Expert: Greg Simpson - 7/7/2007

Question
I thought it would be a good idea to put my indoor cactus garden outside on my windowsill for awhile so they could get better sun since they were already flourishing indoors. I didn't check on them for a couple of days and when I looked they appeared to be dying. one of them is shriveled on the top and the others have turned a bleached white color. I have been watering them and put them back inside but am afraid that the arizona heat has killed them for good. Is there anything I can do to save them??

Answer
Evan,

Unfortunately, you may be right about that Arizona heat. Indoor plants, even cacti can not take any direct sunlight of extreme heat. I bought a cactus and laid it down in my trunk (this was a cactus that was planted outside). Anyway, by the time I got home a little over an hour later, that cactus was severely damaged from the heat. It did live, but it looks terrible.

Don't over water them or you'll be stressing them even more. Good luck. Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Greg