Expert: Greg Simpson - 12/6/2007

Question
Hello Greg:
I live out in the Superstition Foothill area of AJ on 6 acres.  I noticed today a rather large Saguaro had fallen over on my property.  More than likely due to the excessive rain last weekend.  The catus had two large arms and several button arms growing right out of the top of the main structure.  My question is can I replant the arms and or the smaller buttons those of which are about the size of a football?
Thanks,
Chuck

Answer
Chuck,

That depends on how much damage there is. Generally when a saguaro falls over, it hits the ground with a lot of force that will usually render the arms unusable. However, if you have an arm that did not hit the ground, try this.

Make the cutting (on the larger arms) a good distance from where it connects to the main stem. You will need to let it "heal" for at least a month before replanting. When you do replant, make sure that you mix about 50% sand into the soil and provide some shade if you are not able to keep the south side of the plants facing south (very important with cacti). If they root, it can take months, maybe 6 months, so be patient. Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Greg