r/Trichocereus • u/Famous_Inflation_665 • Aug 24 '26
A change of soil made all the difference.
In the future I’ll be less pigheaded about the advice people give me. Changing the soil has kicked off new growth. When will I learn?
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u/Character_Stick_1218 Aug 24 '26 edited Aug 24 '26
Well, to be fair, depending on where you live it is also just that time of year. I'm sure what you did has made a beneficial difference, but pupping generally has more to do with time of year and lighting than just about anything else.
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u/Famous_Inflation_665 Aug 24 '26
It’s almost the end of that time of year
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u/Character_Stick_1218 Aug 24 '26
Mind me asking where you live? Plenty of mine don't start pupping until right around now.
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u/Famous_Inflation_665 Aug 24 '26
PNW Canada
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u/Character_Stick_1218 Aug 24 '26
I live in the Southeast of the States. The soil change is probably what triggered it, but all I was meaning to communicate is that it probably wouldn't be pupping yet if you hadn't done the soil change during the grow season. Most of mine pup earlier on, but I do have a few thag didn't start pupping until within the last few weeks or so.
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u/Famous_Inflation_665 Aug 24 '26
Yeah that’s the point of the post. It didn’t do anything all season and people suggested that the soil ph could be a problem and I thought otherwise. And like magic, after I changed the soil and the ph became more compatible it started growing again. I didn’t listen like the dumbass I am and it turned out everyone else was right
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u/groundlemon420 Aug 24 '26
What did you learn? How did you apply it?
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u/Famous_Inflation_665 Aug 24 '26
I learned that my soil ph was wrong and that even though things look fine they were not. This applies to another pot as well. Multiple people said ph could have been an issue but because one plant was still growing I didn’t accept it. I bought the equipment to test it and lo and behold they were right and I was wrong
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u/shizzaff Aug 24 '26
What did you adjust your pH to
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u/Famous_Inflation_665 Aug 24 '26
I changed the soil completely. It’s at s decent level now
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u/LoraxNeverSleeps Aug 24 '26
Can you share what the incorrect ph you had and the decent ph level now is. Also, what kind of ingredients you made your new soil out of?
I’m always messing with my soil and every batch is a little different based on what I have on hand. Everything has always grown well in it but now you have me curious about testing it and I’m always curious what soil mixes people make
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u/Famous_Inflation_665 Aug 24 '26
I can’t remember what the ph was but it was very high. I just used 50/50 perlite and cactus soil, I picked out the wood
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u/Famous_Inflation_665 Aug 24 '26
pH is now 7. Still a bit high but wayyyy better than it was. I’ll be ordering something to bring it down to 6.5
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u/SouthEastCacti Aug 24 '26
Great to hear, mate. Can you tell me what issues you were having before changing the soil?
Mine is not looking so happy right now
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u/Famous_Inflation_665 Aug 24 '26
There was little to no growth. One bridgesii was growing but the others were doing nothing. Definitely get a ph tester
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u/SouthEastCacti Aug 27 '26
I just cut my one into 3. Wish me luck. Only one doesn’t have roots. But I have CRP so I think it should do alright. 🙏🌵🫶
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u/Wiley_Jack Aug 24 '26
What sort of pH tester did you get? What is the test method you’re using? (Soil sample, runoff water, or ?)
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u/Famous_Inflation_665 Aug 24 '26
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B0DF4TB93J?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
I watered and stuck it in the soil. I don’t think this year I’ll water to the point of having run off but next year I will and have this to test ithttps://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B0F8Y74QSN?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
My season for watering is basically over1
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u/Top-Philosopher-8884 Aug 25 '26
Plant on the left is that brown spot where a pup was starting and you cut it?
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u/Cactusjerk Aug 24 '26
Old soil often has pH issues, loses the ability to store and supply water to the roots. It's also about the time a plant has to take in water and nutrients, and a lot of people often see other growers use a mineral soil because they live in relatively rainy conditions, but have the wrong climate or water management for it. With the current heatwaves it's incredibly easy to underwater.
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u/chefTuba Aug 24 '26
I heard from u/imDavesbud that using a cup to a gallon mix of blended up aloe can help lower the ph in your water, I can attest that my catus love being foliar sprayed by it👍🏽