I recently Bought a fish hook cactus at the 99 cent store and discovered that is has a small root system, like is was a nursery reject and jammed into a 2" pot. I put on it some fairy piss (1 part superthrive, 3 parts water) and put it in a bigger pot. I have kept it slightly moist, but not very moist, and when it was about to rain I left it outside. AZ just went through 143 days of no rain and then got a 2-day soaker. now the plant is still green, but has 1 or 3 wrinkles, depicting dryness. what should I do? the fertilizers I have are Superthrive Rooting Hormone, Perlite, and Miracle-gro. the cactus is also missing some needles because the dog tried to eat it. When that happened I took the plant to my boyfriend's appt, no dog there.
one thing I know I can do is to put one drop of superthrive into 1 gallon of water and use it for the cactus. I feel embarrased that I'm a Phoenician and I can't grow a cactus, but My Aloe Vera is doing great... it keeps multiplying every year. I can't give enough of it away, and it's gonna have seed soon... anybody want some?

now is this an astrophytum or a ferrocactus? one thing to remember, is that cacti dont have very advanced root systems... my gymnocalycium has a very small "webby" or just thin wiry roots like a hair ball... but it is very healty...these roots are not like my other succulents that have very thick and almost tuberous roots... your description sounds healty to me, 'new world' cacti act on different priciples to gather water than african succulents like your aloe... AND be very careful with that superthrive you could burn those fragile and fiberous roots off... dont worry about watering... my opuntia lindheimeri hasnt had water since august 2005 and i plan on putting it out to get rain this weekend after an almost 7 month drought... its doing just fine and fertilizing for cacti sould only be done during the growing/flowering season either fall or spring depending where the cactus comes from... this fertilizer should be applied VERY LITTLE...a diluted tomato fertilizer will do fine... dont over do the fertilizer this will attract unwanted fungus and bacteria that will feast on your cactus... let me know if i can answer any other quetions...

--AARON