Question
I purchased a single stem cactus from a vendor at a Farmer's Market about 4 or 5 years ago.  It was planted in a round starter pot about 3 inches in diameter and 4 to 5 inches tall.  The plant was all of 3 inches in height.  It has grown to 5 or 6 feet.  A couple of years ago we had an extremely cold winter.  It didn't freeze, but it looked a little frost bitten right at the base.  When the weather warmed up I noticed a new growth branching out from the base of the stem where it had been frost bit.  Six months later another new growth popped out on the other side at the base where it was damaged.  I cut the main stem off at the base where it was damaged because it was getting weak at starting to lean.   The stem is about 4 to 5 inches in diameter in places.  I cut it in 5 pieces.  I want to re-plant them.  I don't know name of the cactus.   It is shaped like a cucumber or squash but has deep ridges.  The spines grow along the top of the ridges.  They are very short an ......

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Answer
Hey, Lizette.

It sounds like you have a type of Carnegiea (Saguaro), Cereus, Myrtillocactus, or Pachycereus. I couldn't say for sure without a picture (you can email a picture to me at [email protected] if you'd like).

One of the ways that these tall cacti procreate is to fall over. Once they fall over, the areas that touch the ground develop roots and continue to grow. You can do the same, although you'll have faster success if you plant the stems vertically. Use a pot to get them started since that will ensure better success, especially if you're in a rainy climate.

Use some cactus soil from your nursery and keep it dry. When you water it, water it so that the water drains from the hole in the bottom of the pot and then let it sit until the soil is completely dried out, and there's nothing wrong with letting it sit another week after it has completely dried out.

If you're somewhere like West Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, or Southern California, in areas that don't get a lot of rain, you should be able to plant them directly in the ground.