Question
I gave my cactus away,6ft tall (to our church) I was moving and had no room.  (I loved it) They had it for a year, then offered it back to me.  Of course I took it.  I didn't realize that the pot they put it in had no drainage. so of course its sitting in water.  The bottom is turning into gel, the top is still good.  Can this cactus be saved?

Maryann

Answer
Dear Maryann,

Not in its original form. You'll need to take a cutting and Euphorbia's can be very dangerous to work with. The white "sap" in them, called latex is very toxic and at a  very minimum can cause a severe skin rash. If it gets in your eyes, it can cause blindness and that抯 not even the worst thing that can happen. If you haven't done that sort of thing before I would not recommend it.

If you still want to try, make a cut well above the rotten area. Let the cutting heal for at least a couple of weeks before replanting. Use a "cactus mix" soil and water only when the soil is dry. It will take a month or 2 to root. Please be careful.

Sincerely,

Greg