How the mighty have fallen

[juster]

Going out to open up the main greenhouse this morning, I was greeted by something of a surprise

This big old Trichocereus had overbalanced and taken a tumble, rather fortunate that it was unscathed and there was very little damage to other plants. I only really keep it for sentimental reasons, it's a cutting from one of my first cacti, given to me by my Dad in 1964! I had to enlist my husband's help to get it back upright, it's tied to the staging for now.

[edds]

That was lucky! Glad they're ok. Maybe it needs a heavy presidential pot!

[ralphrmartin]

Lucky it didn't snap! Must have a good woody core to it.

[rodsmith]

I've got a plant that looks very much like yours, Juster - Trichocereus scopulicola. Mine is a lot younger than yours and was vertical when I checked it this morning . However, mine is in a plastic pot so potentially unstable. The photo of mine was taken in January. You were lucky that yours fell along the middle of the greenhouse and didn't do much damage to other plants. I'll have to watch mine when it gets a bit taller.

[juster]

Yes I think I was very lucky that it didn't damage itself or anything else. Maybe it highlights the need to anchor tall plants to some firm structure, not always easy. The problem with clay pots is that they are really heavy, I can scarcely move this plant now. I actually grow quite a few plants in clay pots, just plain ones, nothing fancy, but I've started using plastic much more, simply because it's lighter, obviously I've now discovered the disadvantage

[Mike]

I had a five foot seed-raised Cereus jamacaru take a fall two years ago, and sadly broke into several pieces. Fortunately the top rerooted easily and is now growing well again. Maybe it will now flower at a height the greenhouse could accommodate?
Mike

[makleodss]

Rodsmith yours is not trichocereus scopulicola. Scopulicola is completely spineless. yours is Pachanoi.

[rodsmith]

Rodsmith yours is not trichocereus scopulicola. Scopulicola is completely spineless. yours is Pachanoi.

Thanks for the info. It was labelled as scopulicola when I bought it at a branch auction in 2015. I'll do a new label and amend my records.

[Chris L]

It's nothing to do with cacti, but years ago a bookshelf in my bedroom that reaches right up to the ceiling (about 9 feet tall) gave way and fell down in the middle of the night. Books all over the floor and books all over my bed. The head board was ripped too.

Luckily I'd gone away on holiday that week with my Grandparents......

[el48tel]

It's nothing to do with cacti, but years ago a bookshelf in my bedroom that reaches right up to the ceiling (about 9 feet tall) gave way and fell down in the middle of the night. Books all over the floor and books all over my bed. The head board was ripped too.

Luckily I'd gone away on holiday that week with my Grandparents......

Chris
Remind me to show you the scar from the glass door which ended up in my head when we next meet at a REAL rather than VIRTUAL Manchester meeting. That was a fall after separation from supports incident