Okay, so I’ve been getting really into cacti lately. I mean, who doesn’t love a good succulent? But, like any plant, they can get sick. I decided to do a deep dive into cactus diseases, mostly because I was getting paranoid about my own little spiky friends. I figured pictures would be the best way to learn, so I started collecting images of common problems.
Starting My Image Hunt
First, I just started Googling. You know, “cactus diseases,” “cactus rot,” “cactus fungus” – the usual stuff. I found a bunch of random websites and blogs, some more helpful than others. It was kind of a mess, to be honest. I needed to be more organized.
Organizing the Chaos
I created a folder on my computer called “Cactus Diseases – Pictures” and started saving images. I tried to be good about naming the files, like “cactus_black_rot_*” so I could keep things straight. It wasn’t perfect, but it was better than nothing!
Digging Deeper
It turns out, just looking at pictures isn’t enough. I realized I needed to understand what I was looking at. So, I started taking notes alongside the pictures. Here’s a simplified version of how i structured my data:
- Image Name: cactus_mealybugs_*
- Possible Disease: Mealybugs (those little white cottony things)
- Symptoms (from what I could find): White, cotton-like masses, stunted growth, sometimes sticky honeydew.
- Image Name: cactus_corky_*
- Possible Disease:corky scab
- Symptoms (from what I could find):The base of your cactus becomes brown
I kept adding to this list as I found more images and did more reading. I looked at pictures of:
- Root Rot (mushy, brown roots… gross!)
- Fungal Spots (all kinds of weird spots and discolorations)
- Scale Insects (little bumps that you can sometimes scrape off)
- and more and more…
The Result
Honestly, it’s a work in progress. My “Cactus Diseases – Pictures” folder is still growing! But, I feel way more confident about identifying problems early on. Plus, I have a pretty good visual reference now. My next is to go take picture of my own cactus’ and see if any of the photos I took match up with photos online. I’m hoping I can find a match! I’ll update this post later if I find a match!
If you’re into cacti, I definitely recommend doing something similar. It’s super helpful to have a visual guide, especially when you’re just starting out. The whole point is to keep those prickly guys healthy and happy, right?
