Cactus repotting adventure.

Its finally spring and I am getting stuff outside. My big tall cactus has been leaning more and more the last few years so I decided it was time to fix it. Not an easy task for one old woman.
But I managed and documented the process for fun.
The first picture shows the plant actually out of it's pot but standing up to show the lean. I didn't think to photograph this project until it was out of the pot.
The second shot obviously shows the root ball. Next I got an old saw and removed some of the root ball. Luckily I hadn't watered in a while so it was all dry. This also made it lighter and easier to lift and move around. It was tricky tipping the big plant and pot at an angle and carrying it out the door and not get poked or crunching the plant
Then the plant repotted at a much better angle. A close up of how the root ball is now sitting in the same pot. I will wait awhile to water unless of course it rains. I will also have to wait for someone to help me get the pot in a saucer and on its wheeled stand. Its too heavy for me to lift delicately since it isn't as stable now with new soil and more room in the pot to wiggle.
Looks like the blue one needs the same treatment! Another time.
Mission accomplished. I love it when this plant goes crazy and flowers!

Wow, Helen, that was a project and a heavy one at that! It was sure root bound though and will be happier now. Great job!

Mission accomplished! I dread repotting large plants and will do pretty much anything to avoid it (like watching you repot yours, hehe). New rule: anything bigger than about 12" has to go away or go in the ground. I recently held myself to that by getting rid of a pretty large Aeonium nobile that was threatening to become a monster. My original idea of growing it to flowering size in a container was a bit naive. Fortunately I found it a new home with someone who was excited to have it.

Great job Helen and always a pleasure to see your plants in action.

You mean going crazy like this ;) ?

I am surprised it even flowered this year. A large trunk of one of my Palo Verdes that broke off in a storm landed right on top of it last Fall - hence all the support velcro to keep it up right. Largest number of flowers I have had all at once on this plant ever.

I am always surprised at how well some of these large cacti will grow in the relatively small pots they get confined in. I have another few in pots that I simply have no space for to plant out in the yard - knowing how big they will eventually get, but while the plant in the picture definitely growing better in the ground - those in the pots just keep growing away.

Beautiful flowers. I am sure they must grow like crazy in the ground because mine does a fair job in a small pot.
When it gets too big, as mine almost is, I will cut off the tops of several good branches and reroot them. That is what this plant is, rooted cuttings. I am not sure why it hasn't branched yet as the original always did. I left the old plant outside to die so I could eventually harvest the 'skeleton' to use in some art project or just use it for garden decoration. Thats what you could do with your surplus. I bet someone would buy a cleaned cactus skeleton on eBay! ^_^

Helen, I had a similar project over the weekend. I repotted this Euphorbia all by myself. I was going to take pictures, but got so involved that I forgot. I busted the pot and removed a lot of the dirt. Then laid it over on this wagon (with the sides removed).
Then rolled it outside, put the new pot under the roots. Then lifted it up into the pot and filled it with soil. Now it is too tall to fit under my porch.
Nice flower, Mcvansoest.

Well done Gary. Nice plant. I love you milk wagon too!

How will you ever get it inside for the winter?

Nancy I am not sure if you are asking Gary or me. My big plants have to be tipped at an angle to get through the door to the back porch. But I will answer! ^_^
What I do is put down an old bed sheet on the ground next to the pot. Then I take a large thick soft throw rug and wrap it around the plant and hold it tight to stabilize the plant. Then I carefully tip the plant and pot over on the floor so the pot is on the sheet. It catches any loose dirt the falls out of the pot. I gather up the sheet and tie a knot for carrying the pot and get a hold of the plant again with the throw rug. Luckily I don't have to go far! The pot and the plant are heavy. But they do make the trip pretty well and I don't get stuck either thanks to the thick throw rug. The thick rug also means I can lean the plant against my shoulder or arm when I try and stand it back up without getting stuck.

Helen, I never thought of doing it that way. My son and I usually tip it sideways and drag it through the door. Nancy, I don't know what I am going to do with it this year. It is now taller than my ceiling. Now being out in the weather, it will grow at least another foot.

Gary I may have said earlier I have had to chop the tops off and reroot the after awhile. Sounds like you might be getting there yourself. btw, I always kept the old plant with the amputations until I was sure the new starts had rooted.

Lots of respect to both of you Helen and Gary, I am not sure I'd be growing all these plants if I had to take them inside every winter season. Except for putting some Christmas hats on growth tips of some frost sensitive cacti (which serves as much as Christmas decoration as frost protection), I only cover 2 plants in my front yard when a freeze/frost is in the forecast, just too much hassle to deal with the rest. I have decided that if it cannot survive here in the ground then I should not be growing it.
My potted plants are much easier to cover or live on the patio anyway so those I still cover up. So I guess I am a 'fair weather' cactus and succulent grower :)

I now have newly inspired motivation....... Delighted Spring has "sprung." Now to find the time to repot.
Thanks very much for the guidance!

Thanks, mcvan, Kbh. Helen, I'm sure I'll have to do some chopping. I'll have to be careful, because of the sap. Whenever I get ready to start chopping, I'll post for suggestions. I'll probably forget if I ask now, LOL.

If you are going to chop off the top to root, it might be best to do it at this time of year because it is easier to root them in the spring/early summer.
Great idea for moving your plants Helen! I'm lucky I don't have to --as mcvansoest said about here in Phoenix.