Cultivation methods and precautions of cactus

1. What soil to use

Although cactus is easy to grow, it is at least a kind of succulent plant, so the soil must be well-drained and breathable, and preferably contain a certain amount of lime. Usually the soil outside is leaf mold plus coarse sand and ordinary soil, and some waste lime can also be added.

Generally, cacti are bought in pots from outside. You don’t have to worry about the potting soil when you first plant them. You only need to change the pot after a certain period of time. You can dig some leaf mold under a big tree, mix it with some ordinary soil, and add some fertilizer. Simple and affordable.

2. How to spray water

The most important thing in caring for cactus is watering. The cactus is a subtropical plant that grows on grasslands. It likes a humid environment but can also tolerate drought. During the peak growing seasons in spring, summer and autumn, water the plants promptly to keep the soil moist. When maintaining indoors, sprinkle water or spray the room frequently to increase the indoor air humidity.

In winter, the indoor temperature should be controlled above 10℃ and water should be applied after the soil is completely dry. If the indoor temperature is low, the soil in the pot should be kept dry. Be careful when watering in winter. It should be done in the morning on sunny days. Pay attention to the water temperature and make sure it is close to the potting soil.

3. Fertilization method

Cactus likes fertilizer and is resistant to fertilizer. It grows faster when there is sufficient fertilizer. Start applying fertilizer one month after repotting in spring. Apply fertilizer every 20 days in other seasons. It is best to use decomposed liquid fertilizer or 1000 times potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution. No fertilizer is needed in winter.

So how do you fertilize a cactus? Don't be rude just because it's covered with thorns. Please be gentle. Use a narrow-mouthed spray bottle to apply fertilizer slowly along the edge of the pot. Do not splash the fertilizer onto the sphere, otherwise it will easily burn the sphere. In fact, a large amount of base fertilizer has been applied to the cactus soil at home, and generally no top dressing is required.

4. Light and temperature requirements

Although the cactus is covered with thorns, it has a good temper. Normal indoor temperature is sufficient during the growth period. In winter, as long as the room temperature is between 3~5℃, it is very cold-resistant. However, when the temperature is low, try to keep the soil in the pot dry.

The reason why cactus is easy to grow is that it is not afraid of light or temperature and can grow tenaciously under any conditions. When raising cacti at home, except for appropriate shade in summer, they can be kept in the sun in other seasons.

5. Change the pot in time

Usually, the cactus in the home needs to be repotted every year. Stop watering 2 to 3 days before repotting and keep the soil in the pot dry to make it easier to repot. When repotting, cut off some of the old roots, let it dry for 2-3 days, then repot it, remove some of the old soil, and add new culture soil.