1) For a while I was wondering if it was dead. I put it outside 2-3 weeks ago and it seems greener, fuzzier, and more colorful altogether. I'm trying to salvage this but wondering if it looks healthy to an expert, or does it need treatment?





2) The tips on this succulent started Browning so I watered it and placed it outside. After doing so, new growth looked healthy. Did I just not water it enough?





Trying to condense these questions in one thread. Sorry for the potato camera.

Both of them look like they are doing fine. They are succulents, but that doesn't mean they don't need water.
How often did you check the moisture?
Does the pot have a hole in the bottom?
When you water, does some come out the bottom?
How close to a light source were they?

CPPgardener said:
How often did you check the moisture?
Does the pot have a hole in the bottom?
When you water, does some come out the bottom?
How close to a light source were they?

I rarely checked the moisture. Since this happened I've kept a closer eye on it, and watered after it dries out all the way.

Yea, I put holes in the bottom.

Yea, some water comes out the bottom.

The biggest problem I think is I took them from a window with no screen and moved them to a window with a screen. This is why I moved them outside. It's such a pain here though because it's been raining often.

THANKS!

About the cactus:
Desert cacti are very difficult to keep as houseplants. They like long, hot, bright, dry days.
I'm concerned about the look of the center growth point. It's hard to tell for sure from a photo, but it looks dark and sunken to me. Is it soft under all those thorns?
It should be in a pot that drains very fast, and very gritty soil that does not hold onto water.
When the weather is hot, it's OK to water when it's completely dry. About every two weeks seems to work for me.
It's best to let these go dormant in the Winter. Cool and dry is what does this. I water sparingly once a month, with no water at all from about December 1st to February 1st. Gradually resume watering as the days get longer and warmer. Don't go to full summer watering schedule until it is outdoors again, temps over 80F, and showing signs of new growth. Don't move it directly from indoor conditions to full sun, gradually let it get used to the increase in light.
This will help it get through the cool dark days of winter without developing rot.

MsDoe said: About the cactus:
Desert cacti are very difficult to keep as houseplants. They like long, hot, bright, dry days.
I'm concerned about the look of the center growth point. It's hard to tell for sure from a photo, but it looks dark and sunken to me. Is it soft under all those thorns?
It should be in a pot that drains very fast, and very gritty soil that does not hold onto water.
When the weather is hot, it's OK to water when it's completely dry. About every two weeks seems to work for me.
It's best to let these go dormant in the Winter. Cool and dry is what does this. I water sparingly once a month, with no water at all from about December 1st to February 1st. Gradually resume watering as the days get longer and warmer. Don't go to full summer watering schedule until it is outdoors again, temps over 80F, and showing signs of new growth. Don't move it directly from indoor conditions to full sun, gradually let it get used to the increase in light.
This will help it get through the cool dark days of winter without developing rot.

Yea, I know what you mean. And it's really hard to keep it dry here because in Columbus it's HUMID.

The key when it's extra humid or cool is that they get the absolute maximum direct sun. Working in retail nurseries for years, I got to see plants over-watered, over-shaded, over-potted and over- and under-everything. It's amazing what factors can compensate for various shortcomings in care or site. For cacti and succulents it was usually extra-sunny situations that allowed them to survive excess water in whatever form.

CPPgardener said: The key when it's extra humid or cool is that they get the absolute maximum direct sun. Working in retail nurseries for years, I got to see plants over-watered, over-shaded, over-potted and over- and under-everything. It's amazing what factors can compensate for various shortcomings in care or site. For cacti and succulents it was usually extra-sunny situations that allowed them to survive excess water in whatever form.

Thanks! I appreciate it!

The best I can do in the winter is a SW window without a screen. It's been ok so far, Believe it or not.

In the summer I can place the plants outside at work on the south wall and they'll get sun from sun up to sun down.

At work we have no south window, nor do we have a directly south window at the condo.

I am not sure if it will help but my sis in law in Michigan was having a hard time keeping her cacti and succulents from rotting. So I gifted her bonsai soil that are mostly coarse mix with no bark or soil mix and she loves it.

I can't use the same mix here because everything dries fast except when we have daily rains. I will have to water everyday. Not to mention I have a lot of cacti and succulents, which will make it too pricey.

Gritty bonsai mix works great for cactus.
Also, I can't emphasize enough the importance of letting it go dormant in the winter. Indoor SW window is fine, but stop watering.

A few thoughts here, though I realize I am late to the conversation.

Indoor sun and outdoor sun are not interchangeable. First because windows almost always point in only one direction, with the rest of the sky blocked by the structure above them. And second because regular window glass blocks most of the UV in sunlight.

So if you move a plant from indoors right out into all-day sun (especially at this time of year), there is a good chance you will seriously stress it or shock it or even kill it. It is rarely a good idea to "rescue" an indoor plant that is not getting enough light by putting it outside in a really exposed place. Better to give it a gradual adjustment, starting in bright shade or filtered light or maybe a little morning sun, and increasing over the course of weeks. I'm not saying it will always cause harm to go too fast, but I've been burned enough to know that it matters a lot of the time.

That said, an indoor cactus like yours will enjoy the maximum possible amount of sunlight as a house plant. You cannot provide too much sun indoors, given mild temps and decent air circulation. You can very easily provide too much sun outdoors, depending on what conditions the plant is used to.

Not to be contrary, but I'm pretty sure from personal experience that desert cacti do not need heat to do well. Our climate is very mild. It doesn't ever get hot, and lots of desert cacti thrive. In my view and in my experience, mildness is the best thing for almost all cacti. The temperatures that humans prefer (say room temperature, plus or minus 10°F) are ideal for just about all indoor cacti.

And I would advise some approach other than black and white for overwintering. Withholding water entirely may be the right move in like a cold basement or something. On the other extreme, I water my indoor succulents exactly the same year round, given a bright, unobstructed SW facing window at about the latitude of Dallas TX, good air flow, and room temperature. Your solution will likely be somewhere in between, given a bright windowsill, but on a sliding scale that depends on light and temperature. That is a journey for you to take, just try to be aware of seasonal changes and the way the plant responds to them.

GigiPlumeria said: I gifted her bonsai soil that are mostly coarse mix with no bark or soil mix and she loves it.

Yea? I'll pick up some but I'm probably going to wait a while before re-potting. It's been ok in this wood box but it doesn't seem to be growing.

Which brings up another question, is this deceptive? Should I re-pot?

The succulent in the picture went into an identical pot at the same time as the cactus and it's insane how much it's grown.

I realize it's an apples to oranges deal.

MsDoe said: Gritty bonsai mix works great for cactus.

I'll try it out. It's been in the same pot for years.

Not too familiar with cacti and how often it needs to be repotted. @Baja_Costero our C&S moderator is more familiar with cacti.

Baja_Costero said:
So if you move a plant from indoors right out into all-day sun (especially at this time of year), there is a good chance you will seriously stress it or shock it or even kill it. It is rarely a good idea to "rescue" an indoor plant that is not getting enough light by putting it outside in a really exposed place.

Yea. The porch I put it on has an overhang. Solar noon in Columbus is about 1:37 in the afternoon. It gets sun from around 2:30 ish until it hits the tress across the street at around 8:30.

Since I've put them out they really seem to be doing better. I just wanted to make sure nobody saw something that I didn't notice, I know so little about this stuff.

I would say there is no big rush on repotting the cactus, especially if it doesn't seem to be doing much. Next season maybe?

The overhang is great at this time of year.

This shot up last night. I'm assuming they're a sign of healthy growth but curious if it meant anything special?

Flowers on the way.

Baja_Costero said: Flowers on the way.

REALLY?!

So does anyone know the official name of this plant, so I can look it up?

The best I could figure is Haworthia but it looks a little more stout than what I see on the net.

I'm excited.

And thanks, everyone. For all the help.

It is a Haworthia (the genus name for your plant is now Haworthiopsis) but I couldn't give you a more precise name. You can expect white flowers.