Cactus help please.

[longers]

There's at least one cactus expert on here and probably loads more and I need a bit of help please.

I've got one of these

and have come close to killing it through overwatering,

the bottom three "leaves" look like this

I'd like to try and save the top two at least.

So, can I rescue the top two "leaves" and have a go at re-potting them?

But more importantly, any ideas on how to make a small batch of cactus friendly compost on the cheap using general purpose compost as a starting point?

 

[Aperitif]

I thought cactii thrived by being starved of everything longers? Eventually, when they decide things are getting a little tricky on the survival stakes they make flowers etc...
Poor quality soil is the order of the day I think. Budgie grit mixed with other stuff. Water from the bottom. (Not your bottom you understand...)

The teensy fancy stones are just for top dressing and making the pot look nice.

 

[wafflycat]

That's a prickly pear. Don't worry, that'll not kill it. I can manage to grow them over six feet tall and with pads in a worse state than that. Prickly pears are tough blighters. Basically you could chop off any of those pads, stick the bottom of the cut pad in compost & it'll grow. They need sun in the warm months - plus a bit of weak plant food. They'll shoot away. I've had to get rid of loads as they were taking over my 'greenhouse' completely. So they went on the compost heap.

 

[wafflycat]

Various Chez Wafflycat cactus flowers..

 

[Aperitif]

Really nice flowers w.cat - there's something lovely about a spiteful thing with delicate flowers...

 

[longers]

Thanks WC and good photos, I'll just leave it alone then and let it dry out.

How big are the pots you've got your six footers in?

And also, is it east to grow cacti from seed? I've seen some interesting looking ones on the interweb for sale for not very much and if it's easy enough I wouldn't mind having a go.

 

[Baggy]

Cacti are quite tricky to grow from seed, but I've managed a couple of times in the past. They grow very slowly though...

I usually make cacti compost with a fine seed potting compost mixed with sharp sand (not unwashed builders sand). The gold sand-pit sand is good, you can get it in small bags from garden centres.

 

[wafflycat]

Thanks WC and good photos, I'll just leave it alone then and let it dry out.

How big are the pots you've got your six footers in?

And also, is it east to grow cacti from seed? I've seen some interesting looking ones on the interweb for sale for not very much and if it's easy enough I wouldn't mind having a go.

Pots? Far too small. I am very bad. I do all the things you are not supposed to do. No special compost, no thought as to watering (too much or too little), I hack them to bits and they still grow and flower for me. More in spite of me I think!

 

[longers]

Thanks both WC and Baggy, I've used builders sand for making up some alpine pots in the past and you don't half get a lot of weeds.

 

[scots_lass]

You may be better buying a bag of horticultural sharp sand. Builders sand has salt in it - that is why you can't use it. I used to use abour 4 parts JI No. 1, to 2 parts sharp sand and 1 part grit (or Perlite). Then about a half inch of pebbles at the top of the pot.
It is interesting to grow cacti from seed but you do need lots of patience! And they are quite tricky as they can easily damp off. Good luck!