Prickly Pear Cactus Pads Buried Under Soil

We moved to a house that has a large eastern prickly pear cactus. It is located in a flower bed with soil and mulch. Much of it looks good but a good number pads are light brown and have bad spots on them. tried to clean it out because there are lots of leaves and debris within it. I am finding a lot of the main beaches are under a layer of dirt and have turned that same flaky light brown. Are these okay to be under dirt or do I need to remove them to ensure future healthy pads? I am new to this plant so any advice is greatly appreciated.

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1 Comment To "Prickly Pear Cactus Pads Buried Under Soil"

#1 Comment By GKH_Susan On 04/29/2021 @ 1:28 pm

I would cut them away and clean out under the plant, just to give it a fresh area to grow in. It's okay to clip the leaves all the way back, but don't harm the stem/trunk of the plant.. This article may be helpful:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/search?q=prune%20prickly%20pear%20cactus ^[1]

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