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toaster oven
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Lophophora sunken/shriveling near base
#26402259 - 12/26/19 10:45 PM (4 years, 1 month ago) |
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Hi all,
Some of the ribs on one of my lophs are starting to sink/shrivel where they meet the taproot. It’s only on one side of the plant. See photos below. Have any of you experienced or heard of this? Google searches haven’t been very helpful.
I don’t see any mites under microscope, though they did have a light infestation over the summer. I treated the plant with rubbing alcohol solution and diatomaceous earth when I brought them in from the greenhouse for winter. I haven’t given a thorough watering since September/October, and have had them under my t5 fluoro light since.




Any ideas?
Edited by toaster oven (12/26/19 10:50 PM)
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Morel Guy
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Re: Lophophora sunken/shriveling near base [Re: toaster oven]
#26402362 - 12/27/19 01:21 AM (4 years, 1 month ago) |
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Too much attention.
They do well being handled and loved, but very sensative to strong intent.
-------------------- "in sterquiliniis invenitur in stercore invenitur" In filth it will be found in dung it will be found
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scarabaeus
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Re: Lophophora sunken/shriveling near base [Re: toaster oven]
#26402378 - 12/27/19 01:39 AM (4 years, 1 month ago) |
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This is not my wheelhouse, but I can only compare what I see in your pics with what is sitting on my windowsill. To me they look dehydrated which means they are not getting one of 2 things 1- proper moisture, or 2- total lack of nutrients in the growing medium. From what I see, you are growing in clay pots which is !!! ;but what is the composition of the "soil"?
Myself I just use a succulent and cacti mix that I buy at the nearby (sort of) nursery/greenhouse. It consists mainly of several different kinds of moss (peat, sedge, ?, I can't remember). I have found over the years that it is OK to use a potting medium such as just described for cacti as long as u use clay pots which ensures you won't get root rot from too much moisture ('cause the clay pot evaps xtra moisture and won't keep things wet like plastic will.
Are there available nutrients in what you are growing in? I use a super weak fertilizer and only in the spring (once a year) and my lophs do very well and bloom 3 to 5 times in the hot season.
Some 9of what I just said may be obvious to you already, but I hope I helped a bit. -S
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karode13
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Re: Lophophora sunken/shriveling near base [Re: toaster oven]
#26402386 - 12/27/19 01:48 AM (4 years, 1 month ago) |
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Looks dormant or as said above, it's not getting any water into it. Might be corking, which they do in dormancy and retreat into the ground while in nature.
Mine can look like this in the Winter and become quite soft to the touch. Once the weather warms and they get water they then swell back to their plump selves.
Soil composition is also helpful to know. Sometimes too much organic matter can cause fungal or bacterial spots that do similar. This doesn't look like the case here though.
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scarabaeus
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Re: Lophophora sunken/shriveling near base [Re: karode13]
#26402397 - 12/27/19 02:04 AM (4 years, 1 month ago) |
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I'm not the OP, I'm scarabaeus, but thanks for the reply -sage advice, and stuff for me to think about with my own specimens. -Peace
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Morel Guy
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Re: Lophophora sunken/shriveling near base [Re: scarabaeus]
#26402402 - 12/27/19 02:13 AM (4 years, 1 month ago) |
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Plant it in the desert. If it makes it there.
Maybe Trumps wall is to protect peyote. People try to sell peyote as an idea. It's so much bigger.
I get annoyed when tripping and people try to feel better about themselves asking me how I am doing. I thrive on neglect.
-------------------- "in sterquiliniis invenitur in stercore invenitur" In filth it will be found in dung it will be found
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karode13
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Re: Lophophora sunken/shriveling near base [Re: karode13]
#26402435 - 12/27/19 03:05 AM (4 years, 1 month ago) |
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I get upset when people post abnormal advice in a plant cultivation forum. 
Keep it practical, man. I intent the fuck out of my cactus and they love it.
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Morel Guy
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Re: Lophophora sunken/shriveling near base [Re: karode13]
#26402472 - 12/27/19 04:37 AM (4 years, 1 month ago) |
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Gotta watch those prayers (thoughts).
I don't like eating cactus, but they are interesting to live with. I don't anymore though.
They did protect me for awhile. Those things are dangerous.
-------------------- "in sterquiliniis invenitur in stercore invenitur" In filth it will be found in dung it will be found
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scarabaeus
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Re: Lophophora sunken/shriveling near base [Re: karode13]
#26402493 - 12/27/19 05:16 AM (4 years, 1 month ago) |
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I hear you friend. 1 + 1 = 2, 2 +2 = 4 etc.
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Morel Guy
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Re: Lophophora sunken/shriveling near base [Re: scarabaeus]
#26402512 - 12/27/19 05:35 AM (4 years, 1 month ago) |
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Feels like I'm spending too much money sometimes.
Kinda want to give my dog surgery and kinda wanna drink. Had quite a bit last night. It was good, but ya know how it goes. It gets biological.
-------------------- "in sterquiliniis invenitur in stercore invenitur" In filth it will be found in dung it will be found
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toaster oven
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Re: Lophophora sunken/shriveling near base [Re: karode13]
#26402801 - 12/27/19 10:12 AM (4 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
karode13 said: Looks dormant or as said above, it's not getting any water into it. Might be corking, which they do in dormancy and retreat into the ground while in nature.
Mine can look like this in the Winter and become quite soft to the touch. Once the weather warms and they get water they then swell back to their plump selves.
Soil composition is also helpful to know. Sometimes too much organic matter can cause fungal or bacterial spots that do similar. This doesn't look like the case here though.
I believe the soil composition is adequate. Mostly mineral content (crushed limestone, expanded shale, pumice, Akadama, etc) with a much smaller amount of organic material/nutrient (worm castings, coir, guano, blood meal, etc).
I guess I just found it sinking in these particular areas odd. I’ve had other specimens wither or soften over the winter, but not in this way, not the indentations happening here. Wondered if anyone had seen it before and mostly wanted to make sure it wasn’t indicative of some sort of root system pest.
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karode13
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Re: Lophophora sunken/shriveling near base [Re: toaster oven]
#26403276 - 12/27/19 05:01 PM (4 years, 1 month ago) |
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If in doubt unpot it and inspect. If there's no fine root hairs then it's dormant or your soil isn't holding enough moisture.
I'd start there and check off that you don't have some of the common pests and problems. Treat them if they're present, if not then repot and see how it goes.
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Morel Guy
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Re: Lophophora sunken/shriveling near base [Re: karode13]
#26403288 - 12/27/19 05:09 PM (4 years, 1 month ago) |
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I'd think it's rare for pests to mess with cactus. I haven't inspected many wild ones for intense suffering.
Peyote did help me sleep better once. The pedro did not. Maybe once I got a bit of body buzz from it. It was hard to cook it hard enough.
I don't like the idea of bath tube chemical stuff either.
-------------------- "in sterquiliniis invenitur in stercore invenitur" In filth it will be found in dung it will be found
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karode13
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Re: Lophophora sunken/shriveling near base [Re: Morel Guy]
#26403816 - 12/27/19 11:06 PM (4 years, 1 month ago) |
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Please do not become comfortable with posting incoherent nonsense here. This is an on topic forum and it's plainly obvious you've no idea what you're talking about.
It's ok for a while but there comes a time. This is now the time for you to be told to cut it out. Thanks.
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toaster oven
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Re: Lophophora sunken/shriveling near base [Re: karode13]
#26513835 - 03/03/20 12:49 AM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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Well after noticing a couple other of my lophs displaying the same symptoms I uprooted then all and sure enough, Mealybugs. They had destroyed almost all of the fine roots, all the way down to the nubs of the taproot 
I clipped off the fine, dead roots, sprayed with isopropyl alcohol solution, inspected with a magnifying glass to make sure I got all the bugs, rinsed, and have the plants drying under a fan. I really hope they are able to recover from this.
These mealy bugs have really taken a toll on my garden over the years and I’m not sure what to do at this point.
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bw86
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Re: Lophophora sunken/shriveling near base [Re: toaster oven]
#26514112 - 03/03/20 07:50 AM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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I would normally not recommend a home made soap spray for such a sensitive specimen but if you are running a risk of loosing them it might be worth it.
"Dry dish soap and laundry detergent contain chemicals that are harmful to plants, so avoid using these when making a soap spray. To make a soap spray for controlling mealybugs on plants, mix 2 teaspoons of mild liquid dish detergent in 1 quart of water."
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toaster oven
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Re: Lophophora sunken/shriveling near base [Re: bw86]
#26515074 - 03/03/20 05:29 PM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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Good to know, and thanks for the recommendation. Unfortunately I let the infestation go on for too long and the roots were pretty well destroyed. I figured there likely wasnt much ability for the plant to take on any of the isopropyl. And from everything I’ve read online people seem to think low concentration ISO and hydrogen perixode doesn’t hurt the plant ? Doesn’t feel right, but not was a last ditch effort to save from the pests. I’m hoping the plants endure the road to recovery and are able to start developing new roots this summer. If their is a next time I will stick to dish soap.
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scarabaeus
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Re: Lophophora sunken/shriveling near base [Re: bw86]
#26515582 - 03/03/20 10:35 PM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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I was told that dish soap and some laundry detergents/soap contain petroleum products or similar no-goodies, and it is not a good idea to use them for insecticidal concoctions for that reason. Also, don't use dish soap to wash your car because it hurts your finish (and rubber on windshield wipers) for the same reason. Anybody out there in Shroomery land that has opinions about this? I can't think of a better place to ask.
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