How You Can Save a Dying Cactus and Revive Your Plant

How to Revive Your Dying Cactus: 10 Ways 

If your cactus is not looking as beautiful as it once did, it’s time to take action. Most gardeners put a lot of time and effort into their garden, so it can be difficult to see them experiencing issues. However, if you know what to do to look for common indicators of distress, you are much more likely to be able to save your plants. 

Look For and Fix Root Rot 

Rot, especially root rot, is one of the most common issues that can affect cacti. This is fairly easy to diagnose and doesn’t always take a lot of effort to fix. If you notice any mushy roots, shakiness or discoloration of your plants, root rot is likely to blame.

The root system of a cactus plant is wide and shallow. This is ideal for exploiting water collection. However, it can be a problem if the pot is small, you’re watering too much, the roots are compacted, and the soil does not drain well. All of these are factors that contribute to root rot. 

You will probably first notice the issue at the base of the plant, not the actual roots, but if not dealt with, the situation can quickly escalate. 

When your plant is showing signs of root rot, it’s time to take action. When you deal with the problem right away, you can deal with it and your plant should bounce back. The best way to deal with root rot is: 

• Remove the plant from the container and check root conditions. 
• Excise any diseased tissue that you notice- most plants will handle this well unless the problem has gone too far. 
• Allow holes to dry out before repotting- and don’t water open wounds.
• If roots are covered in rot, wash them well and replant in sterile soil. If the rot is excessive, it might be too late to save your cactus  
• Consider gathering cuttings from your plant and propagate new plants from those if it’s too late to save your dying plant. 

Monitor Watering 

If you’ve inspected the roots of your plant and it doesn’t appear that rot is the issue, you may still not be watering your plant properly. While cacti don’t require a lot of water, not enough water can be just as problematic as too much. Of course, they are naturally desert plants, so less is preferable. Below, learn how to remedy issues with watering your cacti. 

Not Enough Water

While it is true that cacti don’t need a massive amount of water, it does need regular watering in order for it to properly grow. If you are not providing your plant with enough water, you may notice that it is puckering/shriveling. You may even see it turning brown, dry, and callused.

If your plant appears dehydrated, water it and then continue to water it on a regular basis, which should revive your dying plant. 

Too Much Water 

On the other hand, if your plant is mushy, you are likely watering it too much, which can lead to root rot as mentioned above. Typically, it’s not so much the amount of water you are giving but that the water is not draining off properly. Start by decreasing the frequency and amount you are watering your plants. If this doesn’t work, consider other actions, including repotting your plant- which we will discuss below. 

Transplant Your Cactus to a New Container 

In some cases, your cactus may be outgrowing the container you have it in. Cacti are like most other plants; they eventually outgrow the container they are in and the roots become compacted and root bound. This means that you need a bigger one because if you don’t provide it with adequate space, growth will be stunted, which may eventually kill the plant. If you notice the following, it’s time to transplant your cactus. 

• It is filling the container
• The roots are noticeably crowded 
• Water runs right through container 
• Leaves appear unhealthy 

Moving one size up will give your plant some room to spread out. Don’t go too much larger, or you could end up with even more issues. Be sure to disinfect your new container and use new soil when you transplant. You don’t want to reuse the old soil. 

Try New Soil 

Whether you plan to transplant your cactus to a new container or not, changing out the soil could be a good way to revive your dying plant. If you are dealing with container size issues, overwatering, or you just can’t find the reason for your plant looking unhealthy, you might want to change the soil. 

In many cases, root rot and other issues arise due to water mold, Phytophthora spp, is present in the environment. This is a common issue in soil with adequate moisture resulting from low drainage and/or overwatering. If you notice root rot, it means the pathogens are in the soil, so replacement is critical. Additionally, some soil mixes are heavy and hold more water than cacti need. 

Choose a lighter porous potting soil. Most cacti mixes work well and are available at garden supply stores. These are typically resistant to pathogens that cause root rot and absorb/drain excess water. 

Check out our Cactus Soil Guide here!

Check for Mealybugs 

Unfortunately, pests (such as mealybugs) can make your cacti plants their home. Mealybugs feast on the sap in your cactus plant. This can ultimately lead to the plant’s death. Your plant’s vigor and vibrancy will suffer if mealybugs are present. Additionally, these pests secrete wax and sticky honeydew, which affects the quality and appearance of your plants.

If mealybugs are present near your plants, you need to take action as soon as possible. A larger population will feed on the cacti and inhibit growth. Most healthy plants can withstand a few of these bugs but not a larger infestation. Since cacti have a year round mild temperature, they are attractive to these pests.

If your cacti are indoors, mealybugs are attracted because they have no natural predators going after them. This is why you need to be the predator and check your plants for them. If you see them, take action to get rid of them. There are chemical options, but there are also some DIY options as well: 

• Dip a cotton swab in denatured alcohol and touch the bugs to instantly kill them. This is effective but must be repeated until all of the bugs are gone. 
• A fumigating smoke cone will cut down on the pest population. 
• Spray cactus with a solution made of 1 cup water with a few drops of dish soap mixed in. 

Set Up Feeding Schedule 

One common problem that cactus gardeners have is that their plants are not getting adequate nutrition. While cactus plants can thrive without fertilizer, increasing nutrition can encourage them to be more colorful and healthy. This means that it’s a good idea to feed your cactus regularly.

Ideally, from spring through early fall, you should be feeding your plants every 2 weeks with a cactus fertilizer. During fall and winter, you should feed them once a month. 

If you’re not good at keeping up with a schedule, you should fertilize at least once every few months or once a year if your plant is growing properly. 

Of course, be careful that you don’t over fertilize either, as this can also cause health issues with your plants. If you’re not sure, it’s best to feed less than it is to overfeed your plants.

Provide Adequate Light 

If you’re not providing enough light, your plant may shed its leaves and/or become floppy and pale. You can almost guarantee that lack of light will kill your cacti. If the plant is growing but the new growth is flimsy and pale, light could be the primary issue. There are plenty of ways to increase light exposure: 

• Move plants to windowsill
• Move plants closer to light source
• Get a quality artificial light source if needed 

On the other hand, too much light can also be an issue. If it’s getting too much light, it can lead to cactus corking, which is when a firm, brown tissue resembling bark develops just above the soil on a healthy plant. This is a clear indication that your plant has too much sun. These plants are susceptible to sunburn, just like humans. 

If your plant is getting too much sun, move it to a low light/shady area to allow it time to heal. 

Monitor Temperature 

Typically, cacti grow best in warmer climates. However, this isn’t always true. They do still need regular variations in temperature. One sign that they are having issues is they are not blooming. This could be due to issues with light exposure as outlined above- or it could be related to the temperature you are keeping them. 

Ideally, temperature should be kept between 65°F and 90°F. During cooler months, since the plants are dormant, you’ll want to decrease this to between 45°F and 55°F. Most species will only form flowers when the temperature is between 50°F to 55°F. 

Many cacti have adapted to high humidity but will not survive if humidity is extreme. Also, if temperatures are too low, plants can die. 

Induce Rooting of Plants 

While most of our methods for reviving your dying cactus involve removing your plant from its current home and into a new one, you need to understand that this can be traumatic for your plants. 

If you don’t properly root the plant, it can lead to its demise. If roots are damaged due to excessive watering or root rot, you’ll want to encourage the plant to grow new roots in the new soil.

As mentioned in the beginning of our article, when root rot is present, you must cut away any damaged tissue. Of course, this decreases the amount of roots the plant has, so growing new roots are critical to ensure it thrives. Cacti are fairly good at regeneration, so it shouldn’t be an issue. 

In order to encourage new roots to form, you’ll want to take a few extra steps before you plant the cacti in a new container. 

• Allow the cactus to dry out for a few days until a scab has formed over the cut sections. 
• Place the cactus section into a container with porous, quality soil that you know will work. 
• Bury the cactus approximately 1” deep, if the piece is large enough. If you only have a small piece, bury it approximately halfway. 
• To avoid overwatering, don’t water at all for the first week. 
• After the first week, water sparingly and watch for new growth. 

Leave it Alone 

This final step may sound a little crazy with all the action in the above sections- but many times, leaving the plant alone is the best thing for it. Sometimes you may think that your plant looks like it needs help but it’s going through the shedding phase. 

Of course, if your plant looks like it’s experiencing issues, inspect the vital areas for alarming signals. If everything checks out fine, leave your cactus alone to care for itself. 

If you’re concerned, water it and go away. Make sure the plant is in a windowsill or area where it can get adequate light. Then, visit every so often to water it and check in on it. 

Conclusion 

While cacti are low maintenance, they do have issues once in a while. There are things you can do to treat these issues. 

Once you have diagnosed and treated any issues with your plant, establish a care routine that you will be able to follow in the future. Here are a few basics to keep in mind: 

• Always avoid overwatering. Research the cacti you are growing and create a watering schedule you can follow. 
• Provide adequate access to sunlight as well as cooler temps during dormant months. 
• Give your plant a rest. Most of these techniques will cause some level of trauma and most plants do best to be left alone and only care for them as needed.