Cacti Question

[Shades-of-Oregon]

Best way that I can think of how to tell if the cacti are still alive or dormant is check the roots carefully.

 

[SPedigrees]

Best way that I can think of how to tell if the cacti are still alive or dormant is check the roots carefully.

They are not dead! I'm not sure where that idea is coming from. They *might be* suffering from lack of water, but I won't be plucking them out to examine their roots if they are already stressed from dehydration.

I did check out the state of rainfall in Phoenix, and as I suspected, half of Maricopa County is listed as under extreme drought, while the other half is under severe drought. So it seems that watering whenever it rains in Phoenix is not such a great idea right now, since it never seems to rain there at all anymore.

I've resolved to water my cacti once a month until the drought ends, if it ever does. And step that up a bit this spring. Mother Nature has thrown a monkey wrench into my watering protocol.

It's sad to think of the impact that the drought and extreme heat are having on indigenous plant life in Arizona. There is so much natural beauty there.