soil in the area where you intend to plant your cutting. Then, in the loosened soil, dig a hole deep enough to insert the calloused end of your cutting a few inches into the ground.
Most of the time, you’ll have to mound tiny stones around the cutting for stability, especially if it’s from a columnar cactus. Remove the stones once you’re certain that roots have grown and your cutting is securely established in the ground.
Should I Water the Cutting Right After Planting It?
When it comes to caring for cacti plants, irrigation is a key component that must be handled with care. You’ve probably noticed that overwatering kills succulents considerably faster than underwatering. So, how frequently should you water your cutting after it has rooted? Consider carefully soaking the soil before planting. From there, you don’t have to worry about watering as much because the cutting can stay in good form for a few days or weeks before it needs to be watered again. Watering after that must be mild and constant. To keep your cutting moist, a good rule of thumb is to lightly water it once a week. You should try to keep the soil humid but not soggy.
How Long Does It Take a Cactus Cutting to Develop Roots?
The rate at which cuttings establish new roots is typically determined by a variety of parameters such as cutting size, cactus type, and watering regimen. In general, roots take four to six weeks to form, however, smaller cuttings develop roots considerably faster than larger cuttings.
To achieve better results, take the effort to carefully prepare your cuttings ahead of time and pot them in sterile rooting media to prevent them from decaying or wilting before they root. Most cacti plants will be ready for transfer about one month after roots.
Can I Replant The Broken Pieces of a Cactus?
You certainly can. Don’t throw away broken plant parts since they can grow into new plants. The only thing you need to do is ensure that you are preparing the broken parts for planting correctly.
The first step is to inspect the broken end of the item. If the end is crooked or broken, make a new cut using a sharp knife to straighten it up. Set aside the shattered piece for a few days to allow the wound to callous over before rooting. Before you begin rooting, make sure the cut end is dry and sealed over.
3 Propagation Strategies
1. Develop Technical and Mechanical Skills to Cut a Cactus and Replant
Train your hand and eye because they are critical in propagation. Most of the time, your head will know how, but your hand will refuse. Practice is the best approach to enhancing your talents.
2. Know Your Cacti Species and the Best Way to Propagate Them
There are about 2500 cactus species worldwide, and each one is distinct. As a result, learn about your plant species and the optimal method of propagation for it.
3. Understand the Various Plant Structures and How They Grow
Studying your cactus is the greatest approach to learning about it. Every day, make an attempt to learn something new about your plant. Allow it to teach you, and once you understand how they grow, spreading them will be simple.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to produce cacti plants from cuttings, it’s time to put what you’ve learned into practice. Feel free to try new things and let us know how it goes. We like communicating with cacti enthusiasts from all around the world. Subscribe to our email list to receive the most recent gardening advice.
