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[Radium]

• Is performing cuts using a red hot knife a good idea? It instantly seals the wound and prevents infection, but wouldn't it delay/prevent rooting?
• Some plants have pale/yellow bottoms due to insufficient sun exposure at previous year, but this year's new top growths are green. Will the pale bottoms eventually turn green as well?
• What causes etiolated growth, how can I "prevent" it?
• Is powdered egg shells good for Trichs? How about gypsum?
• Is putting used black tea bags on top soil good for them?
• What's the best natural insecticide/pesticide/fungicide for them?
• Why some plants get dried yellow patches on their skin?
• Can plants with dried yellow patches on the very tip continue to grow from top?

[oplopanax]

1.) I would guess no, but maybe worth a try?
2.) They do green up after time in the sun
3.)Etiolation is caused by the plant continuing to grow in less than optimal light conditions. Trichs grow best in the sun & warmth. They grow etiolated under grow lights and under winter time sun. The best way to avoid etiolation is to allow them to go completely dormant in the winter. Take them inside where they do not get much light and stop watering them entirely.
4.) I have heard that they love gypsum, but have not tried it myself. someone I know swears by adding drywall to the soil.
5.) I don't know.
6.) I also don't know this. I have almost never had pest issues except for slugs which I kill with sluggo.
7.) I don't know, living organisms have weird things happen to their skin. My sweetie has ezcema & I don't know why that happens either. Could be a lot of different things.
8.) They should, yes. As long as the top does not get physically damaged it will keep growing, and if it does get damaged it will just put out a fresh pup.

1 Like Radium likes this.

[Radium]

Thanks for your nice & neat ordered answers 

New Qs:

• Is homemade red pepper tea spray a safe pesticide for Trichs?
• How about tobacco tea spray?
• How about P. harmala tea?

[Chicsa]

Diatomaceous earth is one of my essential insecticides
Gypsum will help soften clay so it doesn't lock up when wet

[Auxin]

Gypsum will slow down cactus growth.

I dont know what P. harmala tea might do, it is allelopathic to some plants but I dont know if trichs are in that group.
I've used tobacco tea spray before and it seemed to cause no harm when done in the shade.

[happyconcacti]

I wouldn't use a hot knife. Normally I just put the fresh cut facing the sun for an hour or two to cauterize the wound.

[Psylocke]

You can also dust the cut with sulfur powder to discourage rot. I have never used a hot knife, so can't comment on that. Some types of cacti will benefit from calcium added to the soil. I use dolimitic lime since it is neutral pH. Don't use hydrated lime since it has high pH and may burn your plants. The only insecticide I use on my plants is insecticidal soap. Cacti are generally more resistant to attack by insects than other kinds of plants. As oplopanax said, the best way to avoid etiliolation is to let your cacti go dormant in winter. Put them somewhere cool, dry, and fairly dark. They need very little water during dormancy.

[Radium]

Gypsum will slow down cactus growth.

I dont know what P. harmala tea might do, it is allelopathic to some plants but I dont know if trichs are in that group.
I've used tobacco tea spray before and it seemed to cause no harm when done in the shade.

And what happens when done NOT in the shade?

[Psylocke]

It is generally not a good idea to apply pesticides in full sun since it may cause tissue damage.

[Auxin]

Yup, I've got little marks on plants where the droplets cook off by spraying in sun.

Oh and I also wouldnt cut with a hot knife. This isnt a movie where a red hot poker will heal a bullet wound, heat cooks plants.

[Radium]

It is generally not a good idea to apply pesticides in full sun since it may cause tissue damage.

Chemical damage? or sunburn caused by concentration of solar rays by the optical magnifier effect of the droplets?

Oh and I also wouldnt cut with a hot knife. This isnt a movie where a red hot poker will heal a bullet wound, heat cooks plants.

But it's true, at least for plants and vertebrates.
I've healed spreading flesh eating black spots on my Pedro before with success.
I had also flat cut a big protrusive congenital melanocytic nevus (mole) on my scalp (the size of a kidney bean) using a razor blade, and killed the remaining root (composed of proliferating melanocytes)  with a red hot knife.
The nevus never grew back, but the hair still grows normal.

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Today I spotted REALLY tiny crawling white/cream creatures on my Pedros & Peruvians.
They are so so so small, the size of a needle tip, I cannot even clearly see what they actually are due to the small size.
They walk slowly and rarely, usually standing still and pretending to be dust particles.

What are these critters exactly?
Are they damaging to the cacti?
If so, how can I get rid of them?

[LIBERTYNY]

 The trouble with cauterization is that it kills exposed flesh on contact and can often make a issue's worse, It also only stop's bleeding from the smallest of veins.