A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2003 Barrel Cactus division

My baby barrel had a pup and now the pup is as big as the mother...they are both about the size of your hand barely cupped....would like to divide but is it too late? Have to transplant to different area which I just set up so was wondering if I could do the surgery now? I live in zone 9 if that helps any!

When and how would I go about it....I'm scared Scared

Don't be scared Kitty..... It's never too late to remove a pup from the mother cactus! How big is this "little barrel"? Is it a true barrel or just a barrel type cactus? Did the pup emerge from the root area or is it attached onto one of the ribs above?
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Got the one when it was just a little tiny newborn but now both are about the size of your hand just barely cupped! Haven't dug it up yet but appears to be joined by the root area! Do you want me to loosen the soil and be sure?

It is a true barrel!

The pup probably has plenty of it's own roots by now. It probably has a single tap root which grew from the tap of the mother, so all you have to do is dig them up and snip the pups tap root, leaving it as long as possible. Don't water the plants for several days to allow the cuts to callous over. cactus will begin to root and will settle in much quicker when the soil temperature is 70-75 degrees, so that should be a consideration when you are deciding when you should divide it.

Pups which attach to the ribs of the mother can usually just be plucked off fairly effortlessly and then rooted.

Dividing cactus is very easy to do. Don't be scaredy cat!

Okay I lied! I dug it up and it is attached to a mother so that means both are pups????? So they are attached to the ribs. Think I should only take one pup? and leave the momma with one of the pups since she was buried most of the way in the dirt and looks yucky?

HELP!

Personally I like the look of a cactus colony, so I would only remove the bigger pup. Hold mom in place with one hand, and grasp the pup with your other. Give it a rocking tug and it should separate for you in a snap and be ready to replant! Are you ready to try?

Ready and willing

Would like to report mother and one of the slightly larger pups are now seperated and both living in new homes. Mother was grabbing on tight and really didn't want to give him up! Hope they don't go through seperation anxiety!!!! Tooo late for boomerang cacti! Wouldn't want any unhappy campers here!

They are both planted and will water the pup in a few days. The soil was already moist but not soaking wet and yes there is alot of sand/granite and some compost!

Also Happy to report this homewrecker didn't get bit once.....saving that for the darn rose bushes and Bouganvilla Now can you help me seperate the human kids!!!!!! Just one quick snap......
catlover

I knew you could do it!!!
It'll get easier every time you do it... Pretty soon you'll be propagating like an old pro!
Don't feed Junior until you see signs of new growth (or any succulent that isn't active, for that matter).

As to how to separate the kids....... hmmmmmmmmm.... double the rent!

I thought I was an ole pro at propagating....19,20,and 21 year old don't count?
Just kidding!

Think it is going to take more than doubling the rent.....haven't cut the umbilical cord yet! Think MAJOR SURGERY is called for!