Hey ya'll,

One my larger Bridgesii started sprouting roots on the side of the column. What would cause this? Is this a potential problem?
I also have a hard time keeping my Trichs plump, they always end up growing quite skinny, is this from too much sun?

Thanks for the help,
Once

i don't know tooo much about cacti.. but one thing that i've noticed about skinny cacti.. is that they are usually inside a small pot.. and those that are given bigger area to grow tend to be bigger around.. and also some of the skinnies i've seen are in a pot with another plant or in the ground next to other plants.. they compete for nutrients when like this...

hope that helps some

They're aerial roots and they're nothing to worry about, I've had them before and I'm fairly certain its from high humidity.

yeah but unfortunately you need some good light to grow cacti. living in this climate as i do, they don't grow as big as say; mexico or other sunny areas. SWIM is looking forward to this summer however.

I have mine under grow lights in the basement 12 hrs x 2 coolwhites and 2 verilux tubes all mounted about 1-1.5 ft above the cacti (and salvia and pepper plants), and they have been growing like mad for the last 3 months, comparable to outside in June through August. I water them every three days and have yet to add any nutrients (transplanted into fairly large pots last spring). Despite all this, I don't expect them to attain the heights of their brethren in Mexico or further south...

Interestingly, it is a constant 18C. Maybe the constancy of the light, the time exposed and the constant temp, even though low, make for an ideal growing environment?

To the OP, as stated by 1992 above, no need to worry about the airborne roots. If you want to stop more from growing, however, lower the humidity.

Cheers,
JBArk

Thanks for the tips guys!

I'm glad that the roots arent a problem, I thought maybe it could be a sign of some kind of deficiency.

Maybe repotting this spring can help fatten them up. Light is not a problem, I am in Arizona, and I have them in a nice sunny window with filtered light.

I think my little Juul's giant is gonna stay nice and plump, so if I have a skinny bridgesii, so be it.

Thanks again,
Once

Definitely replant in larger pots with good drainage soil and fertilize them with good organic ferts...
My bridgsii grownout doors in the PNW under cover and get brought in durin the freezing temps. A little frost will make a bridge plump up Nicely as well they get nice and fat when they get exposed to some cold weather. just don't water them in those really cold times.

Interesting Dorge. Thanks for the tip, I had no idea that exposure to COLD could help fatten them up. Its still pretty cold up here in the mountains, I will give this a try.

Also yes the larger pots make them much bigger!!!

Just imitate their natural environment!!! Think like nature!!

I would advise against putting your cacti in a freezing cold environment , even if only for a few hours. Me and some people I know have lost many cacti over one cold night
(Trich. Peruvianus). Be careful , its a risk I certainly won't take anymore.

I Just repot them once in a while and give good nutrients , they seem to like it.
I read Nitrogen makes em go fat , but its not normally contained in cacti Ferts.
My Trichs get Nitrogen from a fresh Humus Layer on top of the cacti soil every spring

We are talking about bridge... Not all trichs... But all trichs can be acclimatized. My first bridge was frozen solid at 28 degrees. It got very plump after words and grew a ton. Long exposure of a bridge to cold and wet is no good though. Snow is the worst.

if they died in a few hours of freezing temps, it is likely the soil was still moist.

*almost all* of my cacti have survived outdoors in 20-30f* temps as long as the soil and skin is dry.

at this point all the cacti in my collection are hardy to my environment, i have lost a few choice cacti over the years though

Just as a note it's been bellow 30'every night this week and even the pachanios are ok

Below 2O all week cactus's are doing great!

mine too, 20-25* last few nights, my cacti are fine