Fishook barrel cactus - Ferocactus wislizeni

[Tucson Grower]

In the heart of my active garden area is a small mesquite tree and beneath it are many different cactus plants, including several barrel cacti. Before we moved in here (which was November 1999), that tree had been struck by lightening, which also had apparently passed through one of the barrel cacti beneath the tree. It's growth tip (meristem) had been killed and a channel burned down through the core of the plant. It was the largest barrel cactus I've seen, anywhere (about 3 feet in diameter and 4 feet tall). After the lightening it couldn't really grow or bloom, just add to its reserves. I needed the space it occupied, for my grapes, so I cut it into many pieces, each weighing about 40 lbs; lots of water stored there  - see pic -->

[heavyhitterokra]

could you bury some of those pieces of Barrel Cactus to use as a water source beneath a transplant?

[Tucson Grower]

Heavyhitterokra, Nice idea, wish I had tried that, I'll bet it would work.