Expert: Greg Simpson - 11/26/2006

Question
my cactus is getting very large.
Is there a way to trim it, w/out killing it.
when it blooms it is beautiful

Answer
Sharon,

Yes, just don't trim it too much. You may notice that the stems get "woody" the closer they get to the soil. If you trim it too close to the soil, it will most likely not come back. Just make sure the branches are green and soft and not at all woody where you make the cuts.

It may take a while to sprout new branches, so be patient. Don't change anything you are doing, as the plant will automatically go into shock and you don't want to make it worse by changing: locations, watering, etc. Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Greg