When and how to prune cacti?

Pruning a cactus is very special, since these are plants whose characteristics are quite different from those of, for example, rose bushes or trees. In addition, since in many cases they have a thorn -and not always harmless-, it is important to protect your hands before proceeding to cut.

Thus, If you want to know when and how to prune cacti, then we are going to tell you everything you need to know about this topic. In this way, you can keep it the size you want, taking into account the cactus itself.

When should a cactus be pruned?

Cacti grow in spring, slower in summer and again a little faster in fall if temperatures stay above 15ºC. So, so that you can get over pruning without too much difficulty, ideally prune them in early spring, when there are no more frosts and the maximums are mild (15-25ºC), or in the middle / end of this season if they are blooming.

Under these conditions, inside the plants, the sap is transported more quickly than in winter, so that the healing time is shorter than if it were cut in that season. This is very important to know, since the less time it takes to heal, the lower the risk of infection.

And it is that parasitic fungi can enter the cactus through any hole, no matter how small. These microorganisms multiply, in most cases, by spores, which are the equivalent of the seeds of plants. The spores are tiny, invisible to the naked eye, something that gives them a huge advantage, since they only manifest when the infection is usually advanced; that is, when the cactus begins to become soft, and / or white, orange or grayish spots or powder appear.

For this reason, You do not have to prune a plant that is diseased, unless this pruning is done in order to remove the part that is affected. For example: if it is the case that it is a hanging species, with multiple stems, and only a few of those stems are rotten, then it is a good option to remove them to prevent the disease from spreading to the rest of the plant.

Another case in which doubts could arise: an etiolated cactus, that is, one that has grown in the direction of a more powerful light, making its stems increasingly thin and weak. In this case, it is also usually decided to cut where that stem has narrowed, and wait for the cactus to recover.

When is it NOT necessary to prune cacti?

Sometimes pruning the cactus is inadvisable. For example:

• Columnar or barrel-shaped cactus unbranched (or branching from adulthood): these are usually large. It's their nature. We can't have a cardónPachycereus pringlei), which can exceed 10 meters in height, with a size of 2 meters or less. It is not natural. We must know the characteristics of the plants we grow, because cacti cannot be worked as if they were bonsai.
• Cactus with pests: If you have pests, it is best to remove the pest first so that your situation does not get worse.

How to prune a cactus?

Knowing when to prune it, it's time to get down to business. A) Yes, first of all we have to prepare the tools, which will be:

• Serrated knife for the green and tender shoots.
• Pruning shears if they are stems that measure between 0,5 and 1cm, and are lignified or semi-woody (for sale here).
• If the stem to be cut is 2cm or more, we will use a handsaw or handsaw (for sale here).

All these tools must be washed with soap and water before use. In addition, we have to prepare healing paste to apply to large wounds.

Then, we will proceed to prune it. For it, we recommend following this step by step:

1. First you have to see what to prune, and why. For example, if you have a cactus with multiple hanging stems and you need it not to take up so much space; or if it is etiolated and you would like it to have a more normal growth.
2. Then grab the right tool, and cut. If you are going to remove stems, try to make that cut as low as possible so that it heals better and, incidentally, so that the scar is not very visible.
3. Finally, you have to put healing paste on it if it is a large wound, or if you have pruned an etiolated cactus, and leave the plant in a dry place.

If all goes well, in a week or so the wound will be healed.

Caring for a freshly pruned cactus

Although we usually think that cacti are very resistant plants, we must not forget that when we can do them we are making wounds through which microorganisms can enter. Especially if they are small, it is necessary to take into account some tips so that unforeseen events do not arise:

Don't water it from above

This should never be done, but less when it is freshly pruned. The risk of rotting is very high, especially if the humidity is already high (something that happens on the islands and when it is close to the coast). What's more, if done in the morning or at noon, the sun could burn it since the magnifying glass effect would be given.

Let the substrate or soil dry

In order to prevent the roots from rotting, you have to let the soil lose its moisture between one irrigation and the next. But not only that: if it is in a pot, with a plate underneath, you must empty it every time you water.

Take it to an area with more light

If your cactus has been etiolated, you have to move it to a more luminous area.. These plants, in general, do not do well indoors, precisely because they do not receive the amount of light they need. Therefore, if you can take it out to the balcony, terrace, or patio, and get used to the sun little by little.

I hope you now know how to prune your cactus, and remember to put on appropriate gloves so that your hands are safe from thorns.