Cactus Maintenance Tips: 1 ٫ Combining pot soil
The truth is that different species of cactus live in different conditions. Some of these cacti grow better in sandy and dry soils, while others prefer tropical rainforests. When you decide to buy a cactus, make sure you know its species and what conditions it needs to grow. After buying it, you need to prepare the right potting mix for it. If you prepare a potting mix that is prepared for tropical cacti and use it for dry cacti, your plant will not grow well!
The role of soil in the maintenance of tropical cactus
Epiphyllums are a type of cacti found in tropical rainforests. If you decide to keep this species of cacti, make sure that the potting mix is ideal for them. Tropical cacti soil drains quickly because too much water can cause the roots of these plants to rot. In order for this cactus to survive and grow well, its soil must have proper drainage. For tropical cacti, more organic matter should be added to the potting mix than dry cacti.
Dry cactus soil
Most cacti that grow in dry areas will not grow well if planted in poorly drained soil. For most of these cacti, prepared cactus soil is suitable, which can be obtained from flower shops.
Cactus storage tips: 1 ٫ Irrigation
Cactus yellow
In this way, these plants can stay without water for a long time, but when they start to turn yellow, they will tell you that they need watering. Most cacti grow in hot seasons and during this period you should water them sufficiently. In cold seasons such as autumn and winter, these plants need less watering. On average, during the spring and summer, you can water your cactus once a week or even more depending on whether the soil dries out. Overwatering your cactus will cause its roots to rot and your plant will look pale.
Prevent the excessive irrigation of the cactus
You can use a stick to see if the soil has water or not. If the soil sticks to the wood, it means that the soil is still wet. Of course, low watering is also problematic and causes the cactus to turn pale and bend in one direction. Control the amount of watering the cactus and avoid too little or too much watering.
Important Tips for irrigation and maintenance of cactus
You might think that larger cacti need more watering, but in fact, smaller, younger cacti grow faster and therefore need more watering. Therefore, when keeping small cacti, be careful about watering them.
Small pots are ideal for watering cacti because these plants do not like to sit in water and too much water will cause them to rot. Large pots require more time to drain, which makes the cactus prone to poor growth. In this way, to keep your cactus, prepare a pot that is sufficient and suitable for it.
Type of appropriate pots
As we said, paying attention to the size of the pot is important for cactus growth, but soil aeration is also very important. Plastic pots can be used to plant cactus, but compared to clay pots, their soil takes time to dry. Clay pots ensure that there is maximum air and excess water drains off more quickly, reducing the chance of root rot. To keep your cactus, be sure to use a pot that completely drains the excess water.
Cactus maintenance tips: ٫ ٫ Use fertilizer
Plants need nutrients to grow. For proper care, you need to get cacti-specific fertilizer because these fertilizers provide the nutrients needed by cacti. For most cacti, the growing season is in the warmer months of the year.
When looking for cactus fertilizer, make sure it's low in nitrogen but high in phosphorus. This is important to keep the cactus looking healthy. Always make sure to check your cacti in the spring to monitor for new growth.
Fertilizer time to cactus
Only start fertilizing cacti when you are sure they are growing. The proper fertilizer for cactus maintenance should be 1 tablespoon of low-nitrogen fertilizer per gallon of water. Use this solution to water your cacti and do this once every eight weeks in the spring and summer. Some cacti, such as the Christmas cactus, bloom in the winter and are without growth in the summer; In this case, give them fertilizer in the winter season.
Cactus maintenance tips: ٫ ٫ Good light
In the maintenance and care of cactus, light is one of the necessities. Desert cacti love direct sunlight and use direct sunlight for 4 hours a day. Tropical cacti like Christmas cactus prefer partial shade. During winter, tropical cacti such as Rhipsalis ideally need direct sunlight as this is when they bloom and should be exposed to direct sunlight if possible.
Cactus maintenance light in cold seasons
To keep cactus at home, you need to make sure that your plant receives enough light. If you place the cactus in front of the east or south window, make sure it is at least 120 cm away from the window. From time to time, it is also necessary to turn the pot because too much sunlight causes them to turn yellow or white.
During winter and autumn, cacti need a temperature between 8 and 10 degrees Celsius. They can withstand higher temperatures in summer and spring. If you are growing your cactus indoors, it is better to rotate it every month because cacti grow towards the light and rotating them will make their growth balanced.
Cactus Maintenance Tips: ٫ ٫ Pests
In most cases, the most common problems of cacti are bacterial and fungal diseases caused by excessive watering. However, once in a while, they are attacked by pests such as mealybugs. These pests can be difficult to control because they may re-emerge or eventually cause damage to cacti.
Cactus maintenance and its pests: flour luggage
These two types of insects are the most common insects that may manage to pass through cactus thorns and can cause a lot of damage to it, which eventually leads to the death of the plant. Mealybugs usually grow in clusters and have a white, waxy, cottony appearance.
It is not easy to identify these insects because they usually stay in the hidden parts of the cactus. They are mostly hidden in the underside of leaves and joint areas. These insects mostly attack leaves and stems. In addition, the mealybug attacks the root and usually sucks the water from the root, which causes rotting of the cactus due to bacterial infections.
Cactus Maintenance Tips: ٫ ٫ Always be careful about cactus!
Houseplants are delicate and sensitive creatures that you should always monitor to make sure everything is ideal for their growth. Cacti are no exception to this rule. Observing their growth closely will help you know what is good for them and how they grow will tell you what they are lacking.
For example, when you see your cactus growing towards the sun, it is an indication that it is not getting enough light. Therefore, it is necessary to change their location and choose a spot that has better light. If the cactus looks wilted, it means it is getting too much light and you should move it to a place with less light.
Cactus Maintenance Tips: ٫ ٫ Don't forget to replace the cactus pot!
When you notice that the cactus roots have found their way out of the pot, it's time to replace the pot. Since cacti are not demanding plants, you might think that they don't need to change the pot, but the truth is that for proper growth, you need to pay attention to everything. It is better to change the cactus pot every 2 to 4 years. If you fertilize your cactus, change the pot every 4 years, but if not, every 2 years is ideal.
Cactus storage tips: ٫ ٫ Suitable air circulation for cactus
One of the important points in maintaining cacti is that these plants hate hot weather. These plants grow well in places where there is enough fresh air. If you are growing your cactus indoors, make sure that the conditions are suitable and that there is adequate air circulation. Open the doors and windows of the room in the summer and use ceiling fans for better air circulation.
