| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
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| removing a large agave cactus | 9/12/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: I have a 5' by 5' agave outgrowing the yard and becoming a danger to anyone using the nearby ...
A: Vicki, If it is that big, you may want to have a professional do it, if for no other reason that it ...
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| Identifying and repotting. | 9/11/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: I have several questions in one, I hope you don't mind, :). First, I'd like help in identifying my ...
A: Desi, I almost don't know where to start! Anyway, your drawings are fantastic, but they really ...
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| "Healing" | 9/10/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: What do you mean by when you say let it "heal" I have a cactus that broke. Do I put it in water to ...
A: Renee, No, no water! Cacti must "heal" after they are cut or broken, which means the must form a ...
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| My Jade is drooping, badly | 9/10/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: My Jade, out of no where, began to droop, (that is, all the major stems, the ones that are tall ...
A: Micah, I apologize, but I do not have a lot of experience with jade plants, however the link below ...
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| ocotillo | 9/10/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: I have a an ocotillo that was planted in June and a few of it's arms have fallen. Does this mean it ...
A: Karen, Maybe. Check the remaining branches for a green patch just above each spine. If it is ...
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| Apple cactus fungus | 9/9/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: I live in London UK. About three months ago, and knowing nothing about cacti, I moved what I think ...
A: John, More than likely it was sunburn that caused the plant to turn that color. Typically, a ...
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| Fairy-castle bloom | 9/8/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: I was just wondering if there was anyway to make my fairy-castle cactus bloom again. I've had this ...
A: Andrew, The straw flowers are not real flowers, just ones that are glued onto the plant. Your ...
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| How long does a red moon plant live? | 9/7/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: Well I got a red moon plant this year. About two weeks ago and many people are telling me that it ...
A: Wiley, There is no specific life span, however they do not live long and do not get much larger ...
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| Pachypodium (palm tree catus) | 9/6/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: The wife has had this plant for approx. 35 yrs and now it is over 8 feet tall and the base measures ...
A: Ted, I have had no luck propagating Pachypodium's by cutting, probably just a case bad timing. ...
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| Succulent Arrangements in containers | 9/5/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: I am hoping you can help me. I have been making succulent arrangements in decorative containers ...
A: RTD, Probably what is happening is the water is "wicking" up through the rock and into the soil. If ...
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| My grafted cactus and the cutting of the host plant | 9/4/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: How close does this cutting have to be to the main plant? I have one that I have had for a month and ...
A: Ken, Unfortunately, I have never tried grafting one plant to another. However, the link below will ...
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| white spots on prickly pear | 9/4/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: I planted 5 prickly pears (produces delicious fruit with green skins) and was ecstaitc to see it ...
A: Chantelle, Chance are it is Cochineal insect. However, without actually seeing it, it is hard to ...
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| Cactus Killer | 9/4/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: I've tried twice now to keep a cactus at my desk. It gets pretty cold in here at times - and I have ...
A: Devon, Unfortunately, cacti do not make good house plants because they need very intense light for ...
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| Red Yucca | 9/3/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: We have numerous Red Yucca pods from which we have gathered the seeds. Can the seeds be planted to ...
A: David, I have to admit, I have not been very successful with Yucca propagation by seed. However, ...
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| Broken Yucca Branch | 9/2/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: Greg, I have a yucca planted outdoors in Tucson. It has 2 main branches and is 4-5 feet tall. ...
A: Ron, Depending on what species of Yucca, it may or may not root. If the stem is 3 inches or less in ...
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| Saguaro Cactus | 9/2/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: The company we hired for transport gave us watering instructions that we have adhered to very ...
A: Gail, I am concerned that you are watering it weekly after 2 years. A saguaro that large could ...
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| cactus | 9/2/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: which cactus blooms after 45 years with a gorgeous 7 inch white blossom with a pink tinge at the ...
A: Sylvia, Fortunately, there is no time limit on flowering. However, it could be either a ...
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| cactus removal. | 9/2/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: I have a very large cactus planted right next to my house in San Francisco. I would like to remove ...
A: Sara, Generally a nursery or a tree removal service can handle the job. I don't know of and cactus ...
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| Cactus- needles turning black | 8/31/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: I have 5 inch Cacti on which the needles towards the top half are turning black. It is just the tips ...
A: John, Assuming it is a cactus, there are quite a few varieties that have black spines that turn ...
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| My Aloe Vera Plant & My Money Plant | 8/31/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: I was given a fairly large aloe vera plant about a year ago, I've also got a little money plant now ...
A: Zoie, It is normal for Aloe's leaves to die off from the bottom, so I would not be too concerned ...
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| Fairy Castle | 8/31/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: I bought a cactus in Arizona called a fairy castle cactus. It's really neat, and I carried it on on ...
A: David, The fairy castle cactus (Cereus tetragonus) is fairly common. But yours sounds like it may ...
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| aloe | 8/29/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: i have to aloes and i was wondering how can i get them to produce pups?
A: Shiana, Some will and some won't produce pup's. As with most plants, if you cut the main stem, they ...
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| My cactus is turning black | 8/28/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: I got a small orange cactus about 6months ago. He's now about 3in./7cm. tall. We left on vacation ...
A: Vanessa, Let the soil dry out and watch to see if the spots heal or get larger. If the spots get ...
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| Can you graft Aloe to a Cactus | 8/21/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: How easy is it to graft succulents? Is there a universal rootstock? Can you graft succulents to a ...
A: Will, How easy is it to graft succulents? It isn't for beginners, however it can be done fairly ...
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| Help for identification | 8/18/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: Could you help me identify 2 succulents? http://www.flickr.com/photos/plantules/632030069. I know ...
A: Etienne, The closest I could find is Kalanchoe longiflora or possibly Kalanchoe blossfeldiana. The ...
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| Jade plant | 8/17/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: I bought a Jade plant at Lowe's 3 weeks ago. I have it on a screened porch getting afternoon sun and ...
A: Linda, When can I repot it in a larger pot and bring it inside? Any time you like. Just remember ...
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| Small Catus watering | 8/17/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: I have planted some swaguro catus in a little pot in my house. The instructions said nothing about ...
A: Once they sprout, let the soil dry out between waterings. Depending on where you live, it can take a ...
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| Strange cactus | 8/14/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: I need help identifying a weird cactus I got from a friend as a gift. It ws supossedly collected in ...
A: J, If possible, send me a photo to greg8365@hotmail.com. However, it sounds like a Idria ...
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| planting a 4ft saguaro | 8/13/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: How far down should a 4ft saguaro be planted? We purchase a 4ft and we only have 2 1/2 out of the ...
A: Miriam, With that short of a saguaro, you can probably get away with planting it about 12" in the ...
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| damage | 8/12/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: I have a very tall cactus that unfortunately fell over, there is damage to the side, although above ...
A: M, If it is growing just fine, I would leave it alone. If you can't stand to look at the damage, ...
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| Aloe Vera | 8/11/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: I wonder if you could help me. I have had an Aloe plant for around a year now, it sat on my kitchen ...
A: Marisa, You are probably dealing with a few issues: shock, sunburn, and over watering. Direct sun ...
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| cactus first aid | 8/11/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: My friend encountered a cactus cholla while visiting her sister.Long story short,she is still ...
A: Bonnie, Yes that is normal. My son fell into a saguaro cactus with the same result. The doctor ...
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| Dying Euphorb | 8/10/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: Spike is a 5' tall Euphorb in my office. I don't know his variety, but I think fractiflexa. He is ...
A: Gary, It is hard to say, although rot from too much water may be the culprit. You plant actually ...
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| Identifying my cactus | 8/10/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: I bought a small round cactus and I'd like to know what type of cactus it is so that I'll know how ...
A: Brandi, Based on your description, it sounds like a Mamillaria or a Notocactus. Both are small and ...
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| aloe plant | 8/8/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: If a stem breaks off the plant can you keep it fresh to use at a later time, if so, how should it be ...
A: Seymour, Just let it scab over. When you want to use it, break off the end to expose the gel. Like ...
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| what will happen now? | 8/8/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: I cut the top off of the cactus, will it grow again? Also, my sister said to put wax on the top, (to ...
A: April, No, no wax. Cactus heal very well without any special treatment. It will branch out from ...
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| ALOEVERA | 8/7/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: My Aloevera plants are 18 months old. I have found that some leaves start rotting at the base, the ...
A: Phillip, What you are describing sounds like stem rot, which is very common. The cause is most ...
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| cactus seedlings die | 8/7/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: When I try to grow cactus seeds, they germinate, then turn red/brown prior to dying. Can you ...
A: Mark, Try a couple of things: first, use a fungicide when you grow from seed. Make sure you are ...
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| cactus is going yellow and soft | 8/6/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: about a month ago my cat ate the top of my cactus and the cactus has turned yellow and soft so i cut ...
A: Nichola, Unfortunately, if your plant is fully involved, there is probably nothing that can be done ...
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| giant agave plant | 8/6/2007 | Greg Simpson |
Q: We have a giant agave blue I believe on our front lawn.It is dying I think.It has very dead looking ...
A: Jessica, Chances are, yours has met the same fate as one of mine. It looked ok, except there was an ...
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