Care for cacti at home. Useful tips: how many times you need to water the cactus. Watering flowering cacti
Watering in the cultivation of cacti is the most crucial moment. Their homeland is located in very arid regions of the Earth, therefore, during rare precipitation, cacti accumulate moisture and spend it during long period. Excessive and too frequent watering is harmful to them, as it leads to rotting of the roots. But this does not mean that it is better not to water cacti at all.
Definitely answer the question "How to properly water a cactus?" impossible. AT different time year, at various conditions The same plants require different amounts of water. If the room is sunny, dry, and the pot is small, then the soil dries quickly and watering is needed more abundantly. AT summer months the plant begins to develop and grow intensively, therefore daily watering is desirable, preferably in the morning. By evening, when the air temperature drops, all the moisture from the pan will be absorbed into earthen clod and the water will not stagnate. Small varieties are grown in tiny pots, they should still be moistened by spraying. On rainy, cloudy days, watering is not needed, there is enough moisture in the air, otherwise the thorn may rot.
In winter, almost all varieties of cacti stop growing, rest, they must be kept in a cold, dry room. On warm, sunny days - ventilate. Cacti that bloom in autumn and winter need regular watering. For example, Schlumberger ("Decembrist") with the appearance of buds is regularly watered.
We debunk the most popular myths about a prickly, but pretty plant.
1. Cacti need to be watered once a month
Nothing like this. Of course, cacti are drought-resistant, but you don’t need to scoff at them like that! During the growing season, cacti must be watered in the same way as other indoor plants, making sure that the water does not stagnate in the pan. Also, in cacti during extreme heat (more than 35 degrees), a second dormant period may occur. At this time, it is better to limit watering, making do with morning spraying from a small spray bottle. Well, in winter, of course, you don’t need to water if the cacti are in the cold.
2. Cacti love the heat
Also incorrect. Yes, many cacti (mamillaria, prickly pear, most North American species in general) love direct sun. But South American cacti - hymnocalycium, notocactus, for example, do not like the midday sun, they would be better off with an east or west window. Ideal for cacti - southeast or southwest window. In addition, heat above 35 C causes cacti to stagnate - stop growing.
3. Cacti need to be kept warm, you can’t take them outside
And also wrong! Cacti need to harden. On the street, especially in conditions of fresh air and good lighting, cacti feel great. In addition, temperature drops are even necessary for some high-mountain cacti to normal growth and flowering (lobivia, for example). In addition, hardened cacti are less susceptible to disease and pest attacks. Yes and ultra-violet rays cacti need.
Cacti are taken out into the street from the time they begin to plant seedlings. It is better to do this in cloudy weather so that the cacti get used to the lighting on the street. You don’t need to pick it up in the rain - cacti can be placed on the balcony so that too many drops do not fall on them, and those that fall will not do anything bad - on the contrary, they will stimulate growth. Cacti are very fond of a thunderstorm, it stimulates them - in their homeland, thunderstorms precede flowering.
But it’s worth picking them up only when the temperature drops below 8-10 degrees at night - approximately in early October.
4. Cacti feed on energy from the monitor
It is not true. Of course, if your monitor is on sunny place, the cactus will grow, but not from the monitor in any way. The magnetic radiation from the monitor has a good effect on plants, but neither cacti nor other plants live off this energy. Moreover, they do not take radiation onto themselves!
5. Cacti are unpretentious
Not true! If you think that unpretentiousness lies in drought resistance, then you are mistaken. In order for the cactus to be beautiful, healthy and delighted with flowering, many conditions must be observed. Think about whether you can provide a dry cold wintering, enough light, proper care: If not, forget about the cactus or learn how to care for it.
cactus care
The vast majority of cacti, like many other indoor plants, have a dormant period in winter. For better growth cacti, especially flowering species need to rest in winter period. Therefore, the task of caring for them is to prevent growth in winter, since during the winter they stretch and lose their normal appearance. In winter, cacti can be kept on windowsills. So that their roots do not cool, the pots are placed on a stand. Cacti can be placed on the hill in front of the window and on the side shelves arranged on the sides of the window opening. The brightest places require hedgehog cactus (Echinocereus), leaf-like cactus (phyllocactus) and others that bloom in spring.
In winter, during the dormant period, watering is given once every 7-10 days. It is better to take warm water, 2-3 ° higher than the air temperature of the room.
When watering, make sure that water does not fall on the cactus stem, especially in winter. Water can penetrate into imperceptible cracks and wounds on the stem, causing it to rot. The room temperature should be 10-14°C.
When spring comes, the plants are watered more often and sprayed once or twice a month. They are protected from sunburn shading.
In summer, the pots are shaded with a board from heating, but it is better to put them in a box filled with peat or earth. You can take out boxes with plants on the balcony. It is useful to plant larger specimens from pots in the ground in the garden, it is better on rock slides. In mid-August, they are again transplanted into pots so that they take root before winter. They are planted in the very ground in which they grew in the summer, but sand is added. In autumn, when the temperature at night drops to 6-8 °, all cacti are transferred from the garden and balcony to the rooms.
Watering cacti depends on the time of year, the size of the pot, the age of the plants, and the temperature of the rooms. In spring and summer, during the growth of cacti, they should be watered daily. Than in large pots or tubs grow cacti, so they require more rare watering. Old cacti are watered less often, as they have large water reserves. They require especially plentiful watering in the summer during growth. They are watered in the evening. The lower the temperature, the less water they evaporate and the less they require watering. In autumn, watering is gradually reduced, and in winter it is watered very rarely. If cacti are watered often in winter, they do not go through a dormant period, they become exhausted and do not form flowers.
Cacti are transplanted in the spring when they begin to grow. This happens in April and early May. Two or three days before transplanting, they stop watering them so that the earth is easier to lag behind the roots. Plants are wrapped in strips of thick paper or straps (Fig. 1) and knocked out of the pot. An earthen ball can be pushed with a stick through a hole in the bottom of an inverted pot. Dead and rotten roots are cut to living tissue. All sections are sprinkled with coal powder.
Cacti are transplanted in the same way as indoor flowers. It is necessary that the plant be planted in the center of the pot. If it is tilted or twisted, you should put a peg and tie a cactus to it to straighten it. You can not cover the stem with earth, especially its green part, as it can rot. Most cacti are sprinkled with sand at the root neck during transplantation. Young plants are transplanted annually, and three-four-year-olds can be transplanted after one or two years.
Reproduction of cacti
There are several ways to propagate cacti. They can be propagated by seeds stem cuttings and vaccination.
The seeds of many cacti germinate on the 5-7th day, but some of them germinate only after a month. Sowing is best done in April and early May. The bowl with crops must be heated, for which it is placed on a heating pad, in which warm water is changed several times a day, maintaining a temperature of 25-30 °. For better cultivation from seeds and cuttings, indoor greenhouses and greenhouses can be used. A bowl for sowing seeds should have large drain holes that are covered with shards. Pour on top drainage layer from crushed stone, shards, coal and river sand, on which finely sifted earth is poured, so that one centimeter remains to the edges of the bowl. She is pressed with a board. small seeds do not cover with earth.
A bowl with sowing seeds is placed in warm water, 2-3 ° above the air temperature, so that water flows through drain holes and moistens the ground and seeds. Crops are covered with glass and put in a warm place. When shoots appear, the bowls are transferred to a bright place. From the direct rays of the sun, they are shaded with tissue paper or the glass is whitened with chalk. For the germination of the seeds of most cacti, a temperature of 18-20 ° is required. After germination, watering is reduced and the glass is raised. The picking of seedlings is carried out after the first thorns appear in them with the help of a wooden fork and a peg. The roots are not pinched, the earth is not shaken off them.
Seedlings of cacti are very small and therefore they need to dive 2-3 times during the summer. The picks are shaded, kept one day without watering and two or three days without airing.
The earth between them is loosened with a sharp stick, the mold crust is removed and sprinkled with powder of pounded charcoal. If the soil is acidic, the plants are transplanted into good nutrient soil.
Cuttings of cacti are carried out in spring and in the first half of summer. The cuttings are apical and side shoots, separate papillae, and in a leafy cactus, leaves. Cuttings are carried out in boxes or pots. A drainage layer is poured at the bottom of the box or pot, then a layer of deciduous-peat soil with sand of 2 cm and coarse-grained on top river sand about 3 cm. Pots and boxes with cuttings are covered glass jars. Cuttings are cut sharp knife. Slice on mother plant dried in the sun, moistened with alcohol and sprinkled with coal powder. In plants that secrete milky juice, filter paper is applied to the cut, which absorbs the juice.
Cuttings must be dried for 7-10 days in a dry room. In this case, the sections are covered with a vitreous film. The cuttings are planted in the sand to a depth of 0.5 - 1 cm. For stability, they are tied to pegs (Fig. 1). The sand is only moistened, and after the rooting of the cuttings, they are watered. You can prepare cuttings from autumn and store them until spring in dry sand. In the spring they take root well.
Rice. 1. Cuttings of cacti (according to M.S. Tkachuk). a - stalk of a candle cactus; b - stalk of a leaf-shaped cactus; c - prickly pear stalk.
Cacti can be propagated by "children" that appear on the mother stem. They can be rooted in the same pot or planted in several "kids" in separate pots.
Cacti are grafted: 1 - to accelerate growth and abundant flowering; 2 - for better growth of those who have a weak root system; 3-to obtain interspecific and intergeneric vegetative hybrids with bizarre decorative forms. When the roots and lower part of the stem rot, the top of the cactus is grafted onto a healthy rootstock; annual seedlings are grafted on adult plants to accelerate their growth and flowering. Vaccinations are made in the warm season.
Cacti are grafted on leafy cactus (Peyresky), candle-shaped cacti (Cereus), prickly pear and hedgehog cacti (Echinocactus). Scion and rootstock should be of the same diameter and equally juicy. First, a stock is quickly cut with a sharp knife; in plants with a large diameter, the edging is cut obliquely around the stem. Then cut more thin layer rootstock that is left on the rootstock to keep the cut from drying out until the scion is prepared. A fully prepared scion, also with a cut edging, is applied to the cut of the stock (after removing thin film second cut) so that their centers coincide. Cotton wool is placed on the top of the scion and the scion is tied crosswise under the pot to the stock with an elastic band (Fig. 2).
Rice. 2 Grafting of cacti: a - preparation of stock and scion; b - binding of grafted cacti.
For a very long time, grafting of an arthrophyllous cactus (epiphyllum) has been used on Peiresia (Fig. 3). The bandage is made with woolen threads. Success in vaccinations requires quick work, clean hands, and a knife. The cuts must be smooth.
The room temperature should be 20-25°. Better vaccinations put under the banks, in a lit place. Do not spray with water at first. After 7-8 days, the bandage can be carefully removed.
cactus houseplant video
All about cacti video
Cacti at home - video
Blooming cacti - video
The amazing cactus plant belongs to the Cactus family. Two types of culture are known - forest and desert. The former prefer a tropical climate. Desert can be found in certain regions of Mexico, America, Argentina, Bolivia and Peru. For indoor cultivation are usually used dwarf varieties. With the advent of personal computers, the popularity of cacti has increased dramatically. They are kept near the device to protect against harmful radiation. But often these drought-resistant and unpretentious plants begin to fade. Wrong care can destroy ornamental culture. Let's take a closer look at how to care for a cactus at home.
Features of caring for cacti depend on the varietal affiliation of the plant.
Indoors, you can breed several types of desert plants - chametcerus "Sylvestra", Peruvian cereus, prickly pear, echinopsis, astrophytum "Capricorn", echinocactus "Gruson", echinopsis, woolly espolu, dwarf rebria and so on. Forest species of cactus differ not only in the rules for care, but also appearance. The most popular include ripsalidopsis, zygocactus (Decembrist) and epiphyllum.
cactus care
At home, it is easy to follow the basic agrotechnical rules for cultivating a flower.
Lighting standard
In their natural habitat, cacti prefer bright solar lighting. Therefore, indoors, it is desirable to prepare southern windows for cultivation. In low light, the cactus slows down development. The stem may look underdeveloped and deformed. Often such changes can be observed in the cold season.
Desert species of cacti, especially those located on the northern windows, are in dire need of additional illumination. Determining an excess or deficiency of solar radiation is quite simple. In a shaded place near the flower, you can see the thinning or stretching of the stem.
With the advent of heat, when there will be no sudden changes temperature regime, cacti can be taken out to the terrace or balcony. During summer long downpours, they need to be protected with transparent polyethylene.
You can learn information about the needs of a cactus from the video:
Air humidity
Despite their thermophilicity, cacti at home can not stand the heat and dry air. Often this combination is observed in winter, when they work heating appliances. Therefore, flowerpots should be placed away from radiators. It is enough to choose a warm place with high humidity air (from 50%). perennial plants can't bear the impact strong wind and drafts. Therefore, especially in winter, it is advisable to take them out of the room for the time of airing.
Few flower growers know how to care for a cactus so that it blooms. Often the lack of flowering is associated with constant movement. But other factors also adversely affect, for example, an insufficient amount of fresh air.
For hardening, cacti should be kept outdoors until mid-October. During this time, the culture will get used to sudden temperature changes. This will help preserve the decorative effect for subsequent wintering. In addition, the plant is more resistant to various diseases, decorative, and it is likely that the cactus will soon bloom.
Irrigation technology
For the right home care The cactus needs to be watered regularly. Despite existing prejudices, the plant needs a sufficient amount of moisture. The rate, as well as the frequency of watering, depend on the variety of cactus.
Abundantly moisten plants located in a room with high temperature and dry air. Especially if a small container is used for cultivation. In summer, cacti can be watered several times a week. Preferably early in the morning. Also, plants in small flowerpots can be periodically sprayed. On cloudy days, watering is not necessary. Required amount The plant takes moisture from the air.
For perennials at home, boiled or filtered soft water should be used. You can also increase the softness with the help of peat. The use of hard water has a detrimental effect on the development of the plant. Calcium salts can be deposited on trunk circle flower. And this greatly worsens decorative properties cactus.
In early autumn, watering should be gradually reduced. AT winter time The cactus is watered in small portions to prevent complete drying of the substrate. The dormant stage of a plant indoors begins in autumn and lasts until early spring. From properly organized wintering depends on the preservation of decorativeness, further development and fruiting. You can gradually return to standard watering and spraying in the spring.
Blooming cacti are particularly vulnerable. They cannot be rearranged or rotated. Otherwise, the buds will fall off.
On some species, children are formed.
Organization of feeding
At home, even unpretentious plant needs periodic use of fertilizers. For culture, it is desirable to purchase liquid humic products. They contain a sufficient amount of nutrients. Top dressing promotes development, full growth and further flowering.
Forest types of cacti indoors need to be fertilized twice a season. Food will be needed during the formation flower buds and during the flowering period. It is enough to dilute ten milliliters of the drug in one liter of water. The average frequency of application is once every 7-10 days. It is necessary to carry out the procedure from March to October. During the winter dormancy, feeding should be stopped.
Desert varieties of cactus are fertilized according to the same principle. Only the concentration of the drug should be less. It will take five milliliters of the component and two liters of water. Flowering cacti in the winter season do not need to be fertilized. It is enough to increase the frequency of watering.
Transplant technology for adult cacti
To change the container and soil mixture, it is advisable to choose the time in the spring - April or May. Young representatives should be transplanted once a year. Adult cacti do not need to be disturbed. It is enough to change the substrate and flowerpot once every three years.
Old representatives of the culture, which have formed a massive and large stem, must be transplanted every two years. Take care of breathable, loose soil. Regular repotting is good for culture. It promotes rapid growth.
For planting, use a thick drainage layer. This will help prevent buildup. excess moisture and decay of the root system. As a drainage, pebbles, crushed gravel or bricks, as well as expanded clay can be added to the container. Add crushed egg shells to the selected mixture. Then put everything in a pot with a layer of about 3 cm. During transplantation, a flowerpot should be used, the diameter of which exceeds the size of the root system by several centimeters.
In large containers, cacti can stunt growth. Varieties with a shallow root system should be planted in shallow, wide pots. Also, when choosing a container, consider other specific features plants. For example, cacti can form a large number of kids. This type of plant will need a flowerpot much wider than the standard one.
Material used special significance does not have. The plant develops equally well in products made of clay, ceramics or plastic. You can choose a flowerpot according to your taste or depending on the style of the interior.
A few days before transplanting, you need to stop watering the cactus. The substrate will have time to dry. Unlike the standard change of container and soil, this will painlessly free the aerial part of the plant. Please note that the composition of the substrate should not include organic matter. Only minerals. A standard mixture with a neutral level of acidity will do.
To achieve flowering at home is quite difficult.
At home, you can prepare a mixture of peat, leaf soil, turf, peat and coarse river sand. All parts must be taken equally. Also add crushed wood ash to the resulting composition. Granular superphosphate must be added to the acquired substrate.
If you have a cactus with high hairiness and large spines, add lime to the soil when changing the container. It is forbidden to use fresh material. Suitable marble chips, the remains of old plaster or limestone.
Echinopsis and epiphytic varieties (a culture that is attached to another plant) can be supplemented with rotted manure. Cereus pillar-shaped respond well to soddy soil and rubble. After the procedure, you need to cover the cactus with a transparent jar or plastic wrap. Watering should be carried out daily in small portions. After a week, the protection can be removed. It is strictly forbidden to transplant cacti during flowering and bud formation.
Growing problems
Diseases and pests attack the plant as a result of improper care. As a rule, the flower is affected by helminthosporiasis, late blight, dry, black rot, rhizoctoriosis, brown spot, and anthracnose. Fungicides and insecticides will be needed to get rid of the disease.
Also, the plant can die from fungal and viral infection. Saving a flower is quite simple. You need to buy an antifungal or antiviral agent.
Cactus - amazing ornamental plant. Despite its unpretentiousness and resistance to adverse conditions, bad care can destroy culture. Graceful flowers will appear only in a favorable environment.
Proper watering of cacti is the key to successful plant growth, and for flowering forms – necessary condition for buds to appear. Beginning cactus growers have a lot of questions in this regard. The most common of these are how often cacti need to be watered, and what water to water cacti to ensure their full development and longevity.
Rules and methods of watering cacti
Watering cacti at home is not an easy task. It is useful to take into account some of the most general principles glaze.
No succulent likes when a jet of water hits its stem: when wetting the earth mixture, care must be taken that water does not fall on the cactus itself.
There are two main ways to water cacti: from above, into the pot, and from below, from the pallet. The latter method has several advantages: in pots, the substrate is not washed out and is not washed out so quickly nutrients from earth mixture; most of the suction roots are located in cacti in the lowest part of the root system - at the bottom of the pot, so the flow of water to this particular part of the earthy coma is justified, while wetting the thick main roots and the neck of the stem is not only useless, but also dangerous; and finally, watering from a pallet makes it much easier to care for a collection, especially a large one. This method also has disadvantages - the difficulty of individual care for individual cacti and the difficulty of controlling the amount of water that has fallen into the pot, but these difficulties are overcome with experience and through the use of simple substrate moisture meters.
When watering cacti in winter and summer from above, it is important that the entire lump is saturated with water. And so another important principle: it is better to water once abundantly (so that the entire earthen ball is saturated with moisture) than to water part of it little by little (when the water wets only the surface of the substrate in the pot). It should be remembered that water lasts longer in larger pots and in a heavy (clay) earth mixture.
And how to water a cactus at home, given weather? dry hot weather cacti are watered in the evening, on cooler days - in the morning.
Highly good results gives heating from below, which is turned on after watering for the period while the substrate retains moisture.
How often should cacti be watered at home?
The vast majority of cacti are watered only during the growing season. Most species - in late spring - early summer and late summer - early autumn. Here we should briefly characterize the seasonal cycle of the bulk of cacti in European collections. In winter - a dormant period, from mid-spring - the beginning of the growing season, in the second half of summer - a short summer dormant period and new period growing season in late summer - early autumn. But there are groups of cacti and other succulents (primarily aizoons) that have life cycles fundamentally different, and this must be taken into account when caring for them.
Even knowing how to properly water cacti, keep in mind that flowering in many succulents does not coincide with the growth period! And here a problem arises: to water or not to water a plant that blooms during the dormant period, for example, in winter. When solving it, it is necessary to take into account a number of factors. adult strong plant can bloom normally without watering. But on a sunny day, when the air temperature rises significantly, it can be watered. A young or weakened specimen may not have enough strength to bloom without watering. It is more reliable to rearrange it in a warmer and brighter place (for example, in a greenhouse) and then water it. Or come to terms with the fact that you will have to admire the flowering in next years. You can more confidently water grafted plants during the dormant period, and it is more reasonable to refrain from watering "difficult" or vulnerable ones.
But even during the growing season, cacti are watered carefully. The basic principle is that it is better to under-water than to water too much. In cool damp weather, watering is unnecessary, even if the earth ball is completely dry (except for seedlings and rooting plants). In dry, hot weather, the earth mixture should be constantly moist, but water should not be allowed to stagnate in a pot or pan. (close to optimal) drip irrigation, but he, especially in room conditions, technically difficult.)
What kind of water should be watered cacti?
Before watering the cactus, take care of the quality of the water. Chemically pure water- a rarity. Usually, it contains various mineral and organic bring. Since cacti are transplanted relatively rarely, in a few years with watering, you can bring so much different substances that they will completely change the quality of the substrate. There are many recipes for how to avoid this, but for the most part they assume the presence of a real chemical laboratory. And again, most even experienced cactus growers do not resort to such difficulties.
It is important to consider that the cleanest, softest water with a slightly acidic reaction is desirable for irrigation. It can be melted, rain, boiled or just settled water. It is better if the water temperature for irrigation is several degrees higher than the air temperature.
It is useful to spray all cacti with warm (30-50 ° C) water. It is important that the sprayer gives the smallest spray. Large drops, falling on the stem of the plant, can damage it. In hot weather, spraying is done in the evening; in winter - a warm sunny day. As a rule, the air-drop jet should not be directed at the plants, but over them. The exception is the stems of epiphytic cacti and flat-stemmed prickly pear. Most epiphytic cacti can be washed under running water. warm water and wipe with a damp cloth.
Now you know how to water a cactus, which means you can provide your succulent with decent care.
Read about caring for a cactus at home: lighting, temperature, soil. We consider in detail how to properly water a cactus in spring, summer, autumn and winter (frequency, methods, water for irrigation).
We also describe what fertilizer is needed for cacti, how to transplant, propagate and grow from seeds at home.
Lighting and temperature for a cactus at home
Caring for a cactus at home is quite simple, as the plants themselves are hardy and unpretentious, but we still need knowledge, skills and care.
Lighting and temperature
Light for cacti is very important for development and growth. They love a lot sunlight(light-loving), so it is better to place them on the south window, if there is none, then on the west or east.
If the cactus grows on north side, then it must be additionally illuminated. An insufficient amount of light is manifested in the thinning of the top.
- Shade-loving plant species do not exist, there are only some shade-tolerant ones.
Summer
Bright Sun rays in summer they rarely harm the flower, they only recommend shading forest species(ripsalis, etc.).
It is useful to ventilate cacti and expose them to Fresh air(balcony, veranda), but at the same time protect from dust, rain and wind. In rainy weather, cover them with foil.
Gradually increasing the airing time, the plants adapt to the street and after 2-3 weeks they can be kept outdoors around the clock, until the end of summer.
Nighttime temperature changes strengthen the skin of the cactus, bestow shiny spines, allow them to overwinter more easily, increase resistance to disease and improve flowering. Drafts are the main danger.
Winter
In winter, cacti can hardly tolerate dry air with high temperatures. Place the flower on the windowsill further from the battery and closer to the glass (without touching!).
- The optimum temperature for cacti will be 16-24 ° C. It is better for cacti to winter at 10-15 ° C and without drafts. Epiphytic species need a warmer place.
Most species of such genera are more likely to bloom during a warm winter: aporocactus (Aporocactus), hymnocalycium (Gymnocalycium), melocactus (Melocactus), notocactus (Notocactus), parody (Parodia) and ripsalis (Rhipsalis).
The rest of the species need a cold wintering (8-13 ° C) for flowering. In room conditions, it is difficult to achieve such a temperature, because heating radiators are located next to the windowsill.
Therefore, flower growers either take the plants to a cool balcony, loggia, or protect them from a heat source with the help of partitions made of thick cardboard, polystyrene and other improvised materials.
IMPORTANT: The cactus does not like frequent rearrangements. Do not turn it on the other side to the light (put a mark on the pot so as not to be mistaken), for a more even growth - it is absolutely impossible to do this during budding and the beginning of flowering!
Such a lonely and such a beautiful cactus ...
How to water a cactus at home?
Many flower growers think about how to water a cactus at home and do it right, because watering plays a very important role in plant life.
How often should a cactus be watered? (winter spring Summer Autumn)
Winter
From November to early March, cacti have a dormant period. At this time, the need for moisture is minimal. In order for the cactus to bloom, you need low temperature and poor watering.
Large and old specimens are watered every 4 weeks, and small ones more often - once every 14-20 days large quantity water (literally one or two tablespoons). You can spray cacti with warm water once a month - before budding and flowering, and water once a month.
During the period of budding and the beginning of flowering, epiphytic cacti and prickly pear can be watered, while cereus cacti are only sprayed with warm water. Waterlogging leads to the fact that “babies” grow out of buds instead of flowers.
- Many flower growers recommend not watering cacti at all in winter and get excellent results flowering and further development.
The editors of the magazine "Feast of Flowers" reminds you to remember about species features. If in doubt, then water the cacti in the winter in a gentle mode, which is described above.
Spring
As the temperature rises and the amount of light increases, the cacti "come to life" and the need for water gradually increases.
Spray about once every 14-20 days. Approximate times for middle lane Russia, the principle is the same: the warmer and lighter, the more often.
Summer
In summer, cacti are watered most often, as there is maximum growth and intensive development of the plant.
How often should a cactus be watered in summer?
Autumn
In autumn, the cactus is gradually prepared for a dormant period and subsequent flowering. They are watered less and less along with a decrease in temperature: September - once every 5-7 days, October - once every 10-14 days.
From November to March (rest period) every 25-30 days in a small amount.
General rule: It is better to water cacti less often and less than more often and more.
Top dressing and fertilizers
The use of fertilizers for cacti is covered in different ways in the literature and is accompanied by long disputes. We can say for sure that cacti need a small amount of nitrogen and its excess leads to improper plant development.
Cacti need calcium and phosphorus, and during the flowering period - potassium. Therefore, it is better to use a special fertilizer for cacti and succulents.
Quite popular fertilizer "Cactus" with a balanced composition of micro and macro elements. Release form - 0.5 l bottle.
Universal feeding period: from April to early September once every two weeks.
ATTENTION!
- The period of growth and flowering in cacti often do not coincide, so do not top dress in the winter when the plant blooms. For such species, you can slightly increase watering.
- Do not apply fertilizer for cacti after transplanting and before it.
REFRESH YOUR KNOWLEDGE:
Various types of cacti
Cactus transplant at home + soil
It is best to transplant the cactus from the end of March to the end of May. Young plants are transplanted every year, and adults (from 4 years old) every 2-3 years before the start of active vegetation (March).
Transplant plan
- Do not water the flower 3-4 days before transplanting for the convenience of separating the soil from the roots.
- At the bottom of the pot, be sure to use a drainage layer (2-4 cm) - stagnant water is contraindicated for cacti (especially for epiphytes). Fill the holes with shards, pour fine gravel, expanded clay, charcoal or coarse sand on top.
- Depending on the depth of the pot and the length of the roots, a 2-4 cm layer of soil mixture is poured on top of the drainage. The plant is placed on the ground and the roots are straightened, while the base of the cactus should be on the line of the edge of the pot.
- After that, they begin to fall asleep around the substrate to the root neck, periodically shaking the pot and compacting the soil. On top of the substrate, you can pour a 1 cm layer of sand.
- The first 3-4 days after transplanting the cactus, do not water it and do not put it in direct sunlight.
Which cactus pot to choose?
The main thing is that the volume of the cactus pot should not be much larger than the volume in the straightened form of the root system and take into account the characteristics of the species.
Example: Ariocarpus is suitable for a deeper than a wide pot, and mammillaria have many children and many plants grow in one dish over time.
For instances with short and branched roots, a low and wide pot is selected, a deeper and narrower one is suitable for a cactus with long roots or a rod type.
The form. between square and round shape capacity, it is better to choose the second option. However, if you have a large number of cacti or you are constantly expanding your collection, then square or rectangular pots save space on the windowsill and are easier to carry on a tray to another place.
Material. Suitable for both plastic and clay. Cacti are not picky about the material, they do not recommend using only a metal container.
soil mix
The soil for cacti differs depending on its type, age, etc. At experienced flower growers can be found various examples substrate.
General features are as follows: the soil for a cactus should be loose, slightly acidic (pH = 4.5 - 6), light and nutritious (the ratio of minerals varies).
A standard do-it-yourself potting mix would be: leafy soil and river sand (1:1) + some peat (to increase acidity) and powder with small pieces of hardwood charcoal.
Young plants and seedlings need a looser and more nutritious soil mixture (increase some of the leafy soil). A denser substrate is suitable for adult plants; for this, clay-turf soil is added to it.
- Tricks: for rapidly growing species, it is useful to add humus to the substrate. For cacti with a lot of spines, it is useful to add crushed eggshells to the mixture.
HELPFUL INFORMATION:
Pests and diseases
An excess of moisture, especially in winter, leads to the formation of rot. When the roots rot, the cactus is taken out of the pot, the roots are washed running water, dry.
Then rotten leaves and stems, soft and dark roots are cut off, and also treated with an antiseptic (only roots). Planting a cactus in new pot and until it begins to grow, do not water it.
Of the pests, the cactus affects: spider mite, aphids, scale insects and mealybugs.
- The main thing is to inspect the plant weekly through a magnifying glass and avoid excessively dry air. Remember that regular inspection is much easier and more enjoyable than pest control or disease treatment.
FLOWER'S REMINDER:
If you have questions about how to care for a cactus at home, you can ask them in the comments.