Especially during the summer our favorite thorny plants remember the climatic conditions of their place of origin; something that will undoubtedly be very beneficial for their proper development as long as we know how to water a cactus. Indeed, irrigation is of vital importance for those species native to places where rainfall is scarce.
Today we are going to learn everything about this topic, so your cacti will not lack for anything.
What water do I use to irrigate?
The ideal water is rainwater, therefore, whenever possible, store it in 5-liter bottles or larger containers. But if the rainfall in your area is very scarce, you can water with tap water without problems, even if you only use it to wash dishes or clean the floor. Of course, if it is very hard, with a very high pH and with a lot of lime, it is preferable to let it rest overnight so that the heavy metals remain in the lower part of the container.
How often is it watered?
The frequency of watering will vary depending on the climate, the size of the cactus, and the type of pot. To make it easier for us to understand, I am going to tell you two totally different cases, so that you can have a orientation guide when to water your cacti in Spain:
Warm climate without frosts or very weak
Cacti need to be watered often, especially if they are in plastic pots, as these do not hold moisture for long. The solar rays freely pass through the plastic, something that will make us water quite frequently since the substrate will lose its moisture quickly.
In summer about 2 times a week can be very necessary so that the plant does not have problems of lack of water. The rest of the year we will water 1 time a week. In the case of having them in clay pots, the frequency of irrigation will be somewhat lower (around 1-2 times a week in the summer season, and every 10-15 days in winter).
Temperate climate with frosts
Cacti found in temperate climates are watered occasionally, especially if they are in clay pots since this is a material that will hardly penetrate the sun's rays. Also, being a cooler climate, the land takes longer to dry out. And if we add to that that it tends to rain more frequently than in hot climates, we will have to wait for the substrate to dry completely.
Generally, the frequency will be once every 7-10 days in summer; the rest of the year will be enough once every two weeks. But everything will depend on the rains. In addition, it is important that you know that in winter you have to water very little, especially if there is a forecast of frost.
How do you water a cactus?
In general, there are two ways to water the plants: from above, that is, by pouring the water onto the ground; or by immersion, which consists of putting a plate under the pot and filling it each time it looks empty. Well, when you go to water your cactus it is important that you take into account several things:
- If you have it in a pot, it must have holes in the base. Also, there is no need to put any plate under it. The reason is the following: the roots do not support waterlogging. In a pot without holes, every time you water the water will remain inside it; And even if it is in one with holes, if you put a plate or tray on it, the same thing will happen. If the roots rot, it doesn't take long for the stem to rot either.
To avoid this, it is also necessary that the substrate is light, porous, and that it drains water quickly. - If you have the soil, the soil in your garden should be equally light, in addition to that it must absorb and filter the water quickly, since otherwise you could run out of cacti.
On the other hand, it is very important that at the time of watering, pour the water only on the ground. If it is in a pot, it will be thrown until it comes out through the holes in it, and if it is in the ground until we see the wet earth. As far as possible, avoid wetting the plant, especially if we live in an area where the humidity is very high (such as on the islands), since it could rot.
And indoor cacti, when are they watered?
Well, first of all, it is necessary to clarify that there are no indoor plants, for a simple reason: there are none that grow wild inside the house. In the case of cacti, other factors are added, such as their need for lighting. In fact, in a house it is difficult for them to grow really well, since they often lack light.
But if you have a very bright room, with windows through which the sun's rays enter, giving the room a lot of clarity, it is possible that some cacti survive, such as the monkey tail cactus, rhipsalis or Schlumberg was. These have to be watered very little, since indoors the soil takes much longer to dry out completely. More or less, you have to water them once a week in midsummer, and every 20 days or more in winter.
We hope that now you know when and how to water your cacti plants.
Hello,
Thanks for the info. My cactus is one meter tall and indoor. It never gets sun. How much should I water it?
Thank you,
Eva
Hello Eva.
If you can, I would recommend taking it out. Cacti are not well adapted to living indoors, due to the lack of light.
Water it once a week in summer and every 15 days the rest of the year, but I already tell you, if you can have it outside, in a bright area, the better.
A greeting.
Hello, I just bought a miniature cactus for the office, how often should I water it? We are about to receive winter.
Hi Lorena.
You have to water it by letting the soil dry between waterings, which in winter is usually every 10-15 days 🙂
Greetings.
Hello,
I bought a few weeks ago in a terracotta pot, two cacti, one smaller than the other (I am not sure if one of them is a cactus, as it does not have thorns), the largest one is getting yellow thorns; and the little one; Despite not having thorns, small parts of the same plant sprout from the sides; and these are turning yellow too. I am watering them every two weeks but I do not know if it is correct, besides that the weather is very changeable, I would be very grateful for your answer,
Thank you.
Hi Marion.
Do you have them in the sun? If so, and they were protected before, I recommend putting them in semi-shade since they are likely to be burning.
Water them once every ten days or so, and ideally in spring they should be planted in individual pots with holes in the base.
If you have questions, contact us.
regards
Hello, I planted a small cactus of 7 cm more or less, outside my house (on the ground) how often do I have to water it and how much more or less? Thanks
Hello Apollo.
At that size, and being on the ground, once a week or so in the middle of summer. In winter you have to water much less, every 10-15 days.
Greetings.
Holiii! I bought a cactus 1 day ago, and I still have not watered it, I have read on a web page, that if my cactus (PILOSOCEREUS PACHYCLADUS), I water it a lot, it rots.
I have various doubts:
-This type of cactus grows a lot, and if it does it grows a flower?
-Every time I have to water it, (The pot is made of plastic, and since I live in Santander, Cantabria, it is neither hot nor cold, also since there is only one, there are 7, how much I have to water, one measures 9cm, another 10cm , another 8,5cm, another 6cm, another 5cm, and the smallest 1cm?
-How long do they live? If I leave them in the plastic one, it lives little? If I pass it, it has ceramics, does it live longer?
-If I transplant it to the ground, what do I have to do, add more or less water, and what type of soil is suitable.
- How much do they grow?
I know I may seem like a bore, but I care a lot for him and I want the best for him. I look crazy.
It is not a joke.
Hello Sergio.
Don't worry, here we don't take anyone for crazy (or certainly not in a bad way 😉). It is logical that you want to take good care of your cactus (the bad thing would be if it were not like that hehehe).
Well, I'll answer your questions:
-The Pilosocereus are columnar cacti and they grow quite a bit, up to 10 meters.
-Water little now in winter, only when you see that the soil is really dry (do not hesitate to insert a stick all the way to see if soil adheres to it, in which case you will have to wait longer to water). Do not put a plate under it, unless you always remember (and this is very important) to remove the excess water after each irrigation.
-When you water, pour water until it comes out of the holes in the pot, so that the soil is very moist.
-The life expectancy of this type of cactus is around 100 years, being able to exceed them.
-You can have it in a pot, but think that there will come a time when you will have to put it in a bigger one the better (one of those 1m in diameter) in a few decades 🙂
-What ceramic pots have is that they allow the roots a better grip, so the plant grows more stable, so to speak. But the material of the pot does not influence the life expectancy; what will influence it is the size of it: if you leave your cactus in a small pot for life, it will live much less than if you transfer it to a larger one every 3 years or so.
-To transfer it to the ground you have to make a hole of about 50 x 50cm (better if it is 1m x 1m), and fill it with very very porous soil, like volcanic sand (pumice) and plant it in it. That is the same soil that is recommended for pots.
-They reach 10 meters, but their growth rate is slow: about 10cm per year more or less.
-Don't put it in the sun all day without first getting used to it little by little and gradually.
By the way, your cactus does not resist frosts, only weak and specific ones of up to -2º, perhaps -3ºC.
If you have any further questions, ask 🙂
Regards!
I have a small cactus, about 10cm, in a terracotta pot. I live in Cartagena de Indias, with temperature peaks between 24 ° and 32 ° with humidity above 80% always.
In the hottest times, it is between 26 ° and 35 ° with humidity up to 99%. The thermal sensation has reached 42 °.
How much water and how often should I water the cactus?
Hi Luis.
I recommend planting your cactus in a pot with holes in its base - it can be made of clay - with mineral substrate, such as pomx or previously washed river sand.
As for irrigation, it must be scarce, once a week or every 10-15 days. Of course, every time you water, you have to pour water until it comes out through the drainage holes. Do not put a plate under it to prevent it from rotting.
If you have any further questions, contact us.
Regards!
Hello, I just bought a small captus with a plastic pot and I have exposed them to the sun every day and one of them is bending and breaking the tip, what should I do?
Hello Maybelin.
I recommend you get them used to the sun little by little, since if they put them in the sun all day from the first moment, they will burn.
When they bend and break, it is usually because they have received a lot of water. See if it is soft, and if so, cut to the bone. In the event that you have a plate placed under them, remove it since the stagnant water rots the roots. For this same reason, they should only be watered when the soil is dry.
If you have questions, contact us.
Regards!
Hello, I planted a cactus a week ago (outside) it is small, I wanted to know how often do I have to water it? It's winter here.
Hello Apollo.
If it is winter, the watering will be very spaced: once every 15 days or so.
Regards!
Hello, excellent page. I have small cacti and succulents in plastic pots, but I live in a temperate climate. How often should you water them in the fall, winter, and spring?