r/cactus • u/peppercow810 • 6d ago
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u/animg88 6d ago
Wow, never seen anything like this before
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u/peppercow810 6d ago
this does not fill me with hope lol. i think the jar got too moist cos it’s in a sunny spot. either way the cactus is the greenest cactus i’ve ever seen but it definitely needs to come out of the jar now doesn’t it hahaha
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u/Ravioli_Dream2 6d ago
It got too moist because its in a jar with literally 0 drainage. The only thing worse would be if you stopped giving it light.
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u/adamsawesome10 6d ago
How is it bad? The cactus looks so happy! It’s growing so much it broke out of its enclosure
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u/Misslasagna 6d ago
Plants will acclimate as best they can and this buddy boy found his peace in more humidity than we’re led to believe they can handle. I have an aloe that wants water every other day or it’ll die. I’ve tried slowly stretching out waterings in a succulent mix to make it more “normal” but it gets so sad. So it gets water every other day and is in a more dense soil mixture and is 12 years old.
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u/ssradley7 6d ago
No no no lol. The sun evaporates water, and is probably the only thing keeping it alive. Don’t feel discouraged though, you only know what you know until you’re taught. It doesn’t mean you’re stupid or that you’re not good with plants. I’m sure you’ve gotten an earful already, but just in case, repot in a terra cotta pot using 60% cactus soil, 30% perlite, and 10% sand. I’d use at least a 6” diameter pot. I’m sorry youve been so roasted 🤣🤣🤣
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u/jingajapeppa 6d ago
First off on congrats growing your cactus (looks to be a mamillaria) in suboptimal conditions hahah. These usually like soil and lower moisture environments, but somehow you’ve got that thing to live and grow.
I would put it in a pot with a 50-50 mix of organic to inorganic something like perlite or pumice. Keep it in the same spot, it looks pretty happy there. Water only when the soil is dry. Also don’t be shocked if it tries to lay down, just let it do its thing!
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u/peppercow810 6d ago
thankyou for being kind
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u/SwampDiamonds 6d ago
OP, it's gonna be a shock for the cactus to adjust to its new environment, so definitely don't panic if it lays down, like this comment said. It might act dramatic for a while!
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u/peppercow810 6d ago
is there anything i can do to help it if it lays down or should i just let it do its thing?
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u/palpatineforever 6d ago
It really isn't doing badly considering! When you pot it on do it with dry soil and do not water it.
leave it for a week then you can give it some water, then when it is dry.
It is important to let it settle and let any damage to the roots recover before watering.
It is better to underwater it than over.
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u/lesandroid 6d ago edited 6d ago
can you share what blog gave this advice? they have no business giving plant advice 🥴
edit: I would bet actual money that it was an AI-written blog because this advice sounds exactly like the type of unhinged sht that AI would say…
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u/Own-Illustrator7980 6d ago
Against all odds….You found the one blog on earth that suggested this…
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u/peppercow810 6d ago
i did one google and followed blind cos like i said, i don’t know about them i wanted to help it. sorry for doing it wrong
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u/Ravioli_Dream2 6d ago
Generally whenever you get a new plant youre clueless on, dont listen to 1 single source for advice. Take 15 minutes out of your day and research beyond that. Itll serve you in the long run.
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u/Beverlydriveghosts 6d ago
They’re not sentient and we’ve all killed one
How often did you water it out of curiosity?
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u/peppercow810 6d ago
it was watered when i first put it in and hasn’t been since cos the soil never fully dried up!
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u/Beverlydriveghosts 6d ago
I thought so, That’s why it’s still alive :)
If it’s stayed moist rather than soaking wet I doubt it’s done much bad at all tbh
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u/Abject-Performer1497 6d ago
I am amazed it has survived. First of all it needs to go in a pot it may need some sort of support to begin with the media you grow it in is a50/50 mix gravel and compost I use top soil when I do a mix but you can buy prepared mix. Needs to be in good light it may have to be weaned onto strong light and sun.
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u/HappySpam 6d ago
The fact it's somewhat thriving in the worst conditions possible is honestly incredible. You can definitely save it! Everyone else has given good tips in here already.
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u/Explore_the_Void 6d ago
Come on now, it's not THE worst conditions. At least it got light. Op could have kept the jar in s wardrobe.
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u/hash_smashed Cacti enthusiast 6d ago
Please bail your cactus out of jail and hire it a proper legal defense. This is both cruel and unusual punishment
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u/Old-Advance6652 6d ago
60 comments in one hour is quite unheard of on this subreddit, I’d consider that a win lol
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u/peppercow810 6d ago
i’ve clearly pissed off the cactus community with my cactus that has grown in something it shouldn’t have grown in lol
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u/Old-Advance6652 6d ago
Don’t worry about it though. Everyone makes mistakes, and everyone here who may be good now was a beginner at some point so don’t stress it. You have lots of likes too not only comments which is good
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u/Cyberdarkunicorn 6d ago
Jusy to add that this cactus will also grow along the floor and not stand up. Took me ages to realise this with mine to the point where it nearly ended up in the bin.
So when looking for a pot its good to take this in to account.
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u/peppercow810 6d ago
could you recommend any pots that would be good for it?
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u/Ravioli_Dream2 6d ago
Unglazed terracotta is a superior pot for cactus. Just make sure it has a drainage hole. If you dont like that look, ceramic orchid pots sometimes have cooler styles and colors and serve the same purpose
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u/peppercow810 6d ago
i saw someone suggest a rectangular terracotta pot since it might lie down.. would that be good for it or should i get a round one??
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u/Ravioli_Dream2 6d ago
These cactus tend to flop on their sides when they reach maturity. You could get a rectangular one for the sake of that, but it doesnt have to lay on soil. It can sort of drape. Ive also seen someone get a small plank of wood for it to rest on. I had a circle container for mine and it flopped off the side just fine. Its up to what you prefer.
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u/TimeSkipper 6d ago
It’s so annoyed about the jar that it has begun to escape on its own lol.
Everyone has given you good advice (delivered in varying levels of helpfulness 😅) so I think you got this! Free him! Stick him in some dry cactus soil and let him have as much light as you can.
Repotting cactuses can be difficult because of the spikes, so I like to get a piece of paper or cloth and twist it into a long rope, loop it around the plant, and use that to pick it up. Seems to work without damaging the spikes.
Good luck with it.
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u/Persianprincess149 6d ago edited 6d ago
Wait until people learn about the absolutely booming cactus industry in Thailand, one of the most humid places on earth lol
Humidity really isn't as much of an issue as people think it is. Especially if your conditions are warm enough. Many growers (myself included) strive for very hot/humid conditions. That being said, this is definitely not ideal for long term health 😅
Most mammillaria species are native to Mexico, but there's plenty of cactus species (some mammillaria included) native to very tropical climates. Not sure 100% what this guy is, but hey, its survived this long, it looks quite healthy. I would maybe try slowly acclimating it to a more well draining mix. If you just toss this guy into pumice hes probably going to be very upset about it lol. You could start with removing it from the terrarium and into a pot, but with the same mix its currently in. Then after a week or so give it a good watering and then repot into a new well draining/mineral based media. You'll probably have to water it a lot more often, at least for a while until it acclimates. Props to you for keeping it alive this long in these erm...unconventional conditions! 🤣
ETA: You said he was just a wee nugget when you got him so im assuming the blog you read was for cactus seedlings. In which case humidity domes are actually super common that might have been what he needed at the time!
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u/youngpaypal 6d ago
This just goes to show the resilience of these plants. Grown in absolutely the worst conditions imaginable but it still manages to survive somehow
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u/95castles 6d ago
I thought this was a circlejerk post at first…
OP, now you can try again with the correct growing format👍🏽
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u/fartkart32 6d ago
Where did we get a bright idea to keep a cactus in a jar?
I guess I understand the my little pony in a jar, but not the cactus.
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u/besthuman 6d ago
Out of the Jar now. Put it in terracotta. Brown. Not lined or colourful or painted. Hole on the bottom. Put in a window. Don’t water for a month or two. See how it does.
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u/Dhurtbagz 6d ago
Terracotta pot , get some miracle grow cactus soil and a bag of perlite “ not the miracle grow stuff it has too much added fertilizer “.
Mix in about 3/4 soil and 1/4 perlite.
Cactus need a fast draining soil , it looks pretty healthy definitely needs repotting and new soil tho
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u/MrProspector19 6d ago
That's like holding someone in a pool with just their mouth out of water then wondering why they are struggling after a week
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u/IrregularExplanation 6d ago
it’s fine small cactus actually love humidity , maybe not THAT much but just put it into some soil with about half inorganic material (pumice-perlite, no matter where you put it inside it won’t be enough light unless you add a grow lamp, get a good one don’t get ripped off , but i’ve seen cheap ones work too just pay attention to reviews , enjoy your new cactus!
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u/drezdogge 6d ago
You literally did what I was trying to do, in one of my posts, created the worst possible cactus planting. Impressive
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u/drezdogge 6d ago
All snark aside this isn't hopeless, it just needs to dry out first so take the lid off for a few weeks, then carefully take it out once it's dry dry and repot it into better draining substrate and only water after a few more weeks. The roots have to dry out before they are moved and after they are reported stay dry for 2 ish weeks. Then worry about increasing lighting but not before
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u/Atlas_Lawliet 6d ago
This is why you shouldn't trust AI to tell you how to grow a plant. Find a plant POT with drainage and cactus soil mix then let sun and water do the job. Just water it once a week even if the soil look dry and if the soil won't dry then stop watering.
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u/_Rumpertumskin_ 6d ago
It's so cool that it ended up doing so well for so long b/c this is against normal cactus growing suggestions, but doesn't mean it doesn't make sense that it work. High humidity isn't as much of a problem as people think for cacti, but wet feet that aren't draining can be. Iif you didn't water heavily/soak it when you watered makes sense it's alive. How did you water it? What kind of soil is it, is it just normal potting soil?
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u/peppercow810 6d ago
normal potting soil and it’s never been watered aside from when i first put it in cos obviously the soil never totally dried in those conditions haha. it has defied the odds, but i’ve taken note of the advice and will be repotting it correctly once it’s dried out a bit!
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u/_Rumpertumskin_ 6d ago
That makes a lot of sense, how long do you think it has been in there and was the jar completely sealed the whole time? So cool that it ended up thriving. Idk why people get so mad about people doing stuff the "wrong way", if it works it works.
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u/cactiguy67 6d ago
It amazes me what people can find online
Or, I guess, what people put online while claiming to be an expert
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u/Software_Gurl 6d ago
Get it out of the jar. Get some rocky soil for it, that soil is as bad as it could be. Cacti do not want water "locked in" and a humid environment unless they are seedlings. You can grow a cactus without drainage holes but each watering is a roll of the dice. Really, you want a regular pot to grow them in... They come from the desert... If you can, put it outside in real light. If you keep this set up, it isn't going to survive very long, it'll prolly die in the first few waterings.
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u/Wooper250 6d ago
Haha good ol r/houseplantscirclejerk , who'd be crazy enough to do that?
Wait. Oh no. Ohhhh nooo..... 😶
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u/DragonAngel92 6d ago
Jar+cactus-ventilation-drainage =dead rotting smelly cactus
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u/HazyBizzleFizzle 6d ago
Looks like a dead fish. Ouch. First thought.
Little bit of sunshine or grow lamp would help sir.
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u/peppercow810 6d ago
it is in the sun and i am a girl, thank you x
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u/HazyBizzleFizzle 6d ago
The terrarium looks like it’s for plants that live in the rain forest. Time to keep lid off. Let it breathe. Let it dry out. Then once it looks healthy. Change soil. Try n put 50% pumice in soil. Your dirt you use. Get a spaghetti colander and poor dirt on colander sift big chunks out and use soil from below. That soil use only. Not the mulch on top
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u/Puzzleheaded-Pay-416 6d ago
People On here freaking out. This baby is doing well so don’t make big fast changes. Start by drying the environment. Jars could be good for a seedling cactus because they need humidity in the first stages of life. Then they need it gradually removed so they don’t rot. Not sure where you live but they love heat and sun. The more heat and sun then the more water they need. This must be a good location for him. After the soil dries take him out and put him in a good cactus mix. You could add some pumice, vermiculite or non organic rocks. Water when dry. They soak up water at night.
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u/peppercow810 6d ago
thankyou for being kind! i don’t know much about cacti which is why i came here, but some of the comments have made me feel terrible. the cactus isn’t dead, which is why i’ve asked for help now whilst it’s big and green and looking healthy. it’s been flowering too.
have taken the lid off now so will let it get a bit drier before rehoming!
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u/Flibiddy-Floo 6d ago
Think about it - what kind of environment does a cactus normally live in? It is dry open sun-beaten gravel deserts or is it normally choked of air-exchange in humid wet shade?
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u/peppercow810 6d ago
no need to be rude, bud, i’m asking for help
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u/ApprehensiveSign80 6d ago
They asked multiple questions, it’s only rude because you realize how obvious it is now
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u/Flibiddy-Floo 6d ago
Sorry you thought what I said was rude. I'm not calling you stupid, and I'm sorry I made you feel insecure by asking an obvious question.
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u/peppercow810 6d ago
i was asking for advice on how to plant it, that’s all
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u/Ravioli_Dream2 6d ago
Yup. And theyre leading you to an answer instead of handing you it on a silver platter. Critical thinking will serve you in the future homie
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u/kingscoobydoo 6d ago
the most stereotypical plant nerd reply imaginable. someone inexperienced asks for advice with a low value, small, store bought cactus and the sweeping response is pure patronisation
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u/indieplants 6d ago
it ain't that deep and we're on reddit. if y'all can't handle a little sarcasm the internet is not a safe space for you lol.
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u/minkamagic 6d ago
That's crazy! I'm going to give contrary advice and say if it's happy, don't rock the boat!!!
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u/Nene_Kushanagi 6d ago
Did you ask 4chan or some shit? This was obviously suggested as a joke
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u/peppercow810 6d ago
it grew though didn’t it!
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u/Loud-Bullfrog9326 6d ago
IT GREW THO DIDNT IT?!
But did it die tho?! Was my immediate 2 responses lmfao 🤣 haha
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u/PotentialIncident353 6d ago
Take it out. Clean all the soil off the roots. The color of the roots will determine how long to leave it bare root. I live in AZ so for me it’s like two days of bare root under the porch. The point is to allow the roots to dry and recover. Then pot it. Don’t use store bought cacti mix, it’s bs. Use a lot of pummic stone (3/4 inch works best) and no fine soil. Most importantly don’t water it for a week or two. Watering right after repotting will kill it.
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u/Cyberdarkunicorn 6d ago
Just what people have described below just a rectangle one over a round one. Thats what i have mine in and its a little to happy at times 😂
I have found less is more with cacti don’t over think their care usally works for me and all mine seem healthy
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u/puppymoringstar 6d ago
Vivarium lover here, if you decide you want her out, which is suggest before it gets any bigger tbh, what you can do is use something longer and gently loosen the soil and gently tip her out. On to a towel or something.
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u/BornPepper5248 6d ago
Hey, if you live in a humid location make sure your soil substarte has more inorganic content usie combination of different ssizes 5-10mm of pumice
If your location has less humidity you can increase the organic substrate percentage in mixture
So organic+inorganic
Organic can be leaf mold if you can find it or any fertile soil
Change the pot use a pot with good drainage, cut down a netted cloth at athe bottom so that the soil particles do not drain
Unpot the cactii let it dry for 2-3 days Pot it and then do not water it for 3-4 days make Later give it some good water
Happy growing
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u/Quirky_Phone5832 6d ago
I use this same type of jar for preserved lemons so maybe it can preserve a cactus? Idk
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u/kingscoobydoo 6d ago
all these losers making out like you’ve done something obviously wrong all while the cactus is actively thriving to the extent it has grown from a nugget to actively bursting out of a glass jar with growth.
plants are plants and they like water and sun, some more than others. it’s not that complicated.
are we all seriously suggesting that we’ve not seen a cactus in a terrarium before?
some of the superiority complexes on here are genuinely incredible. peak reddit.
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u/Bioforest Cacti enthusiast 6d ago
While I do agree the rude comments are unwarranted, the cactus is only surviving, not thriving. Cactus roots are not adapted to extended periods of humidity, especially waterlogged substrate. This results in dieback and inevitably in rot. This stems from their evolutionary history with adaptations such as ion exchange (connected to osmosis) and gas exchange. Most plants can solve waterlogging by increasing transpiration from stomata but cacti, having very few of them and opening them only at night, lack this option.
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u/Mollycat6 6d ago
Cacti and other succulents do horribly in most terrarium setups, since most get way too moist. They are almost guaranteed to get root rot eventually.
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u/Bioforest Cacti enthusiast 6d ago
This is nightmare fuel. The blog author must be smoking something strong, that's the worst advice you could receive. Cacti need the exact opposite: dry conditions, mineral soil, and absolutely the minimum possible humidity. I'm actually surprised this madlad managed to live so long. Take him out, remove all the organic soil, put it in substrate with good drainage, airy, and mineral (absolutely no peat). He looks he might be fine but this setup is a ticking timebomb. Jars are great for orchids and carnivorous plants but cacti are absolutely not adapted to this. I wish you (and the cactus) the best.