Cactus flowers

[ZEROPILOT]

My "spineless" mutant, 750 pound leaning tower of cactus has produced flowers again.
My Redfoot go crazy for them. But I've noticed that every year, this cactus grows larger and larger. The glochids (spines) seem to be larger and more numerous.
I just attempted to cut off 13 flowers and my fingers are absolutely full of microscopic little spines.
I do believe this cactus and I are about DONE.

 

[Len B]

Use hotdog tongs and twist them off. If you are feeding the fruit also, after removal put them in a plastic nursery pot or something like a bucket and shake them vigorously where they rub against each other and the spines are gone.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Truly. The mother of all cacti

 

[TeamZissou]

That pot did not stand a chance.

It looks like you need to find more redfoot to feed.

I recommend some leather gloves.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

That pot did not stand a chance.

It looks like you need to find more redfoot to feed.

I recommend some leather gloves.

Yep. And NOT the ones from HARBOR FREIGHT that I actually own.

 

[RosemaryDW]

What are you feeding that thing?

 

[wellington]

Really, you want to be done with that beautiful cactus, free tort treats/food,
while there are some of us on this forum
that would looovvvvveeee to grow even the smallest of cacti and you so openly, talk about being done with it.
The nerve ??

 

[Tom]

That pot did not stand a chance.

It looks like you need to find more redfoot to feed.

I recommend some leather gloves.

Oh no. Leather gloves practically invite the spines into your hands. Those spines evolved to penetrate hides.

Thick, over sided rubber gloves offer much more protection. but better to just not touch them at all. I cut the pads, fruits and flowers off at the base and let them fall into a bucket. Then I dump them onto the food trays.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

What are you feeding that thing?

Nothing
Ive actually tried to kill it twice

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Really, you want to be done with that beautiful cactus, free tort treats/food,
while there are some of us on this forum
that would looovvvvveeee to grow even the smallest of cacti and you so openly, talk about being done with it.
The nerve ??

I have others that seem to be happy staying small

This one is a mutant

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Oh no. Leather gloves practically invite the spines into your hands. Those spines evolved to penetrate hides.

Thick, over sided rubber gloves offer much more protection. but better to just not touch them at all. I cut the pads, fruits and flowers off at the base and let them fall into a bucket. Then I dump them onto the food trays.

My hands will never be the same again.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

This is the update.
I'm going to thin out the trunk and replant it into a sturdier, very large pot.
It'll start popping out pads in a few weeks. It always does.
This particular type....whatever it is, grows very quickly.

 

[Cathie G]

My "spineless" mutant, 750 pound leaning tower of cactus has produced flowers again.
My Redfoot go crazy for them. But I've noticed that every year, this cactus grows larger and larger. The glochids (spines) seem to be larger and more numerous.
I just attempted to cut off 13 flowers and my fingers are absolutely full of microscopic little spines.
I do believe this cactus and I are about DONE.

I found out that spineless prickly pear doesn't mean spineless the hard way too? but I can't totally remember what I did to get my hands better. I think I used Dawn and a kitchen scrubby. In between I used hand lotion over and over until I got rid of the splinters. Sorry it's not fun. I'll never touch another one with out a 10 foot pole.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Truly. The mother of all cacti

Wow! Thats quite the cactus!

 

[wellington]

I have others that seem to be happy staying small

This one is a mutant

It did go crazy for sure