My question comes up due to the colder time of the year being not too far in my country. So what i learned so far is that cacti are put into the basement with the lowest light possible and no water... Easy.


But now im wondering how fast they will turn into sleeping mode? In case that they are still growing of course, wouldnt they first try to reach for light and continue growing but etiolated?

Like trying to reach for sun for 2-4 weeks and then going dormant as they realize it s hopeless?

That would mean cacti will always have some etiolated phase going through in the fall every year?

Or is the dormancy instant, they realize no light = no growth so they fall asleep faster than they could even show some "bad growth"?

With a little light, they will etiolate. With none at all and no water, they will etiolate slightly if at all.