Cactus Plants: Care of Cactus Plant

When one says the word cactus, a thorny bush in a desert comes to mind. Cacti look very unusual and stand out distinctly among other plants. Cacti are grown for ornamental purposes or to form a protective border. Cactus grow in deserts, and need very little water. These are the main reasons which make growing and maintaining cactus plants a fairly easy job. Here are the standards, that one needs to maintain when caring for cacti.

Cactus Plant Requirements

When gardening cactus, one has to pay attention to many factors. Factors for cactus plants care, include light, water, food, potting, etc. Let's take a look at the different factors that will help us answer the query, how to grow cactus?

Light: Light is one of the basic requirements for plants. If you want your cactus plant to flower, provide it with filtered light. To achieve this, keep the plant inside the house, near a window through which a lot of light streams in. The amount for light needed differs in different cactus plants, for example, christmas cactus needs bright sunlight. So, do a little background research for information on cactus plant that you have in your garden or home. If you want to set up artificial lighting, use 1 watt incandescent bulb and 10 watt fluorescent light. Provide the plant with approximately 16 hours of artificial light.

Water Requirements for Cactus: Proper watering is essential in care of cactus plants. In the growing season of the cacti, keep the soil moist and not dry. The growing season of cacti can be spring, summer or fall. If you have a cactus, as a houseplant, only water it once a month. For potted cacti, here is one of the best tips, to find out the perfect watering time. Take a wooden pencil and insert it deep inside the pot. Take out the pencil. If there is damp soil sticking to it, then do not water the plant. Only when you find the soil dry, water the plant. By practicing this method for some time, you will get an estimate of the watering period for the cactus plant.

Fertilizers for Cactus Plants: Buy plant food, such as a mixture of nitrates from a nursery. You can feed the plant thrice a year, that is in spring, summer and fall. If your plant has grown considerably big, since the first time you fertilized it, and a lot of time has passed, then all the nutrients in the soil must be replenished. So, either repot or change the soil. Before using a fertilizer for the care of cactus plants, research the individual cactus fertilizer needs. Succulents plants mostly don't need any fertilizers, as they are very tough.

Food, water and light are the basic requirements of cactus plants. Here are some more important factors that are essential, in order to understand the process of how to build a cactus garden.

Potting for Cactus Plants Care: When it comes to care of cactus plants, correct potting is very important. Store small cacti in clay dishes. After the cactus plants grow to a medium size, move them into pots. The size of the pot should be a bit larger than that of the root ball. Cactus needs soil that remains moist but not wet. Always use a light soil mixture for cactus. Prepare a light soil mixture, using 2 parts of commercial soil and 1 part gravel, and add perlite or any other soil amendment for good drainage. Sterilize this soil mix in an oven, at 180ºF for 30 minutes. When moving cactus plants with thorns, make sure you wrap the thorny areas with paper, to avoid any injuries.

Temperature Requirements for Cactus: Most cacti need a dry environment. Cactus can tolerate temperatures between 45 to 80ºF. The area where the cactus is kept should be well-ventilated. Maintain a dry and low humid air around the cactus plant.

Pest Removal for Cactus Plants Care: Cacti can get infected by pests very easily. For pest-control, change the soil of the plant on a regular basis. Buy a commercial soil mix, and sterilize it in the oven. If there is a lot of pest damage, use a pesticide spray on the cactus plant. Rotting is another health problem for cactus plants. Over-watering and manhandling leads to rots. So, follow proper watering regime and avoid wounding of the plant.

Arrangement of the Cacti: You can arrange different shrubs and bushes of cactus plants in a group. Form a group with different types of cactus. Hang the pots which contain medium or small shaped cactus plants. Also, arrange them in such a way that they receive adequate light. By arranging cactus in this way, you can do container gardening easily.

Maintaining a cactus is a fairly easy job and therefore, they are best suited for busy people. Cactus make great houseplants for indoor gardening as they don't require much watering and make your home look beautiful. There are several species of cactus and succulents from which you can choose. So, buy some of these cactus plants and create a beautiful garden.