Indoor Cactus..Should i worry? (added with pictures!)

[usschicago1]

Okay, there is this super nice lady down the street who knows how much i like her prickly pear cactus that grows all around her house. About mid october she have me an entire back full (of cuttings) so i put them all around my chicken coop. They should root spring. But i put some more in a huge pot bye my window. 1/2 of them already had roots. None are growing yet (obviously) but one is acting strange. the pad is laying gown flat and rooted deep. the right hand side is starting to turn yellow (like its dying) but today i looked at it and the other side has a start to a flower! Remember it should be dormant here in New England..
What am i doing wrong?Why is it starting to turn yellow? Can i save it? How do i get all the cuttings to root & flower?
Thanks! Mark

 

[patandchickens]

Plants sometimes flower when stressed, so that is not too unusual or alarming IMO. I'd pick the bud off though rather than letting it proceed, as the plant needs to save its energy.

As long as you are pretty sure it's not yellowing because of over- or under-watering, or because of too moisture-retentive soil, I would just sit tight. Prickly pear cacti typically look AWFUL over the winter up north, like they are dying for sure, all yellowing and wrinkly and flabby and floppy, but that is just part of how they deal with winter.

If you can, put it somewhere "nice" for the winter, where it will not be excessively stressed by excessive temperature swings, wind exposure, drifts of wet snow sitting on it, etc (edited because I just realized the subject line says INDOOR... doh... I dunno, you can try it but the cactus may not be real happy without its winter rest and without bright enough light. Make sure you are not overwatering it and have it in a VERY free-draining medium, not regular potting soil)

If spring comes and it turns out to have died, ask the nice lady down the street if you can try again

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[injunjoe]

Mark; Please don't take action on that Bud as of yet!

I have not been home nor online to check posts.

What looks like a flower bud could, most likely is a new stem not a flower!

That spot could be rot! At this time let things be and let nature take it's course.

The season has changed, our plants know this! Yes they need to rest, so we let them. With this I mean to say the soil should be soaked when the cuttings are struck. With good conditions, air kept humid, soil warm, ect..., the soil should almost dry out before water is reapplied. If these conditions are met then there is a chance a cutting will take.

Going in for somore pie!

Joe

 

[usschicago1]

Thanks so much! I have a pot indoors and out. But the indoor one is the one doing this and the one i care about. I watered today, and i guess thats all the watering ill do for a few weeks.. I will just let everything take its course and hope for the best !Ill keep you guys updated...
Thanks again it means alot
mark

 

[journey11]

If you could post a pic, that would help too. I'd like to see the bud.

 

[usschicago1]

If you could post a pic, that would help too. I'd like to see the bud.

Yes i defintily can. Hopefully tommorrow morning if i can remember.

 

[usschicago1]

UPDATE: Injunjoe was spot on! Wow is so cool. It is growing up so i guess it will branch out? It is growing out a stalk. Sorry i was supposed to post a pic & i keep forgetting but i will. Its really cool though. Thanks every1!

 

[luis34]

Hello

Thanks for sharing this informative information. I have got lot of information from this post...

Thanks
Have a nice time ahead.

 

[usschicago1]