Imagine that you are in a store (physical or online). You look at what they have and a mini cactus makes you “tingle”. When they are small, they are very cute because they do almost no damage with their thorns (if they have any). So you decide to buy it but… Do you know how to take care of a mini cactus?
You might think it’s a cactus and therefore easy to care for, but what if we told you that a mini cactus has needs that large cacti do not have? Below we help you know how to keep it beautiful and healthy for a long time. And, by the way, let it grow and grow, because it will.
location and temperature
You already have your mini cactus! And it’s time to put it in place. In general, they can go both outdoors and indoors. But with a few quirks:
If you are going to put it outside, try to choose a semi-shaded area. Yes, we know these are cacti and they tolerate direct sunlight. But we are talking about a mini cactus and it may not be so accustomed or tolerant to spending hours and hours in full sun. Of course, that doesn’t mean he never gives it away. If you give him four hours a day (morning or afternoon), he will be very happy.
If you’re going to put it inside, make sure it’s near a window. The best locations are said to be the south and the east. through her there should be as much light as possible and, if possible, a few hours of direct sunlight.
Also, keep one thing in mind: it needs you to move it from time to time. Concretely, that you rotate it so that it receives the sun on all parts of its “body” because otherwise it may start to grow unevenly and it will no longer be as pretty.
As for the temperature, in general they can be between 18 and 32 degrees without any problem, even more so when they are already adapted to the climate. But in winter, it is normal for them to be between 7 and 13°C.
pot and substrate
When you buy a mini cactus, or in general any plant, They usually come with plastic pots, called “propagation”. But, in reality, they are not the most appropriate (and sometimes the substrate either).
So, one of the first things to do, always after 10-15 days of purchase, is to change it for another one.
Since we are talking about mini cacti, with a pot of 10 centimeters in diameter you should have enough. It can be made of clay, cement, metal or, yes, plastic.
Of course, make sure it has drainage holes, so water can come out well from below.
Regarding the land, there are specific substrates for cacti and succulents, but you can also use a mixture between black sand and perlite, or universal substrate and perlite. Both are adequate and generally adapt well to the needs of the cactus.
Another option could be to use Lechuza pon, which is very trendy right now and can work for these plants as well.
Irrigation
We recommend that, after a transplant, wait at least a week or two before watering. And in case you bought it, wait at least 3-5 days to do so, so you won’t cause too much shock. And don’t worry, nothing will happen to it if you don’t water it, It tolerates drought very well.
Now you have to know that when it comes to caring for a mini cactus, irrigation is one of the differential factors compared to other cacti. And that’s because it needs less water than the others.
In general, you will need to water them once a week, or almost every two weeks. It all depends on the variety, since there are others that with only twice a season are more than enough. So it’s better small and rare than to pass by and let it rot.
Subscriber
Cacti subscription is not something highly recommended. Less in the mini cacti because you could burn it. Consider the size of the factory and what the manufacturer tells you. And from the latter you will have to reduce by half or even a third.
If you don’t want to pay, nothing happens. But if you do, only use it every 2-3 months and only from spring to fall.
Size
Mini cacti are usually not pruned. This would only happen if they had dead leaves (you know there are many types). But that’s not normal. What can be taken from it are new plants.
Plagues and diseases
Cacti are generally very resistant to pests and diseases. However, in the case of mini cacti, special attention should be paid to diseases, because many of them are caused by improper watering or poor lighting. As advice, we suggest the following:
If you see that your mini cactus is turning white (losing its color), move it to a darker place, the sun is not good for it.
If you see him losing weight, switch to a more enlightened one.
In case of presence of insects, mites, scale insects… treat it with a homemade insecticide (non-abrasive) or with a home remedy. You will also have to wash it with alcohol at 70ºalthough this one, if it has thorns, will be more complicated (in these cases, use alcohol-soaked ear swabs).
Multiplication
When they are mini cacti, you shouldn’t worry so much about spreading as about growing them healthy. However, even when it is small, it may take off small ones. These will be tiny and we recommend leaving them in the same jar for a while until they look bigger to separate them and succeed in reproducing them.
Another way to get more is with the seeds you get when they bloom. We know it will take time, but it’s worth giving it a try, if only once, to see how they grow little by little.
Do you now dare to take care of a mini cactus? Is there a trick that works really well for you with these plants? We read you.