There is a common myth that cacti do not need special care. To get this bizarre plant is advised to those who have absolutely no time to water and transplant home pots. There is some truth in this statement - cacti have a greater supply of vital energy than other plants, but it is not infinite.
Experienced flower growers argue that cacti, like other flowers, need to create good conditions on the part of the owners. You can learn about how to properly care for our green brothers from this article.
Choosing a place for a cactus
Often, inexperienced owners put a cactus pot near a computer or on a bookshelf, believing that this picky plant can grow in the shade. Over time, the flowerpot turns yellow, the needles begin to fall off. In order to avoid these unpleasant consequences, you need to figure out what kind of cacti the pet belongs to.
Cactus is a picky plant that can decorate any interior.
South window sills
Lovers of sunlight are desert cacti. This species is able to survive in the most extreme conditions due to the thickened root system. The ribbed surface provides minimal moisture evaporation, which explains the pickiness in terms of watering.
Most homemade cacti love sunlight, but direct rays should be avoided. This plant can be kept in open areas for no more than 6 hours. It is advisable to hang a tulle or curtain on the window, which will protect the prickly pet. Leaf cacti and epiphytes do not tolerate the scorching sun at all. This type of cactus should be in the sun for no more than 4 hours.
East and north windows
The north or east side is the best for cactus growth. Sometimes on the south side the plant is burned under the influence of direct sunlight, so you need to create a light partial shade. It all depends on the climate: those who live in a country with a hot climate choose the north or east side, and those who live in cold countries choose the south side.
Important! Direct sunlight can tolerate only 70% of these plants. Even this category with prolonged exposure to the sun gets burns: the top layer turns red or turns black. Burns do not harm the plant, it is still advisable to choose a northern windowsill and sometimes take out a cactus to the balcony.
Pot Options
When choosing a pot for a cactus, you need to pay attention not to the appearance and color, but to the size of the container, since it all depends on the growth of the root system. Therefore, comfort, warmth and dryness will be the main selection criteria.
Pot sizes
The type, size and degree of growth of the root system of the plant will tell you which pot is needed for the cactus. For the active growth and proper development of a large plant, you will need a spacious vessel, since it has a voluminous root system.
The cactus pot must match the size of the root system of the plant
If the cactus is small, it is not worth transplanting it into a small container, since the root begins to rot over time.
Substrate
For the normal development of a cactus, you need a substrate filled with all the necessary nutrients. As a rule, it is prepared long before planting. For preparation, you will need such components: turf land, dry or rotten leaves and sand. You can add crumbs of peat, gypsum, coal or brick. The substrate must be breathable, absorb moisture well and have an acidity of not more than 5.6 pH.
Materials for making pots
To understand which pot to plant a cactus in, you need to study the characteristics of the materials. Capacities can be made from different raw materials. Often, flower growers opt for plastic or clay pots. Both those and others have their pros and cons. Plastic flower pots break quickly and prevent moisture from evaporating. If water does not evaporate at least partially through the walls of the vessel, there is a risk of rotting of the root system and the formation of fungus. It is quite difficult to grow cacti in such containers, because they easily break and bend. In pottery, water evaporates quickly, so there is a risk of the soil and plant roots drying out. If the choice of a grower fell on a clay pot, you will have to water the green pet more often than usual. A huge disadvantage of this material is that salt dissolving in water accumulates in the form of plaque on the walls of the tank. This leads to the death of the root system, since the cactus prefers oxidized soil.
Concrete, clay, glass, wood and metal can also serve as material for the manufacture.
Pot drain
Do not even think about whether drainage is needed for a cactus - it is simply necessary. Florists use drainage in order to eliminate the risk of stagnation of water at the bottom of the pot. To do this, they take a wine cork, expanded clay, crushed brick, crushed stone, coal and eggs. These materials are placed in a thin layer at the bottom of the pot. It is impossible to determine the exact size of the drainage, it will occupy about 1/6 of the total capacity of the tank.
Drainage preparation is a mandatory step that positively affects the further development of the plant.
Important! After installing the drainage system, you can abundantly water the plant and not be afraid of root rot. When transplanting, the old drainage should be discarded, as it has already accumulated salt.
Planting and transplanting a cactus
The cactus in the pot needs regular transplanting, as the old soil is alkalized, loses its ability to breathability and all the useful properties. The best time for this process is spring: late March or early May. If you wish, you can transplant a cactus at any time. In order to grow a large and beautiful flowerpot, you need to adhere to the rules of planting and disinfection.
Proper planting of cactus in a pot with a root
Before planting, you need to prepare the soil. A cactus will need loose soil, which allows the root system to quickly absorb moisture and breathe. To achieve this effect will help river sand or sifted cat filler. The new pot should be slightly larger than the old, but if the plant grows slowly, you can choose the old one. The vessel should be disinfected by sprinkling with boiled water. Three days before transplanting, the plant does not need to be watered.
How to plant a cactus in a new pot:
- Get a pet from an old vessel. Work should be done with leather gloves, wrap the plant with cloth or paper. Before this, you need to loosen the soil with a knife, placing it in the ground. Cut the soil until the earth is separated from the tank. If the pot is plastic, it can be squeezed tightly and the plant together with the soil will come out.
- To clear roots of soil lumps and to distribute carefully. If the root system was not susceptible to decay processes or the attack of pests, fungi, the flowerpot can be transplanted into a new vessel. Cut off the dead roots with scissors.
- To prevent infection of the root system, it must be dried for several days in a dry and warm place.
- Place drainage at the bottom of the new tank, pour a layer of coarse-grained earth on top.
- Place the plant in the center of the pot without pressing the roots into the bottom. Take loose soil and gradually fill them with roots. When the pot is half full, you need to tap on it so that the earth fills the empty spaces in the root system.
- Do not plant the cactus too deep. The green part of the plant should rise above the soil, and the roots should be hidden by the soil.
- The top layer of the earth can be covered with gravel or compost.
After transplanting, the plant needs several days to recover. You can not water the cactus during this period, since the roots must dry. If the pet is prone to rotting or fungal diseases, you will have to wait three weeks with watering. After rehabilitation, care for the succulent remains the same.
Examples of cacti for a pot
To date, hundreds of species of cacti for growing at home are known. Especially popular are mini cacti, each of which has its own name, features of transplantation and care.
Mini cacti
Often in the house of many housewives you can meet such types of tiny desert children:
- Astrophytum Capricorn - a flowering plant in the shape of a sphere. In summer, it produces fruits in the form of yellow flowers, acquires a cylindrical shape with age. The size and shape of the spines may vary;
- Notocactus Otto is a spherical cactus with thick and sharp thorns, during the flowering period pleases the eye with large buds, the maximum length of which reaches 8 cm;
- Mammillaria bokasanskaya - a silver cactus, covered with white buds during flowering. Flowers grow in the shape of a wreath;
- Small prickly prickly pear prickly pear - a thirty-centimeter plant that is covered with red and white needles. This cactus is one of the most popular rooms for decoration.
The main advantages of tiny cacti are ease of care and aesthetic appearance.
Also known are species such as tiny Rebucia, Mikhanovich Gymnocalycium, Echinocereus crestus, and Kleistocactus Strauss. These pets will breathe nature into the home and decorate any interior.
Variants of several potted cacti
If there is not enough space on the windowsill, and there are large pots at home, you can plant several cacti in one pot. To do this, you need to select plants with a similar set of characteristics, that is, they must be resistant to sunlight, grow slowly and rarely give offspring. Also, green pets should have the same watering requirements.
These include astrophytum, Cereus Peruvian and Echinofossulocactus. It is recommended to plant cacti with a thick and ribbed surface in one pot: sedum, echeveria, cotyledon and pachyphytum. It is only necessary to make a prickly composition symbolically, in fact, one should not forget about creating a cache-pot and drainage for the root system of each plant separately. This is done in order to prevent root plexus, as it causes difficulties in transplanting and getting rid of diseases and parasites.
Important! You can not plant succulents and cacti in one pot. These varieties of plants need different conditions of detention and a kind of care. Cacti need dryness and coolness during the wintering period, succulents need moisture and fresh air.
DIY Cactus Pot Examples
It’s not necessary to buy expensive ceramic pots or clog the environment with plastic containers. You can make a pot with your own hands from improvised means that every housewife will find.
Option 1
To create a bowl, you need peeled coconut. Saw the shell in half and make holes on the sides of the pot. Do not forget about the drainage holes. Capacity can be decorated at your discretion.
Option 2
Fans of ecological style will use a pot of twigs. To do this, you need to prepare the rods themselves, a piece of burlap cloth, glue and any cylinder-shaped container. The jar needs to be glued with a cloth and tightly braid the base with rods.
Option 3
You will need polymer clay, a knife and a spoon. Clay needs to be well kneaded, molded into a ball and refrigerated for 15 minutes. After cooling, remove excess material from the center of the ball. Using a knife, you can make any geometric shape. Such a pot is suitable for fans of minimalism.
Capacity for a cactus can be created from improvised means. It can be an old cup or bowl, which can be painted with markers, waterproof paints or nail polish. Pots round shells, beads, glitter or any other improvised decorations.
Do-it-yourself cactus pots save money and show your creativity
