Can I root a cactus branch?

I have a little cactus that I just repotted. In the process, either I knocked off, or my two year-old did, a branch. Can I root it? I have no Idea what kind of cactus it is.

Thank you!

I think you just leave it a couple of days to dry a bit, then stick it in a pot of sandy compost.

Hi Cedar,
I was surprised how hardy those little cacti pieces are. I found a piece of cacti on the sidewalk last year and some of it was smashed. I took the piece home and planted it in a mostly sandy/potting soil mixture, as Mary mentioned above, and that one piece grew tons of roots and even flowered! Good luck :)
Trish

I'm about to try propagating my barrel-type cacti for the first time, and here's what I've discovered about the process: to stop root-rot in its tracks, apparently the end of the cutting should be dipped in a sulfur powder, and add lots n' lots n' lots of perlite to the soil, and do not water for, like, ever (or, until the roots are established, which for me is forever).

Now, I haven't actually TRIED this yet, so take the recommendations with a grain of salt (or perlite...). I have, however, used this method with jades (both branch and leaf cuttings), and they're doing fine.

A great place to discover the names of your succulents is desert-tropicals.com. I've rarely been let down by that site.

Hey! Does anyone know how I can add a weblink to my messages? I just tried, and no go.
pisces

Oh yeah, forgot to add, I've also been advised, when propagating cacti, to leave them out for a few days as Mary suggested to harden the ends up a bit.
pisces

Mary's advice is good. Leave it out for quite a while to callous. Then plan in premoistened soil, but do not water. TRUST, and water in several weeks. I would pot it in plastic and put it in a warm spot.

Dear Pisces,

I agree with most everything Brooks says, but the advice given directly above could lead to rot. Plant your calloused cutting in dry soil, resting the cut end on or slightly in the soil. Perhaps you might also want to dust the cut end with Rootone before you pot it. Anyway, you needn't much soil in the pot, just enogh to get it rooted, so you can have a little soil, then the pisece of cactus, then use top dressing to support it.

As the cutting doesn't have roots, there's no need for the soil to be wet. What water would be needed by the plant can be given to it through misting - the plant gets the water it needs, the soil remains dry (helping keep rot away), and roots will appear in a month or so. After several months, the cutting is no longer a cutting, it has roots, and can be repotted.

Thanks cactus!

YAY! so glad you're around!

I haven't done anything to the cutting yet, it's still callousing, but I'm darned thankful for the advice!

I'll let you know how my baby grows!

pisces