It seems that this winter is a bit colder than last year. While we've received a reprieve from the type of rainstorms that hit last year -- such as the January 4th storm that knocked a tree down on my home in Land Park -- it's been frostier. Last Sunday morning, I walked across the lawn and it crunched under my feet. The philodendrons under my maple tree sagged and the lilies hugged the ground. I was devastated.
But what really stood out in the icy air was my giant cactus, that which I nursed from a six-inch high stalk last spring and had grown into a beautiful specimen, was limp. Later on in the day, the other vegetation perked up, but my cactus did not. In fact, it is now turning black in spots, and the arms are like mush. This morning, it's still in the low 30s.
It's very sad. This plant was living and flourishing. It's painful to watch it die and feel helpless. Every day it withers a bit more. It's almost like this young healthy cactus is turning into an old man, shriveling up. My garden is becoming a graveyard. I could have tried to string Christmas tree lights throughout the garden or maybe covered some of the more tender plants if I had known the frost was coming, but I've truly been swamped with business and my real estate clients and haven't paid much attention to the yard. I feel guilty about neglecting it.
Below are photos of "before" and "after." I'm hoping somebody knows something about cacti and can offer advice. Should I cut off the dead portions and wait until spring? Should I wait until spring to see what's left of the cactus? Or should I plan on digging it up and replacing it?
Photos: Elizabeth Weintraub, Cactus in Land Park, Sacramento
The Short Sale Savior, by Elizabeth Weintraub, coming from publisher Archer Ellison in January 2009.
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Elizabeth Weintraub is an author, home buying columnist for The New York Times-owned About.com, a Land Park resident, and a Land Park real estate agent who specializes in older, classic homes in Land Park, Curtis Park, Midtown and East Sacramento. Weintraub is also a Sacramento Short Sale agent who lists and successfully sells short sales throughout the four-county Sacramento area. Call Elizabeth Weintraub at 916.233.6759. Put 35 years of real estate experience to work for you. Broker-Associate at Lyon Real Estate. DRE License # 00697006.
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What a shame! I remember that cactus photo from last year. Sorry I can offer no first aid tips although I can commiserate. With our super cold snow days, I'm sure I'll lose plants which normally would have come back in the spring. Sigh
Hi Elizabeth- Just talked to my cacti expert friend Mary and she said that if you remove all the "mushy" parts it may come back, but it is not very likely. She said it appears damaged and dying all the way to the bottom and more likely will not survive. I copied and emailed her the photo. She grows huge wonderful cacti in pots and takes them all indoors and sets them up along the edge of her staircase from October until usually May and they spend the rest of the year lined along her deck here on the lake. She has wonderful luck with plants and her yard is just to die for. Of course she is retired and spends as much time in her yard as I do at work.
I'm sorry about your plant. You know I just love photos of your beautiful yard.
Hi Colleen: These cacti are like little people to me. Which I know sounds kinda silly, but they are special. At least we don't have snow.
Hi Tammy: Wow, thank you for asking your friend. Did Mary happen to mention whether I should cut off the arms now or should I wait until the weather warms up?
Elizabeth: That's quite a dramatic difference. So sad. Mother Nature can be very cruel. Reading the comment from Tammy it doesn't sound like the outcome will be good...but don't let that keep you from trying. ANything can happen in this strange world.
Elizabeth, that frost damage is significant. Hope the cactus can recover.
Elizabeth
How sad about the cactus. Sometimes Mother nature throws a curve at things that just can break hearts. I had a cactus one time that looked similar and I flooded it with water. I thought it would last but it did not.
Sincerely
Tom Braatz
Are you saying that all of us old men are shriveled up? Sorry about your cactus, it was a nice specimen.
Elizabeth- She said cut off immediately as interior "mush" will spread from bad part to healthy part.
Oh and I meant to mention... we lost both Stanford and Marino from our GA Bull Dawgs. Alas I guess we'll have one of those "rebuilding" years again next year. My daughter is really bummed about Marino. She's gotten to know the football team quite well as her major is sports medicine. And she'll be a senior next year. I was hoping for a really good team her senior year.
Elizabeth, so sorry. This sucks! We had several ficus trees that froze a couple of years ago (actually six), but they are finally coming back. We had to get rid of the plants that didn't survive. Ny ficus are huge now, so I pray that it doesn't happen again....no way to cover them. Can't you cover your plants in this harsh weather? ;-(
Eilizabeth, So sorry to see your poor cactus. I love to watch my plants grow and worry about them when they're 'Sick". In San Diego we never had a frost which killed a cactus like that. But then again we had so little rain that plants took forever to grow.
Now here in North Carolina we have enough rain that the first year I was here I planted over 180 plants, trees, bushes, etc. I loved to go out every morning and practically see the growth from the last day. Last year one of my maple trees died, but from the "drought" not the frost. I had planted it as a baby only 4 ft. tall, and in 5 years it had grown to over 15 ft tall! It's name was Lucy. My sister and I had bought 2 at the same time and put them in her mini van. We named the second one Ethel. You can picture my sister and I trying to fit 2 maple trees in a mini van- hence the names Lucy & Ethel!
Maybe you can take a clipping off the cactus and grow a new one- couldn't hurt to try it.
Hey Tom: Cacti don't like water. Too much water can kill them, you know.
Yeah, Fred, that's what I am saying, old men are shriveled up, just like old women. :)
Thanks, Tammy. I will cut them this afternoon. Too bad about Stanford. Let's see, another year of college or forget that idea and go for the NFL? We can only hope he's matured enough.
Hi Teri: I could cover my plants if I had known about the frost, but I don't pay a lot of attention to the weather, and I also don't have enough things to cover them all. The garden is about 15 x 15 feet. I'm sorry about your ficus. Surprisingly enough, my orange tree is flourishing.
I guess after what happened to David Pollock they all think about getting hurt and it could happen any time and want whatever money they can get from their talent before that day comes. Good luck with the cacti. I hope it lives.
Oh my goodness - what a disaster. My own yard looks like it has been napalmed. About a week ago we had a freeze down in the 20s, which wasn't forecast by the local weather folks. I didn't protect as I normally do with burlap. When I saw the damage, I wanted to whup those weather people.
Whup those weather people, Myrl. See, then it's not all my fault that I didn't cover up the garden. You don't live that far from me, so if it took you by surprise, well, then, I'm off the hook.