How do you remove spines from cactus?

Answer 1

Wear thick gardening gloves and dig deeply around the cactus. At one side try to sever the roots from underneath the plant and ease it out. You can hold it by the base if you dig around it widely. If it's in a pot then go outside and tip it upside down into an open carrier bag.

Answer 2

VERY CAREFULLY! Thorns are easy enough to avoid. Clip them off before you start the work of yanking and chopping off the large leaves. WARNING! This is a poisonous plant and the "sap" or "juice" that comes from it causes extreme pain and burning of the skin. Extreme contact dematitis follows when the juice is exposed to the skin. The agave's juice contains a chemical called "saponin" and it also contains microscipic calcium oxalate crystals that are sharp as needles. When the crystals cut the skin and embed themselves, the saponin gets in and EXTREME PAIN follows. Seriously, look up "Agave" on wikipedia and read for yourself.

The only way to get rid of these plants is to chop them down and go after the roots. It'll take a few years of hard work and determined yanking of weeds before you eradicate this evil plant.

They're nice to look at, but they are a huge headache.

Answer 3

Check for the dirt line on the cactus stem. A mistake with the most dastardly of consequences is putting a plant into a hole that's too deep or too shallow. The new planting hole must be of the same depth as the previous location. The depth is correct if the dirt line is level with the ground surface of the new planting hole.

Make sure that the planting hole's width is about 1 inch/2.5 centimeters wider than the width of the plant's roots. This way, the roots fit into the space to which they're accustomed from their previous location. At the same time, the soil that's returned to the planting hole is aerated and cooperative about further expansion of the root system.

Check the cactus' growing season. In many cases, it's spring and summer. Planting that occurs during the growing season gets off to a good start with fertilizer and water.

Answer 4

First, it's important to find out if you live in an area where there are restrictions on cactus removal. Second, it's important to locate experts. For example, the Old West Cactus Farm [www.oldwestcactusfarm.com] does free removal in regard to certain varieties of cactus. Third, it's important to put on protective clothing and eyewear, because of the plant's modified leaves in the form of thorns, spines, spikes, quills, prongs, needles, hairs, or bristles.

Answer 5

Copper sulfate is the traditional fungus remover for a cactus. But if the fungal problem isn't advanced or established, the affected parts may be trimmed. Repotting in a cleaned container full of fresh soil, and with vigilant attention to appropriate heat/light/moisture levels, may be an effective fungus fighting strategy.

Answer 6

You can do this many ways but the best is to spit on the area where the needle connects to the cactus, then very gently pull of the need with your teeth.

Answer 7

With scissors maybe?