Name: Rick
Vancouver Island, Canada (Zone 8a)
Seed Starter Cactus and Succulents Keeps Horses Tropicals Region: Canadian Hibiscus
Dog Lover Plumerias Peonies
Image
RCanada
May 3, 2016 9:53 PM CDT
We have had this Epi for quite a few years. Started in a 4" pot. It is very root bound which I always thought that these where best this way. For some reason this year I have cut out quite a few branches/pads which have gone dry and brown. Did not think that it was anything other than usual, as we have had this happen with all the others never amounting to anything.
The root ball inside the pot is very hard and difficult to get any moisture into it. One of the furthermost pads of a branch is going soft and I am stumped as to what this is or is it nothing.
Not sure that any of this helps anyone to assist, but this one is one of my favorites and would hate to lose it.





I have taken some cuttings to callus as a precaution.
Can this happen from them becoming too root bound and needs repotting?
Thank you in advance.





Left hand of photo.


Rick

Rick, I have struggled with the same problem at times. I would suggest definitely loosening the soil and repotting it, but don't overpot it. I have recently had a rick rack cactus shrivel and rot from stem to tip, while another separate ric rac plant in the same pot is thriving.

Your pics are too small to see the leaves clearly. I may be E, crenatum, if the leaves are different than the others. Crenatum is almost ric rac type growth. Some types tend to be short lived, so taking cuttings now is an excellent idea. In any case, Linda's advice is good...repot, but don't over pot.

Love those blooms Rick,

Can't add much to Carol and Linda comments. My neighbor is a PhD in something like botany but he loves plant bugs and diseases. He grows Epis but his major is orchids. Anyway, like rest of us he has branches go DRY and brown so we cut them off and new growth usually follows. Not a problem.
What he does not like is branches going mushy. He tells me it is a bacterial infection that can spread from plant to plant. He gave me some specialist fungicide a couple of years ago when my plants were infected and told me to give all plants a heavy spray. After a couple of treatments the rotting on the branches stopped spreading and after some time the infected parts of the branches dried and could be removed.

So Rick, when you say the branch is going soft is it starting to rot and is it spreading down the branch. I would probably take a sterilized knife and cut off the infected part of the branch. A photo would help us see what is going on.

I wonder if I should isolate he ric rac cactus then... I would sure hate for it to spread to the others. I have other ric rac plants that are rooted now that came from the same plant, but all of the others seem healthy.

Isolation is always a good idea with any sick plant. You should also try taking Mike's advice and cut off the affected branch and sprinkle a bit of cinnamon on the cut end.

Isolation is always a good idea with any sick plant. You should also try taking Mike's advice and cut off the affected branch and sprinkle a bit of cinnamon on the cut end. Is it possible that the drain hole in the pot is plugged, or that the plant was over potted?

I was at a new nursery today. They had several hanging pots with 10 stems that were 8" long. Green and healthy but not for $69
What is the longest lasting bloom? My new 4" pot got it's first bloom. It lasted 3 nights. What is the average? Is there a way to make the blooms last longer?

I am happy enough if I get a bloom to last for 2 days. Usually when temps are just cool to warm they seem to last longer here on my side, like within the range of 68F to 75F. Any higher and I may end up with blasted buds.

I would say three days for the day bloomers is good. Most night bloomers will just last one night and be finished by the end of the following day.

A person could get rich by finding a way to preserve such a beautiful bloom.

All my Epi cuttings have rooted. I had to look. How long does it take before growth shows on the the branches. I know this depends on a lot of things but are we talking weeks or months? They rooted in 2wks.