How to grow cacti and succulents?

Almost every household has at least one cactus or succulent. We know this because you often ask us about growing cacti, so we have prepared this article for you, in which you will learn how to care for these specific plants properly.

To begin with, a botanical aside, or a quick quiz. What is the difference between cacti and succulents? We will not make it unnecessarily complicated. Simply put, every cactus is a succulent, but not every succulent is a cactus.

• All succulent plants share the ability to retain a significant amount of plant sap in their tissues and cells.
• Some succulents, such as the popular aloe vera or agave, retain sap in their leaves.
• Succulents that retain sap in their stems can be considered cacti.
• Cacti have different needs from ordinary houseplants. The growing environment in the pot you prepare for them should simulate as closely as possible the environment in which cacti grow in the wild. Wet growing medium is therefore, of course, wrong.
• As soon as you buy a cactus or another succulent, you need to repot the plant without delay. Ordinary peat-based growing media in which cacti and succulents are placed when we buy them from a garden centre or other shop do not represent a growing medium suitable for their long life.
• It is definitely worth choosing quality. The more airy the growing medium, the better. You can use a mix of perlite or clay pebbles.
• Choosing the right growing container is also crucial. Choose pots with a large opening or smart pots that allow sufficient water drainage.
• What would happen if you repotted the plant and left it without watering for two weeks? The answer is clear: it would die. A repotted cactus is, however, the exception that proves the rule, because that is exactly what it requires. Therefore, after repotting, wait another 14 days before watering it.

• A cactus flowering is a beautiful sign that it is being cared for properly. However, this is by no means a given, so do not be disappointed if it does not happen. Sometimes, on the other hand, a cactus flowers relatively quickly simply because the chosen variety is undemanding.
• It often happens that you bring home a flowering cactus from a garden centre or supermarket. But why does it stop flowering at home and start to rot?
• One reason may be a lack of direct sunlight. Succulent plants, and cacti in particular, should always be placed where sunlight reaches them fully every day. The best places in the home are usually south-facing windows. West-facing and east-facing windows are also suitable. Inner windowsills are ideal. If your home is permanently darkened, cacti will not thrive very well.
• Another reason why cacti stop flowering and do not thrive is incorrect watering. Cacti are best watered in the evening. The water should be lukewarm and left to stand. During the growing season, we recommend watering cacti once a week, thoroughly. A common mistake is to water cacti lightly but often. 

• Cacti only need the nutrients contained in the growing medium. Fertilisers are not needed.
• However, instead of using fertilisers, cacti require annual repotting into fresh growing medium from which they draw nutrients.
• If for some reason we do not repot the cactus into fresh growing medium, we can apply liquid fertiliser at most three times a year. But be careful, only during the growing season.

And finally, a little inspiration. Here is a list of the most popular cactus species among local growers:

• Astrophytum
• Echinocactus
• Echinocereus
• Mammillaria
• Gymnocalycium
• Notocactus
• Rebutia
• Lobivia

If you have any questions about growing cacti, please do not hesitate to send them to the well-known address info@higarden.cz.

We also recommend these products: 

• Plagron Growmix with perlite 50 l (319 Kč)
• BioNova Bio Soilmix 50 L (279 Kč)
• Cobble smart pots (from 219 Kč)

What to read next? 

• How and why to revitalise growing medium?
• Clay pebbles as a growing medium
• What are the developmental stages of a plant?