The desert cactus is a beautiful houseplant that takes minimal maintenance. They’re known for being low-maintenance plants, but that doesn’t mean they don’t require some tender loving care. You might be thinking, “Why is my cactus floppy?” if it’s starting to appear limp and drooping. This essay will walk you through the most prevalent causes of a floppy, limp, drooping, or mushy cactus.
We’ve put together a list of cactus care instructions so you can get started on reviving your lovely houseplant.
So, what’s the deal with my floppy cactus? Cacti that are drooping, limping, or floppy are frequently signs of stress. Overwatering/underwatering, pests, temperature, container size, and illumination are just a few of the possible causes. Although your cactus may appear healthy and cheerful on the exterior, if it is beginning to look floppy, it is due to one of the underlying problems indicated.
What Has Caused My Cactus To Go Floppy?
As previously said, a variety of factors might cause your cactus to appear floppy. Overwatering/underwatering, pests, temperature, container size, and light are all factors to consider. Let’s start with the first reason you’re wondering why your cactus has become floppy.
Overwatering
Cactuses, as we all know, are known for being low-maintenance and requiring little effort. The desert plant does not require much watering! Overwatering can lead to root rot, insect infestations, and growth stumps (see out how to help a cactus grow quicker!).
Cacti want light, airy soil that drains quickly. Your cactus will topple over, become floppy, and droop if the soil remains wet or saturated.
As a general guideline, you should wait until the soil of your cactus is fully dry before rewatering it. An underwatered cactus is usually simpler to preserve than one that has been overwatered.
This is particularly true during the winter months when temperatures drop below freezing. Your cactus may only need to be watered once every 5–6 weeks throughout the winter!
Overwatering can cause root rot, as previously indicated, and desert cacti, as well as other indoor plants, are particularly susceptible.
If you’re wondering why your cactus has become floppy and suspect root rot from overwatering, there are a few things you may do to find out. A cactus that has been overwatered will become mushy, squishy, and maybe even brighter in color. You should carefully pull the plant out of its container to check for root rot. The roots will have gone brown and will be sticky or sludgy in texture.
If you’re sure you have root rot, you might be able to salvage your cactus if it’s still young. To accomplish this, carefully remove the cactus from its container. Remove the damaged roots and clean the remaining roots to ensure that no brown slime remains.
The roots can then be dried overnight in a bright, warm environment. You may repot and replace it with new, nutrient-rich soil in the morning.
Underwatering
Another reason your cactus may be floppy or drooping is if it has been submerged! As we just said, underwatering has significantly fewer negative consequences than overwatering.
Your cactus plant will get dry and floppy if it is submerged. It’s also possible that the color will shift to a purple hue. A cactus that has been submerged may become floppy and drooping as a result of a lack of nutrition and vitality. The stems will grow weak as a result of this, and they will topple or lean over.
Although a cactus plant does not require as much watering in the winter as it does in the summer, you should never stop watering completely. If you do this, it will lose some of its roots and get startled when you start watering it more frequently in the summer.
If you’re going to cut back on watering in the winter, make sure you’re doing so in a colder environment. Remember that the more you submerge it, the more roots it loses, making it weaker and leading you to wonder why your cactus is floppy.
What Has Caused My Cactus To Go Floppy?
Bugs that live in cacti
Another common reason for a floppy or droopy cactus is pests and bugs, particularly mealybugs. Mealybugs are small insects that feed on the sap from the stems or leaves of indoor plants and increase as they develop.
Mealybugs have a white cotton appearance that makes you wonder why your cactus is going white, but they can also be brown or cream in color. Because they are so little, they sometimes go overlooked. However, if your cactus appears weak, floppy, or drooping, you should investigate it more closely to determine if any pests are present.
If you believe you have mealybugs, you should separate your cactus from any other indoor plants you have right away since they spread quickly.
You’ll want to get rid of your infestation as soon as possible, and there are several options available. Using a 70 percent or less isopropyl solution is the simplest and most effective technique to get rid of mealybugs for good.
To prevent burning your cactus, always dilute the alcohol with water and treat the infestation with a spray bottle. If discovered early, one treatment will be enough; if not, you will notice the bugs returning in a day or two, at which point you should repeat the treatment. You may do this indefinitely until the Mealybugs vanish!
Mealybugs are an annoyance to houseplants and might be the cause of your cactus’ floppy appearance.
Temperature
Cacti are native to the desert and thrive in hotter climates, as we all know. They are not suited to growing in cold climes, therefore if you reside in an area where the temperatures are exceptionally low, your cacti are likely to suffer from freeze damage, and your cactus may even turn black!
If your cactus is exposed to frigid conditions for even a few hours, black blotches will appear. These black spots will dry up in a few days or weeks, and your cactus will start to appear floppy. If your cactus plant was just exposed to cold conditions for a few hours, the damage will be only cosmetic, and it will quickly recover to its previous state of health and happiness!
If your cactus has become injured and floppy as a result of cold weather, sunlight, warmth, and adequate hydration will quickly help your houseplant recover. If you reside in a very cold climate, you should wrap your cactus in a cotton sheet to keep it warm. They may also be protected from frost damage as a result of this.
How To Revive a Wilting Cactus
The Container Is Too Large
A cactus plant’s roots want to be warm! If you have planted your cactus in an overly large container, it may begin to topple over or seem floppy. As a general guideline, your cactus’ container should only have a tiny amount of extra room on both sides and an extra 1-2 inches at the bottom to allow for development.
Cacti don’t need to be repotted very often; once every two years if you water with tap water, and once a year if you don’t. This is because tap water has a high concentration of minerals, making it hard and causing minerals to build in the soil.
If you can’t recall when you last repotted your cactus, check at the bottom of the container. It’s time to repot and replace the soil if the roots are coming out of the drainage holes.
However, if you place your cactus in an overly large container, it will begin to tumble over, giving it the ‘floppy’ appearance you’re looking for. Using a too-big container or planter can also prevent your cactus from adequately absorbing water, resulting in long-term harm.
If you do decide to repot your cactus, make sure you only go up one pot size! If you add any more, the container will most likely be too enormous. Before the growth season, repot your plant and avoid repotting when it is blossoming.
Learn More About How Frequently Cacti Bloom
A Lack of Light
If you’ve gone through the preceding issues and still haven’t figured out why your cactus is floppy, it might be due to a lack of sunshine. Cacti are native to the desert and extremely hot climes, therefore they thrive under direct sunshine. Cactuses, like any other plant or succulent, require sunshine to promote photosynthesis.
If your cactus is kept in a dark environment and doesn’t get enough sunshine, it won’t be able to produce enough nourishment. This disrupts the metabolic process, causing the plant to become floppy over time. This is due to a deficiency in nutrients and minerals.
Each cactus plant requires a varying quantity of light, but desert cactuses, in general, need a lot of light and should be put in a south-facing window. Cacti from the tropics require less light and should be put in a north-facing window. Before you go looking for a home for your cactus, make sure you know what kind it is.
Changes in light and temperature may have a significant effect on your cactus, making it seem drooping and floppy. If you leave your cactus in a dark room all day, for example, it will’stretch’ in search of sunshine. Etiolation is the term for this irreversible process. Etiolated cacti seem stretched, elongated, and occasionally floppy.
How Can You Revive a Wilting Cactus?
The reason for a drooping cactus must be determined before it can be fixed. For example, the consequences of etiolation on a floppy, drooping cactus are irreversible. If your cactus is drooping or withering due to root rot or overwatering, you may cut away the damaged roots and repot them using the techniques we mentioned above.
There are a variety of reasons why your cactus is drooping or falling over, as we’ve already addressed.
In general, you should be able to repair a drooping cactus at any time. If you can’t – for example, your cactus may be suffering from advanced root rot — propagation is always a possibility!
Taking cuttings from your cactus and planting them to generate a new, young plant is known as propagation.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed this article and are no longer perplexed as to why your cactus is floppy. We’ve covered a lot of ground, and I truly hope you’re well on your way to reviving your drooping or limp cactus.