Taking care of a small cactus is not as easy as it seems: several factors must be taken into account, such as the climate and the terrain in which it grows, in order to give it all the care it needs. need at any time.
Indeed, at this young age, cacti are delicate and vulnerable plants, which is why it is important to “pamper” them a little so that they reach maturity. And with that goal in mind, I will tell you how to take care of a small cactus.
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Meet the needs of your little cactus
When a cactus seed germinates in the desert, it often does so under the protection of bushes or trees that provide some shade. It does not lack light at any time -except, of course, at night-, but during its earliest childhood it can grow without having to worry about the sun’s rays.. As he grows and gets bigger and bigger, he exposes himself more and more to the royal star, and although at first he may burn a little, he eventually acclimatizes with little damage.
I tell you all this because you often read comments like this on the Internet, for example: “Yesterday I bought a cactus and it burns”. And of course it is normal that it burns, since direct sun exposure should be gradual. It is necessary to increase the exposure time little by little and gradually, over several weeks and avoiding the central hours of the day.
But in addition a lot of light (indirect at first, then direct) you cannot miss a mineral soil, light and with excellent drainageas well as moderate irrigation.
How much does a small watered cactus cost?
Since water is essential to all forms of life, it is easy to think that the more a cactus is watered, the faster it will grow and the bigger it will get. But this is an error with which we will achieve only one thing: the roots rot and the plant dies. Fortunately, one solution is simply to allow the soil to dry out completely before moisturizing the cactus again.
But of course this will be easy to do if peat or similar substrate is used, as it is noticed that they weigh much less when no longer damp; On the other hand, if you have a substrate like volcanic clay, clay and/or akadama, it is more complicated. In these cases, the ideal is that, if it is summer, they are allowed to pass for about 2 or 3 days before watering them again; and if it is another season of the year, water it once or twice a week.
What kind of land do you need?
Cactus roots are very sensitive to excess water. This is why it is so important to plant them in a suitable ground. For instance, if they are going to be in the garden, it will be advisable to dig a planting hole of about 50 x 50cm, and fill it with a mixture of peat with perlite (on sale here) in equal parts, or with universal growing medium (you can buy here) that contains or has added perlite
Yes if we are more interested in having them in a jar, either because we do not have a garden, or because we want to create a beautiful collection and enjoy it on the balcony or terrace, in addition to filling it with a cactus substrate like this, it is important that the pot has holes in its base. That is, it should not be placed in one without holes, because the roots will drown. For this reason, you should not put a plate under it either, except that it empties after each watering.
When should it be transplanted?
The little cacti they will need more and more space as they grow. But there is a problem: when they lack it, their growth can either stop or start growing in the wrong direction.
For example: globular cacti that grow larger over time, such as Ferocactus, when kept in small pots there comes a time when they begin to grow vertically. In very serious cases, when its stem has become so thin that it can bend, if we want to keep it and restore it to a globular shape, we will have to prune it, plant it in a pot and wait for it to take root .
We must avoid this. From the first moment we decide to buy a small cactus, we must be aware that it will need a bigger pot every few years. The first transplant will be done as soon as we return home, and the following ones when the roots come out of the holes or when they have been in the same container for more than three years..
Do I have to pay for a small cactus?
Paying for cacti is usually a task that we don’t always remember. But it is important to know that they not only need water, but also nutrients, which is why you have to pay them. The question is: when? This will be done from mid spring to late summer; that is to say as long as the weather is nice.
I recommend applying a liquid fertilizer, like this one, as it takes effect very quickly, but if the instructions are followed, any specific cactus fertilizer will do.
Should it be protected from the cold?
Although there are many cold hardy cacti, when they are small, it is worth protecting them from sub-zero temperatures, either by putting them in a greenhouse or at home. But in any case, they must be in areas with plenty of (indirect) light for their growth to be as expected.
Do you have small cacti?