So i got 3 50cm san pedros growing under 166w of flouro tubes and 100w le bulbs.

I´m hoping to cut them down in april or may to have about 2-3 somewhat big doses for me and a few friends.

I don´t wan´t to kill them obviously and the best thing would be if i could plant a part of the tips to make the 3 into 6Smile

Now i wonder how i should go from here if i wan´t to make them grow abit more and then start to stress them to make em as potent as possible before doing the cuts.

Any pointers and/or ideas?

Well... I understand that our like to get some action from your hard gardening work... But I would let them grow another season before cutting. A foot is what i would suggest leaving on the roots. And really, that goes for a tip too. Cutting them down too far makes it slow to recover.

I'd grow em out this season, then leave a foot in the ground on the roots.. And plant foot long tips. You may have a little left over from the middle of each of the 3 plants... Dose with that...

A tiny stump takes a long time to grow. A tiny tip takes a long time to root and grow.

Best to you

I'd wait for it to give basal pups, so that it can keep growing without a lot of stress.

Also, don't eat all the upper part. Make 2 cuts: the lower one with the roots stays in the ground. The upper part is rooted (faster rooting and growing since it's the more juvenile part). Eat the one in the middle.

The upper part should be 15-20cm. The shortest I've rooted is 6-7cm, but it takes longer to root and to start growing.

Ok i´m in no hurry with dosing, i was just thought i could harvest em that early.

As it look right now they are about 45-50cm above soil, so they would need to be at least 60cm before it´s worth making the cuts, so i can leave 20 eat 20 and repot 20cm.

I guess i should get into growing mushrooms too so have something to do while these babies grow another 10-20cm then Razz

Any idea when is hould add nutrients to my cacti? i put them in 50/50 cacti soil and perlite about 2months ago, bottom filled with leca balls and some rocks on top.

I sometimes mix lime in the water to get ph up abit.

well... hopefully some more season vets will chime in. Im new at this compared to many guys here.

I cover my pots in rocks too, but I think the trade off there is that it takes more time to add compost to the top...which I think is probably the best way.

I am planning on using a compost tea this year so I won't have to remove my pretty pebbles (inevitably poking the hell out myself)

If not using one already, switch to an organic soil next time you repot. Use organic fert to keep the micro eco-system in your pots alive and thriving.

I also mix in a SMALL amount of "water crystals" They swell up with water and help keep things not too wet. Also the expansion and contraction loosens up the soil. If you use too much, your cacti won't have anything to grip and will be wobbly... I made this mistake once, it was comical how much the soil swelled up. Some of the pebbles on top were actually pushed out of the pot. I had to repot again.

Is this your 1st cactus? Have you experienced Mesc before? A few years ago I would have answered "yes", then "no" and this is my journey in a nut shell, which might help you.
My 1st cut was purchased purely for experiencing Mesc. I made a simple tea from it and thought it was wonderful. I then went about collecting various types of active cacti which will give me not only biodiversity but a small forest in pots that I can harvest from on a annual basis in a few years time. I also get great enjoyment out of living with my cacti. The forfilment for me is no different to growing your own vegetables. Though you say you are growing under lights, so you might not have the luxury of having a few pots where you live.

Yeah ive done pedro once before, a small dose it was supposed to be but had me going for about 18hours between a +++ and ++.

I really liked the feel of cacti inside me and hope to get some more cacti when the spring comes.

what do you mean by having pots near me?

Planter Pots. Do you have an area where you can grow them outside? Better still, in the ground. Depends a lot on your 'Hardiness Zone' as to what you can do outside.

No i live in the middle of a big city so my best bet is probably the window or the floor close to a window in the summer.

I will probably get more of these big ones for the summer and harvest 2-3 right away and keep the rest for growing.

unless your specimen is 3 inches in diameter at the base dont harvest it

just get some specifically for harvesting if thats the case, enjoy growing your plant until its in the right climate to thrive, im sure with that sort of patience it will have much to say

trichs can take a lot of nutrients, best applied during active growth
but time release stuff like osmocote can be added anytime(wont become avail until it is watered)

what kind of lime are you using? do you measure ph?

I think it is dolomit lime snce it was bought in a flowershop.

I use some in the water about every 3weeks, is that to much?

yeah probably, is your water's ph way off or something?

Nah i dont kno, just read that they liked it in their water, anyway the grow like crazy so i guess they ae healthy...

Will lay of the lime for a few months though.

I will add a little granular dolomite lime once a year or so to my soil. Just a bit. I understand they like the calcium , and a little higher PH. I feed mine once a month (only during growing season) with a liquid low analysis (3-3-3) organic liquid fert mixed with a little seaweed extract. Seems to keep them very happy.

Too much lime can be toxic. The best way to know for sure it to do a PH test- you can buy kits for this at most garden stores. I can't imagine you'd want it too much higher than 7-7.5, although I've read conflicting info on their exact PH preference.

i thought that it was unconfirmed that stressing your cacti increases its potency. does anybody know for sure?