It is said a lot that cacti are very easy plants to care for, that they resist drought and that they can even live with little water. But the truth is that the reality is different, something that becomes more and more evident as the days and weeks go by and, without further ado, we begin to see that its stems grow in an exaggerated way, weakening, that they turn brown. for no apparent reason or they rot.
For this reason, I would venture to say that these are not the best plants for beginners. But, Why are cacti not easy to care for?
They need a lot of natural light
They all have to be in an area where there is a lot of (natural) light, otherwise they will not grow well. It's more, the vast majority of cacti live in arid and semi-arid regions, exposed to direct sunlightHence, its indoor cultivation is more difficult if possible, because not always in homes there is a room with windows through which a lot of light enters.
What problems does the lack of light give them? Basically the elongation of their bodies, which grow towards the most powerful light source (eye, which can be a simple reflection of light on a surface) while becoming thinner and weaker. Fixing this is tricky, because they won't revert to their original shape. What is done is the following:
- Take the cactus to an area where there is more light, but not direct at least temporarily, as it would burn.
- If you have a cactus whose stem has bent due to lack of light, and therefore has lost thickness and is weaker, you have to cut it where it was bent and put healing paste to seal the wound.
You should not put them in direct sunlight if they are not used to it.
It is a mistake to buy cacti and simply put them in a sunny place. This can be done, but only if they were already exposed to the Sun, but if not, we risk that the next day they will wake up with burns, especially if we have acquired them in summer. Thus, it is best to be patient, and acclimatize them little by little.
And how is that done? It is very simple if you follow these steps:
- First week: they are left in a place where there is a lot of light, but they do not have to be in direct sunlight at any time. This way we give them time to get used to their new home.
- Second week: every day we place them in an area where they do receive direct light, a maximum of half an hour or an hour. It should be done when the sun is not so hot, early in the morning or at sunset.
- From the third week: we will increase the time of exposure to the sun by 30-60 minutes every seven days.
We will know that we have to slow down if we see that the cacti burn quickly. Now, I also tell you that a small burn is not a problem. Of course, the ideal is that they do not have any, but we have to be clear that we are accustoming them to being in a sunny place when until now they had been in the shade or indoors, so it should not surprise us that they suffer some minor damage.
The earth has to be light and facilitate the exit of the water
Very compact and / or heavy soils are a danger to cactus roots. Not only can they not grow normally, but also, when the soil is dry it does not reach them well, and when it is wet it remains in that state for too long.Since the sun's rays cannot reach the bottom well.
Therefore, the most advisable thing is that if we are going to grow them in pots let's put a mixture of peat with perlite in equal parts, or cheek. Another option is to buy a substrate that is already prepared, but only if it is of good quality, such as this.
In the event that we want to plant them in the garden, it is important that we make sure that the soil is suitable. For that, we will make a hole of about 30 x 30 centimeters, and we will fill it with water. Then we calculate the time it takes to absorb it. If it is suitable for cacti, we will see that it does not take more than a few minutes; But if it takes longer, the ideal will be to make it larger, 1 x 1 meter, place a layer of about 30-40 centimeters of clay or volcanic clay, and finish filling it with a mixture of peat with perlite in equal parts.
The pots must have holes in their base
If planted in pots without holes, the cacti will die. This is so. And is that these plants they do not tolerate waterlogging, and if they have standing water in the roots, they will rot. In fact, It is for this reason that it is not a good idea to put a plate under the pots with holes., unless they run off after being watered.
Therefore, if they give us a pot without holes, it is better that we make them at least one, or if we do not know how, that we use them to put artificial plants.
Cacti need water and moisture
If we have them in pots, watering is a task that we will have to do throughout their lives; and if they are in the ground, they will also have to be watered from time to time if the weather is very dry. It is said that these plants resist drought, but what they do not tell you is that for this to be the case, it is important that the environmental humidity is high.
For example, I live a few kilometers from the sea, and the humidity is always very high, above 50%. Be it winter or summer, the plants wake up wet every day. This water is very good for cacti, because thanks to them they stay hydrated. The same happens in their places of origin.
However, when this does not happen, they are very thirsty, their bodies get smaller and, if we do not act in time, they die. How to make them healthy? To do this, we advise you the following:
- Water when the soil is completely dry. Use a soil moisture meter like this if you have doubts.
- Check what degree of humidity is in your area, either with a Weather Station or on a weather website, like the AEMET website if you are in Spain.
- If the humidity is less than 50%, place containers with water around it if it is inside the house, or spray the cactus with water if you have it outside at dusk, when the sun no longer shines directly.
- If the humidity is higher than 50%, we advise you to plant your cactus in sandy substrates, such as the pumice to prevent them from rotting.
You have to fertilize your cacti in spring and summer
In addition to water, your cacti will need nutrients to stay strong and healthy. But specific fertilizers or fertilizers should be used for these plantsas this, since not all those that are for sale in the nurseries will serve us.
It is important that they are used following the instructions on the packaging, otherwise they will not be useful; Furthermore, if we exceed the indicated dose, the roots will burn and the cactus will not survive.
They cannot lack room to grow
Whether you are going to have them in the garden or in a pot, the dimensions they will have once they are adults must be known in order to know where to plant them exactly. For example, Echinocactus grusonii (better known as mother-in-law's seat or golden barrel) are usually sold very young in pots of 5,5-8,5 centimeters in diameter, but over time they can measure 1 meter high by about 60 centimeters wide . If these cacti are not changed from time to time, or if we do not plant them in the ground as soon as possible, they will not grow well and could become weak.
Thus, if we have cacti in pots we have to transplant them in spring when the roots appear through the drainage holes, or when we see at a glance that they have already occupied it all and cannot continue to grow. And if they are going to be in the garden, it should also be done in spring, with care so that neither the cactus nor yourself will suffer damage.
With this information, I hope you can take even better care of your cacti.