I have been growing the two P. Torches pictured below for almost two years, inside in the winter and outside in the summer, where the tops were chewed off by slugs (that's why they look like they have been previously harvested and "pupped".

I was thinking of making cuttings of these two, but I have a few questions for the cactus experts here:

1) Should I harvest and brew or try and propagate with cuttings? (what would you do?)
2) For cuttings should I cut right at the juncture where the pups sprouted, below into the larger piece underneath (and cut the resulting hour glass at the bottom off, of course, before callousing) or:
3) Above a node: Most sources say to cut anywhere (on an angle), but one source I read said to always cut right above a node (where the needles grow) to assure the growth and health of a pup. Any truth to this?

I am very tempted to brew it and eat it all up, but the idea of doubling my numbers is certainly tempting, especially given the size of them. I also have about 160 seedlings (L.williamsii, P. torch and T. Brridgesii) on the way, but it'll be years before I can harvest them (I am giving a lot away to friends when they are mature enough (seedlings, not friends ), and expect to lose quite a few of the weaklings - about 12 have already perished). You can actually see some of them in jiffy pots at the base of those Cacti - I am trying 5 different environments to see which is best for seedlings - 3 different windowsills with different lighting, a germinator with a heat pad (they all began in this germinator) and under the grow lights with the larger Torch in the picture. I'll take pics at some point and keep everyone posted.

In the meantime, what to do with the BIGGIES?

Thanks,

JBArk

Nice cactus, jbark. especially since it was grown in the arctic north! I think you forgot option 1: let it grow. Cutting any of that cactus will stunt its growth somewhat, and you may have to eat most of it for an interesting ride. If you are serious about increasing your numbers you could buy some well rooted m. geometerizans plants cheap at a nursery and graft some small pieces or even areoles of your torch. The same applies for the seedlings, as you can graft them to smaller stocks like hylocereus, which is fairly common (its the little nub that those grafts are on at the nursery). If you have even more free time you can buy some pereskiopsis and go graft crazy.

more specifically to answer your question: it doesnt matter so much where you cut it as long as you treat it nicely while the wound heals. The more cactus you leave on the roots the faster it will grow. I had two nearly identical clones that were about 18 inches tall a year ago, and I cut one down so there was about 8 inches left and the other down to about 4 inches. I have gotten more than twice as much new growth from the bigger stump...

ps those plants want more light.

yeah what he said

They are very etiolated, if you brewd it ALL up, you may not get a full trip. They are still young and i dont think they have been raised too well

So two votes for letting them grow and one questioning my growing technique . Unless anyone else chimes in I guess I will put them outside again this summer and hope for the best. They get dappled light for 4-5 hours a day and open shade for the remaining 6-8, but only from June through September, into October if i am lucky - the rest of the year they are under lights in the basement (4 fluorescents, 8 and 16 inches above respectively) for 12 hour cycles. maybe I'll add two more or double it this winter, so they'll get some more side light and overall more footcandles.

I guess i'll have to be patient for all those little guys to grow up, all 160 of them if they don't die off!!

Cheers,

JBArk

in northern climates they might need full sun to reach mature girth during the short season, and if low level lighting is all that is avail to mature cactus in the winter,then maybe dormancy is best(at least it stops eloation)
for inside:
move the floros closer, when i used 20-40w tubes types they were 3-6" from seedlings and the temps never went over 80-90* either under the lights, or in my closet

when i moved them under a 400w metal halide i had them 12-20" away

Update :

So I moved the smaller of the two outdoors into 4-6 hours direct, 7-8 indirect light. When i tried to move the larger one, the entire top end SNAPPED OFF! So, I am am callousing the larger bit while I decide, and keeping the stub under artificial lights until a pup pops up on the top! I'll probably move it outside then.

Or would it be better just to move it out now? The top is dry, but not calloused.

Cheers,

JBArk

You'll be fine to move it out now jbark, as long as it doesnt piss down over the next month you should be fine, the plant will heal ok. (If your worried, keep the wound treated with sulfur powder)

Good choice on not brewing those up, they are tiny, Id guess there's about 10 or 15 grams dried flesh out of the whole lot. I.E. it wouldnt even touch the sides, you would be amazed at just how much cactus needs to be used in a brew or a powdered extraction, I know I was when I first started. When people say you need a foot for a good experience, they mean you need a foot long piece thats as fat as your thigh! It will take you years to achieve that with those plants, and perhaps never if they are under lights.

As DG already said, I would seeriously consider not putting them under lights in winter, they naturally stop growing in the colder months, and are quite happy without light or water for 4-6 months of the year. The only thing you need to worry about in nature is too much water (and super extreme temperature drops, which you probably get), if you can keep them under an eave of the house, next to a wall they will thrive I think. Get some big pots, only use slow release fertalizer and let nature do its thing. Outside in summer, inside/covered outside with no water in winter.

Thanks dg, thanks antichode. I think I will wait before moving it outside though, we get sudden deluges here, sometimes lasting 4-5 days... And i think i will leave them dormant next winter - sound advice! And they are already in fairly big pots (10 inch and 14 inch respectively). Now I need to gather myself to ask about my little seedlings (some are ailing, and most of them are not growing very quickly... I'll post soon in another thread.

Thanks again,

JBArk

this greenhouse was my solution, but i'm sure its far colder in Montreal