Cactusare one of the most common houseplants. They are considered easy to grow and undemanding, although it is not entirely right. In order forgrowing cacti at hometo bring us a lot of satisfaction, it is worth learning more about the specific requirements of cacti and taking into account the differences between individual species. Seehow to care for potted cactiso that they grow he althily and bloom beautifully!
Potted cacti
Fig. pixabay.com
Most cacti grow in deserts and have fleshy stems, thorns or hair, and a host of other adaptations to protect them from excessive water loss. The most common potted cactithat you can simply buy in flower shops are: Echinocactus, Mammillaria, Cereus, Echinopsis and Opuntia.
Cactus growing station
From spring to autumn, cacti need a lot of sun and long exposure.The ideal place to grow potted cacti is a place that is constantly lit from sunrise to sunsetToo little light causes distortions of cactus shoots, such as narrowing of the tops, light skin color and reduction or distortion of thorns.In summer, if possible, cacti are best grown on a balcony or terrace, where they will be provided with direct sunlight and plenty of fresh air.If you want to grow cacti indoors , you need to position them so that they can be directly reached by the sun's rays. However, it is better not to place them close to the windows, especially south windows, because then they are easily sunburned.
In winter, in our latitude, the intensity of light radiation is very low. During this time, the cacti should not grow, but must go dormant.
Potted cactus Chinocactus grusonii
Photo. © Agnieszka Lach
What land for cacti?
The substrate for the cultivation of cactishould be airy and well-drained, and at the same time rich in humus.The pH of the soil for cacti should be 5.5-6.0Deviations from the optimal pH level make the cacti grow worse and even stop developing completely.
The easiest way is to buyready-to-use soil for growing cactiavailable in garden centers. However, often, contrary to appearances, the composition of such soil does not meet the requirements of cacti. A good solution ispreparing the substrate for growing cacti on your ownbased on a simple recipe:
- Universal garden soil, preferably without the addition of peat (30%)
- Coarse sand (20%)
- Garden peat (30%)
- One of the components loosening the substrate, with a particle diameter of about 5 mm: brick aggregate, fine expanded clay, pumice, perlite, coarse gravel (20%)
The soil for cacti is changed around every 2-3 years . After a long time, the cacti begin to grow slower and bloom less. The substrate in the pot should be replaced at the end of the dormant period (February / March) when cacti are transplanting.
Opuntia microdasys potted cactus
Fig. © Agnieszka Lach
How to water cacti in a pot?
Cacti like soft and slightly acidic waterThis means that before watering, the water taken from the tap should be boiled and set aside for several hours. Cacti are watered with water at room temperature , trying not to wet their shoots. In summer, during periods of high sun exposure, cacti are watered in the evening, and in spring and autumn - in the morning. The frequency of watering cacti during the growing season depends on the intensity of light, the ambient temperature, the size of the plant and the type of vessel in which they grow. In summercacti are watered rarely but abundantlyThe substrate must not be completely dry, but the plants must not be watered if the soil is still wet. It is advisable to soak up the water (put the pots in the bowl with water and let the soil soak with moisture).
How to fertilize potted cacti?
Cacti grown in humus, nutrient-rich soil do not require fertilization. Too much nutrient in the substrate, especially nitrogen, causes vigorous growth, poor flowering and elimination of cactus shoots.Such plants often get sick and die quickly.
Fertilization is required for cacti grown in non-decay substrates(eg in the sand only), because they have no place to get nutrients. Cacti grown in poor soils should be fertilized a maximum of once a month, from April to July, with a strongly diluted dose of mineral fertilizer.
Potted cactus Gymnocalycium mihanovichii 'Red Top'
Photo. © Agnieszka Lach
Wintering potted cacti
If you want to have he althy and beautifully flowering cacti, you must provide them with appropriate conditions during the winter. The months ofDecember, January and February are the most difficult times in the cultivation of cactiDuring this time, the cacti should be dormant. It is a very big mistake to omit this cactus care item. Cacti that do not have a dormant period do not bloom, but develop many side shoots and die prematurely.
In order to bring cacti into a winter dream , from the end of September, watering should be gradually limited, so that in November they are completely dry. From December to the end of February, cacti are not watered at all.
Potted cactus Mammillaria gracilis cv. Arizona Snowcap
Fig. © Agnieszka Lach
Cacti are kept in a cool, dry and bright room during wintering.The wintering temperature depends on the thermal requirements of specific species. Thermophilic cacti (eg Cephalocereus) require temperatures in the range of 12-18 ° C in winter. Cold-loving cacti (eg Gymnocalycium or Mammilaria) should overwinter at a temperature of 5-12 ° C. It follows that when we are not fully aware of the requirements of our cacti, we can assume 12 ° C as the optimal resting temperature. During the winter, cacti can be kept in pots or taken out of the pots together with the root ball, wrapped in newspaper and placed in a cool, dry place.
At the beginning of March, the cacti removed from the pots are planted in a fresh substrate. After about a week, the plants begin to gently sprinkle to wake them up slowly. At this time, you should also start sprinkling cacti hibernating in pots.From the second half of March, cacti can be gently watered , gradually increasing the amount of water.
Good to know!
The rules for caring for cacti presented in this article refer to the so-calledterrestrial cacti(growing in soil). A separate group areepiphytic cacti , which in their natural environment grow on tree branches in shady corners of tropical forests. Due to the conditions prevailing in these places, their appearance and requirements differ significantly from terrestrial cacti. The most popular of this group of cacti are beautifully flowering Epiphyllum, whose polonized names are Epiphilum and Rhipsalis, i.e. stick insects. We discuss the rules of their cultivation in separate articles.
MSc Eng. Agnieszka Lach
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