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[CheshireCat]

A very easy and effective method to root many different cacti. Trichocereus respond very well to this treatment. You can completly avoid having to let your cactus dry for a long time to heal the cut.

You just have to get some birdsand, enriched with anise oil. After making your cutting, you directly transfer it into the dry birdsand. Shade the cactus from direct sunlight. The dry, mineralic soil and the anise oil will prevent rotting and being covered with substrate will stimulate root growth. A strong, healthy cutting in the growing period will take root within a few weeks. When the first roots have formed, you can tranfser it to the normal cactus substrate and acclimate it to full sunlight again.

Try it the next time you take cuttings. 

[New Wisdom]

Crazy! No need for it to heal up after the wound is made?

[CheshireCat]

The conditions for healing the wounds are excelent in the dry sand and at the same time the roots can already develope. Therefore you save a lot of time.  I read this method in a cactus forum where almost everyone uses it, because it is so fast and easy.

[New Wisdom]

Sweet! I'll use it next time.

[Praetorian]

Im DEFINITELY gonna have to try this!!

[Bach]

Is birdsand any different than regular sand? Where does one obtain it? And does it have the anise oil aready applied?

[Shpongle Lover]

I just googeled bird sand (two words) and found it.  It's the same stuff they apply to sheets that you can use to line the bottom of your bird cage or on their perches.  It provides friction when the bird walks or grips the perch, and IIRC, it was also useful for keeping their nail growth minimized from wear.  It is available in bags online, and I imagine in well-stocked pet supply stores.

Neat.

[Cane Blossom]

why these specific ingredients?

why birdsand as opposed to regular sand?
why anise oil?

what is the methodology behind this madness?

[Shpongle Lover]

This was the rationale as provided by the OP:

The dry, mineralic soil and the anise oil will prevent rotting and being covered with substrate will stimulate root growth. A strong, healthy cutting in the growing period will take root within a few weeks.

Plausible, although I can't speak to the source of the info.

S.L.

[Cane Blossom]

The dry, mineralic soil and the anise oil will prevent rotting and being covered with substrate will stimulate root growth.

i don't see how regular sand and olive oil wouldn't meet that criteria..

so why the specificity?

[Sunshine]

I'm just guessing, but I think birds sand might be smoother/bigger than regular sand. Also, I think anise oil may have antibacterial/fungicidal properties.

Edit- After a quick google search it turns out I am correct-

"Star anise (Illicium verum Hook f) has been shown to possess potent antimicrobial properties."

On another note, after looking at some google images of bird sand it looks pretty fine. I wonder if it is sterile too.


Sources- https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC0QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fpubmed%2F11807977&ei=poIFUsiGDKLbyQGd94DAAQ&usg=AFQjCNH3jwqQHSMgLTUCX646vF8ahdPdMQ&sig2=CbZ4bOjTsUYtoR3rha5_vg&bvm=bv.50500085,d.dmg

[Cane Blossom]

the pieces come together (maynard told me they would fit).

i am going to try and get away with sterilizing beach sand, and using anise oil with that.

also, instead of infusing the substrate with the anise oil, could one not just rub it on the bottom of the cutting?

seems more economical to me..

[Sunshine]

Maybe the concentrated oil is too harsh, possibly even slightly caustic. It may also be that having it dispersed throughout the entire substrate will help keep it and the roots bacteria free.

You could always dilute it with water and spray it on both.

[Cane Blossom]

You could always dilute it with water and spray it on both.

yea, i think that may be the way to go.

i will update eventually (if i remember)

[Sunshine]

Keep in mind that oil isn't miscible in water(short of using an ultrasonic thingy) so you're going to have to shake after and before every spray to make sure it is properly distributed.