[Arid_gardener] How do I salvage cactus given to me?

[John Kolessar]

I live in Albuquerque, NM in bright dry sun.  There are numerous species of cactus growing wild here.  My neighbor has a series of cactus plants growing along the outside of his wall that have grown three feet by three feet.  Two weeks ago he trimmed them back by cutting the gangly pads off the plant and gave me two boxes full of pads that he was not using yesterday.  
   
  They look like a type of prickly pear cactus except the pads are not rounded, but rather tall and thin (approximately three inches wide and 10 inches tall).  He said all I need to do is cut them in half or stick a whole one in the ground about two inches, don't water for two weeks and they will grow.  Some already have dried edges where he cut them and some are beginning to curl.  How do you suggest I recover these?  Can I plant them in my yard?  I would appreciate anything you can suggest.
   
  JOHN

		
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