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Gardening Area => Growing questions and answers => Topic started by: Roze on September 01, 2015, 11:27:54 PM

Title: what's wrong with this crested?
Post by: Roze on September 01, 2015, 11:27:54 PM

Hello friends!

One of my favourite cacti is developing a strange colour in his extremity, that's make me concerned because probably I'm doing something wrong with him..

His indoors, on a south oriented window and only watered when the soil is dry.

Is this brown hue normal or a signal that something is not right?

Any advice is welcome!

thanks! ;)

Title: Re: what's wrong with this crested?
Post by: Chicsa on September 01, 2015, 11:54:50 PM

Looks like some sort of bug infestation, maybe spidermites?
another thought of mine is sun burn.

Title: Re: what's wrong with this crested?
Post by: muze801 on September 02, 2015, 12:12:26 AM

Yup, looks like spider mite damage to me. Try a dusting with diatomaceous earth?

Title: Re: what's wrong with this crested?
Post by: kykeion on September 03, 2015, 10:31:27 PM

Spider mites, possibly mealy bugs as well.
I'd give the diatomaceous earth (DE) a go as well. I use a duster like the one pictured below.
I also mix in a bit of powdered sulfur and cinnamon as well foe a bit of fungal protection.

While DE is non-toxic you do need to be cautious with it.  I recommend wearing a dust mask to avoid inhaling the dust which can cause respiratory irritation. It will also indiscriminately kill all insects, both harmful and beneficial that come into contact with it (it is made up of microscopic fossils which pierce the outsides of insects and cause them to die).