Beavertail pricklypear .
Q: Hopefully The Garden Sage can help me determine what went wrong with my 3-year-old Beavertail Cactus. It is planted on a 3-foot high berm, not irrigated. Just this week I noticed that it was leaning over, and upon investigation it has rotting stems. The rot seems to be moving upward into the pads. The soil is dry. I can’t explain this problem. What to do?
A: The rotting from the base up is most likely root rot. Although overwatering can contribute to this, there is likely a bacterial pathogen that entered the plant through a wound of some sort. If you notice any wounds caused by insects, pruning, or other abrasions, that could be the entry point. Even though the soil is dry now, the pathogen could have easily gotten started during the monsoon season when we had a good bit of rain. If it appears the whole plant is affected, you might want to cut your losses and plant something else in that spot that is less susceptible to the conditions the cactus encountered.
