Cactus pads falling off. Looks a bit like an opuntia type

[AintThatSomething]

I got this cactus in the spring and it sits in a group of other cacti (separate pots) on my top landing near a velux window.

It grew loads over the summer but recently loads of its big wide pads and new growths on top have all dropped off.

I'm at work so don't have any photos now to post.

Is it likely to be over watered ( think probably not), or under? Or is it likely to be top heavy and just the weight?

The first few I picked up with tongs and stuck into the soil of neighbouring pot to see if they would root.

Has anyone any idea what I should do with it?😐

Thanks!!

Sorry, there were paragraphs

Photo would help.

Underwatering - the pads would become shrivelled as they gave up their water. This wouldn't be a problem as it's what the cactus is designed for. Overwatering would show by roots rotting, therefore the whole thing being less stable, and by the lowest pad rotting.

Are the ones you potted showing any signs of rooting?

At the moment I would be assessing the helth of the fallen pads - atre they plump and dark green or is there any discolouration at all? Then I'd look closely for pests - the main two are mealy bug - cotton-wool like clumps of fluff where the eggs are, small fluffy white bugs; and red spider mite , like a scattering of pepper especially around the new growth. Then I would dig up the whole thing and check the roots. If all well, I'd repot into gritty compost, at this time of year with minimal water.

it's probably a light issue. it's just not light enough for long enough atm.
can you get a grow light bulb near it? ikea has bulbs that's not very expensive.

Thank you.

They are all in gritty cactus compost and the landing light is often left on overnight but maybe it isn't the right sort of light?

It is quite chilly on the top floor (old house), could it be that?

I have tried to attach a few pictures below...

cold is fine, they can deal with light frost.
cold and damp will kill them as will too little light.

I'm wondering if the main big pad has died and that's why the others have fallen off? can the new thin shoot bits be replanted?

It is an absolute horror for the spines so the bits I did try and replant in other pots I just lifted them using kitchen tongs and propped them up at the edge of neighbouring pots touching the soil but the older bits of those pads are now withering back but the younger sprouts are still green.

I can't see any obvious parasites.

thank you

have a listen to jane perrone

@stripeypillowcase thank you. I will check out the link and have just ordered a light which should help the rest of them.

It's Opuntia microdasys, which as you've found has very annoying glochids - the fluffy spines on the areoles - they have microscopic barbs on the tips which can get embedded in your skin.
It looks as though the main pad has shrivelled and died, although there are some healthier green growths from what I can see. The very thin growths are severely etiolated ( elongated due to lack of light, and no amount of indoor light will rectify that), and probably best discarded. The larger healthier pads might root, although it's a bad time of year to try, as it should be dormant in the winter.
These cacti really need full sun conditions to grow well, they don't really get enough light indoors, but are popular choices in garden centres etc.
If you want to try rooting a pad, just place it on top of very gritty dry compost and WAIT! It may or may not root, and might take a few months to do so.

It is an absolute horror for the spines Yes, Opuntia microdasys, the bane of my life. My mother had several of them, which my father inherited, so now I have to look after them for him. I hate them, and just leave them at the back of the greenhouse shelf in the same pot, hoping that they will wither and die. They don't.

The spines translocate, so you may start with them in your finger, but by the end of the day they will be in the most sensitive parts of your skin.

Nan's right in everything. The job of the pad is to store water, so it'll be perfectly OK on top of dry grit over winter, ready to think about rooting next summer when the weather's warmer and you've started watering again.

I'm wondering if the main big pad has died and that's why the others have fallen off? That's highly possible. Come the spring, try tipping it out of its pot and see what's going on under the surface.

Thank you all

The cacti and a few friends are now under the special light so hopefully that will make them happier.

The main pad where they have fallen off is nice and firm so hopefully the others branching off it will be ok. I tried to take off the tall, thin new pads but they are really well attached so I will need to work out a technique to minimise getting spiked

I will need to work out a technique to minimise getting spiked Thick leather gloves (though the gloves will be full of spines so lethal to touch on the outside). Kitchen tongs. Roll newspaper into a sausage then bend round into a loop.

But maybe just leave the thin new pads, and give the plant as much light as possible over the summer.