Why does a cactus stop growing? There are several reasons why this situation can occur, but some of them go unnoticed. And with good reason, since in general its growth rate is slow, but not too much, since from one year to the next there are changes in the plant.
However, when it is grown, it needs some special care so that its roots do not get puddled, and incidentally, so that it continues its development. For this reason, let's see why my cactus doesn't grow.
The reasons why a cactus stops growing, or slows down its growth, are many and should be known. Of the vast majority of species we cannot expect them to grow eight inches or more in a single year, but if we do not see any change in months, then we may not be providing all the care it needs. So that, let's see what are the reasons why this happens:
- Lacks space
- You need nutrients
- It's cold / it's resting
- You are getting too much or too little water
- The land is not the right one
- Not getting enough light
Lack of space
Lack of space is a recurring problem in cultivation. Potted cacti are often grown in those same containers for years and years.And at first, yes, they can grow as if they wanted to get out of the pot, but in the medium term they end up "giving up". They stop growing and thus weaken.
What to do? The first thing is to make sure that you really need a new pot. We will know this if we see that the roots come out through the drainage holes, or if when trying to remove the cactus from the container, the soil bread remains intact. If this happens, then we will have to plant it in a pot that is about 5-7 centimeters larger than the one you are already using, with substrate for cacti.
You need nutrients
Lack of nutrients may or may not be related to lack of space, since when a cactus cannot grow any more in its pot it is because it has also used up the nutrients of the earth. But it can also occur in plants grown in the ground, especially when the soil is nutritionally poor.
What to do? Well, if it is in a pot it is possible that, as we said, it needs a transplant. If so, the new soil that we add will solve the problem temporarily. Even so, you have to know that all cacti, regardless of where they are grown, need nutrients, so they must be fertilized during spring and summer with specific fertilizers for them.
It is cold or at rest
During the winter, with temperatures of 15ºC or lower, the cactus will not grow. And if the summer is very, very hot, with maximum temperatures reaching or exceeding 40ºC maximum and minimum temperatures of 20ºC or higher, it may grow but slower than in spring. Therefore, this is a cause that should not really worry us too much.
What to do? The cactus must be protected from frost, and especially from snowfall, if it is a species sensitive to cold. On the other hand, if we buy one in summer, we will not expose it to the sun directly as soon as we arrive, unless they have it in a sunny place in the nursery, since otherwise it would burn.
Lack or excess of water
If the cactus is watered little, or on the contrary a lot, its growth rate will be affected. On the one hand, if it does not receive the amount of water it needs, it will »wrinkle» because it will absorb the water that it has inside; but on the other, If the watering is excessive, what will happen is that its roots will rot. And it is that you have to water it from time to time, because that is the only way to get it to increase in size season after season.
What to do? It will depend on the case. If we water little we will see that the land is very dry; also if it is in a pot and we tried to remove the cactus from it, it is likely that it would come out easily and without falling apart. Luckily, it has an easy solution: all you have to do is put it in a basin with water for half an hour, or water a lot if it is on the ground, until the soil is well soaked. But, if what happens is that it has been watered too much, we will suspend the waterings temporarily, and we will treat it with fungicide to avoid fungal infections.
Unsuitable soil or substrate
The soil in which the cactus is to grow must be light, sandy, and filter the water quickly. When planted in heavy or very compact soils, or in pots with poor quality substrates, the cactus will not be able to grow in conditions; In fact, if it is kept in it for a long time, we risk that it will not receive the amount of water it needs, or on the contrary, that it will rot.
What to do? If when watering we see that the earth does not have good drainage, it is best to remove the cactus from there. Later, if it is in the garden, we will make a large hole and fill it with a mixture of peat mixed with perlite (for sale here) in equal parts; and if it is in a pot, we can also use that mixture, or cactus soil (for sale here).
Not getting enough light
The vast majority of cacti need to be directly exposed to the sun, since if they are kept in shade or semi-shade they will not grow well (they can do it "badly", that is, lengthening their bodies as they grow towards a more powerful light, which happens a lot when they are kept indoors, for example ).
What to do? Depends. If the plants we bought were in an area with great clarity but the sun was not directly on them, we will have to find a similar place for them. But if they were already exposed to the sun king, we will put them in a sunny place.
We hope we have solved your doubts about why your cactus has stopped growing.
Thanks it was very useful for me, this info
Thank you very much Susana.