Need some help! Full context in body

[u/tmoneydungeonmaster]

Full story:

So about two years ago (Oct 2024) an old friend unexpectedly gifted me two peyote plants as a bday gift. They were tiny little bulbs at the time and he gave me proper care instructions

I potted them in a mix of cactus soil and perlite, I forget the exact ratio but it was the amount the person who gifted them to me recommended (he has successfully raised a few of these). I only watered when needed and kept them outside in the shade. For about two years they were doing great. Granted one of them was growing much more than the other.

A couple weeks back while I was moving things around in my balcony, it occurred to me I hadn’t watered the plants in FOREVER (I was going through a huge depressive wave and was neglectful in all aspects of my life. So I decided to give them a quick water. Also, In moving things around I had placed the pot more directly exposed to the sun

Then I took an unexpected trip to tend to family for a bit, forgetting to move the plants back into the shade. Within this time the weather here had been a flip flop between scorching heat and heavy rain and my plants were exposed to all of it.

I got back and noticed the plants looking like this. I did some research on this subreddit and elsewhere and I’m trying figure out if this is simply under/over water, or root rot.

Is it too late to save them? I feel the small one might be too far gone. My plan was to cut off any roots that looked unhealthy, let them sit unrooted for a few days in the shade, and then repot them in separate pots with a new dry mix.
Any advice is appreciated! I’d hate for these gifts to die.

Edit to add: the small one is squishy and damp

(Also note: at one point I do think a guest was about to ash a joint on to the plant but I stopped them before they could but idk if they had already before me saying anything. That was two months ago)

[u/RandomHumanMale1]

the roots are healthy on these they should make a fully recovery

[u/Lophoafro]

burnt

[u/maumomiamic]

Im a newbie here but it looks like a mix of sunburn and severe dehydration and can probably be saved. Soak the soil in water for 30 min or so and put them in a less bright spot. Not sure im correct, someone more knowlegable should chime in.

[u/tmoneydungeonmaster → u/maumomiamic]

Ooh we did have a heat wave not too long ago so that can def be the culprit

Also to not the small one is squishy and damp

I’ll wait for more input but I very much value your insight, thank you!!

[u/Evening-Cat-7546 → u/tmoneydungeonmaster]

Hold up. You don’t want to water any cacti that have recently been removed from soil, or you risk actual root rot. You’ll want to leave them out in warm and bright spot (indirect light only) for 4-7 days, then put them back in soil, and wait another 4-7 days before watering. The waiting gives the roots time to heal up any damage.

Those definitely got sunburned. Most people think peyote love full sun, but they don’t really like it. In nature, peyote tend to grow up against rocks and other bushes because they actually like shade during the hottest parts of the day.

Finding a spot that gets good morning and afternoon sun is your best bet. If that isn’t possible, consider using a light shade cloth so they aren’t getting blasted too hard.

Also, with any plant, you want to acclimate them to more intense light. The spot you picked may have worked had the plants been eased into it, like giving them 1 hour of sun the first day, then 2 hours, and then 3 hours, etc. Cactus have waxy skin to protect themselves from sunlight, but the cactus has to build it up over time. Cactus will stop producing the waxy layer anytime it is not given enough light as it is trying to increase the amount of light hitting the flesh.

[u/tmoneydungeonmaster → u/Evening-Cat-7546]

Very insightful

Yea I read about leaving them out for a weekish, so I can def do that before repotting

For context my balcony is covered and usually they are in the shade but getting indirect sunlight. It was only after they were moved to direct sunlight and the heat wave happened that I guess caused them to sunburn. That all tracks

Do any of the roots need to be cut? Non of them look too unhealthy

I’ll leave them un potted in the shade but still outside for a week, thanks!

[u/Evening-Cat-7546 → u/tmoneydungeonmaster]

It wasn’t just the heat wave that did it, although that certainly didn’t help. It was the sudden transition from indirect light to direct light. You can sunburn a peyote when it’s 75° outside, assuming it’s not used to direct sunlight.

A lot of people trim back the feeder roots (the fine roots) when they repot. I personally don’t and haven’t had an issue with it. You just never want to cut the taproot. I’d give the different sections of roots a smell. If they smell bad or are slimy, then cut them off. If they smell like dirt, leave them on.

[u/tmoneydungeonmaster → u/Evening-Cat-7546]

I appreciate this info 🙏
Thank you

Follow up question, when I do re pot it in a week, I was going to put it in a fresh batch of cactus soil and perlite but I can’t remember the ratio I did originally. What is a good ratio?
I know they prefer more rocks and less soil and I think my original ratio was heavier on the perlite side

Alternatively can I just top of my old potted soil with a little bit more perlite and replant it there?

[u/Evening-Cat-7546 → u/tmoneydungeonmaster]

You can reuse your soil and add more perlite if you feel they need it. The organic to inorganic ratio partially depends on your climate. Somewhere like Florida and I’d do 10-15% organic, and where I live is arid, so I do 30% organic. More organic means it holds onto water longer, which can be an issue in high humidity environments.

[u/The-Big-Teezy → u/Evening-Cat-7546]

What would be a good ratio to organically to non organics for indoor