Some planting advice - Espostoa

I just got this guy on Sunday (pretty sure it is an espostoa) which the seller told me was about 17 years old. I know she's got a tonne of cacti she sells and grows from seed so I think it probably is pretty old, it's quite tall. Anyway it is growing at a strange angle out of the pot and has a bare corked area at the base of the stem. I am not sure whether to plant it down deeper as it is producing offsets, one very large offset and a few new tiny ones, and I will probably put it in the ground later on. What would you guys do with it? I'm just worried it is a bit unstable at that angle but I am guessing it has survived quite a while in that pot...

Nice score. I wouldn't worry about the corking it is old and things go corked as they age. but who really knows. it may be battle scars from long long ago

I would worry less about the position it's a plant and plants do what they want. especially in a pot. they get moved they bend to find sun again. If you worried about angles go look at copiapoas in the wild they all grow on 45 degree angles. dont bury it deeper!! leave it how it is and if concerned put a stake to support the taller arm. Id put it in the ground!!

I recently put alot of my mamms into the ground and they all grow bent in one direction, tho they were happier in pots lesson learnt (IMHO Pots suck),they give you a false sense of realism good for show not for grow. but alas some we have to keep in pots.
-A

I'm not concerned about the look, just that he'll topple over. When I plant him in the garden I'll just stake him then, I am guessing he'll keep producing offsets over that area.
That's a worry about the mamms, I have two 20-30cm clumps that have outgrown their pot and I was going to put them in the ground, were they looking for sun? That's a bummer.

Oh I'd love to see some photos of your garden plants if you ever have time

Olga,

Nice plant To fix it and stop it falling over: When you plant it in the ground cut that pup off (a week before) and bury the entire corked section and a little say 3 or 4cm of the stem under the soil. This will create strength and wont hurt the plant at all, it will actually help it grow

I would root the pup in a pot and you have a new plant.


HN

good score olga!! i have a smaller one of these, i love the furry plants

Yeah I managed to get her down a little on the price Darren, but I just had to have it
HN there's a lot of small offsets on that area though, would they be able to push through? I just uprooted a large golden torch from the garden and he had some really tiny offsets right at the base (in the ground) so I just potted it deep and hope they'll grow through.