Problem with cacti - any advice?

[coloradocacti89]

Hi everyone,

I have several 5 year old San Pedro cacti that I grew from seeds. It’s been really exciting to go from tiny sprouts to 8-10 inch plants! I’m a bit worried about how they’re looking now though and wondering if anyone can help?

For the last 1-2 years they’ve developed these brownish yellow areas and it seems to be gradually worsening. They are in a south facing window, so I first assumed it was sunburn, but moving them for a few months didn’t help. They get water a few times per month, usually more during summer.

Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions as to what may be causing this? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[imafan26]

You may have has some mite damage in the past, but corking is natural as cacti age. Yours is higher up and not as uniform, so I suspect mites did some of the damage. If the top is green, the damage is old and won't disappear but as long as the mites are no longer present it should be controlled. Spider mites are common pests of cacti.

https://cactiguide.com/cactipests/#corking

[rolayla]

Try to check if it is soft or not. If firm, it is corking.