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I have received a cactus that is a bit curvy. Here's some pictures to give you an idea:

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It's doing well right now but I'm concerned that the curve will eventually break it. Is it possible to cut this into segments and pot them separately?

Sue Saddest Farewell TGO GL
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FrustratedWithFormsDesigner
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1 Answers1

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Very much so. I have done similar cuts many times on cacti and succulents. If you cleanly cut off the top 6 inches or so and pot it up it should root quite easily. And then remove all but the bottom 6 inches and leave it to regrow and you will have two lovely cacti!

Corsara
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  • Is it possible to cut it into multiple segments? I think I have enough material for 3 or 4, including the part that's currently rooted. Also, with a top that's cut, will it start new growths from the root/base, or will the cut top heal and grow? Should it be watered well when rooted or left dry for a bit? I don't have much experience with cacti. – FrustratedWithFormsDesigner May 25 '16 at 13:52
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    You can make at least 3-4. How tall is it? If you want lots, you can cut 2 inch sections. They will form roots at the bottom and the top will heal over, but will not look as good as the original obviously! I would do a large one from the top as it will be the nicest one in the long run. Keep them moist, but not soggy, or the base will rot. – Corsara May 25 '16 at 14:00
  • Ok, I'll go for a big segment from the top and also at the bottom, and smaller segments in between the top and bottom segments. Can they all be rooted together in a cluster in the same pot or do they need space? ...I need to know how many pots to buy tonight. ;) – FrustratedWithFormsDesigner May 25 '16 at 14:19
  • Sounds good. I root smaller shoots from various cacti I have, and I generally put them in the same pot, but not touching until they root and then transplant them. – Corsara May 25 '16 at 14:22
  • So I ended up only cutting it so that there are three segments in total. They've been potted for about three weeks, hope they work out. – FrustratedWithFormsDesigner Jun 16 '16 at 04:28
  • Awesome, I hope it goes well. – Corsara Jun 18 '16 at 08:54
  • It worked. I now have one very tall, less wiggly cactus, and two with stumpy tops that have 3 smaller cacti sprouting out of them, each. Should I just let these two keep growing with their 3 arms, or separate them and pot them on their own? – FrustratedWithFormsDesigner Apr 06 '18 at 03:51