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HELP!!!!!

It is the oddest thing. The insides are turning to liquid, but the root systems are fine. I cut one open and found a tunnel, but nothing at the end of it, but the healthy, solid root. This is taking all of my barrels, one after another. I just lost a very nice ueblemania pectinifera. I have found that a colony of black ants has moved into one of the larger pots ( a none barrel cactus). Could these tiny creatures be the fiends that are killing my barrels? If they are I have a lot of work ahead. Can they do this or do you know what can. They are not over watered.

Thanks
 
Well, since they aren't over watered, I don't know what to tell ya. Though, once while I was at a greenhouse, some ants were burrowing into the stem of some kinda desert plant, and they made a huge hole in it. Though, I had a mammalaria (is that how you spell it?) that wasn't over watered, and it just somehow rotted on the inside. It could just be some bacteria that may have entered your plants.
 
I suppose it could be, but it is spreading.  It is weird.  The inside of the one I cut was red and looked like water pumpkin inerds.  The smell was terrible, like rot, but not from over watering.  It is deffinately not from over watering because the roots are in great shape.
 
Copper,
Can't help you much other than to say that I lost about 15 Carnegia gigantea (giant saguaro )plants to a similiar issue. I would agree that it is the result of some sort of bacterial infection. The only solution I discovered was seperating my plants and destroying any plant that showed signs of infection.
Sorry to hear about your cacti conundrum
smile_h_32.gif
 
Though, I did want to say that my cactus had some infection of scale or mealybug or somethin (before it got smushy & rotted), and I suppose they could've carried some sort of bacteria.
 
I have decided to go through the labor and change the soil, clean the pots and plants.  I need to get rid of this. It works very rapidly. I agree that it must be bacterial and perhaps the ants are taking it from one plant to another, but it only effects the barrels.

I need to add my catus/succulent grow list. I have quite a lot now.
 
I always thought that it was lack of light. I bought a mammaralia which did exactly the same thing. Then I went up and bougt another one from the exact same tray and just put it brighter in my windowsill. This one is now thriving and growing great exept when winter arrives and it start to look wierd because the light loss again.
 
I have mine in a grow chamber. I will try adding more light.
 
Hello Copper,
When you said 'growing chamber' it suddenly makes sense. In general cacti need to be kept dry and in a dry atmosphere during winter. I suspect that the humidity is too high in the growing chamber and is causing the body to rot.

Best regards

Chris
 
  • #10
No, I removed the back and the humidity is its normal low for this area. The good news is the spread has stopped. No other barrels were infected. Odd.
 
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