Are the cacti watered? Proper watering of cacti at home

Watering cacti is a very responsible agrotechnical event. Depending on how often these procedures are carried out, it is possible to achieve accelerated growth of the succulent or rotting of its root system. Therefore, watering cacti at home should be carried out according to a certain scheme. Similarly, you need to feed succulents. Proper watering of cacti begins with determining their species. Before watering a cactus, you should make sure that it is picky about a constant level of soil moisture. There are types of this culture that completely get all the moisture from the surrounding air. How to water a cactus at home is described in detail in the proposed material, which discusses all aspects of fertilizing and liquids in different time of the year.

How often should cacti be watered at home?

There are several aspects to how to properly water a cactus at home, and the frequency of the agrotechnical operation is of paramount importance. Many plant lovers see certain problems in watering cacti. Some believe that, being desert plants, cacti do not require watering at all. Others water their cacti a little each day. Both of these are wrong. There are certain requirements regarding how often to water a cactus, and the following is also true here: if you understand the basic needs of plants, then these plants will be easy to care for.

How often you need to water the cactus depends on the type of succulent. Regular cacti are watered only when they are growing or flowering, and even then only when the soil substrate is dry. When cacti grow and, they need water, and the more, the faster they grow. How often to water cacti at home also depends on the conditions. environment. When they stand warm and evaporate more moisture, they need to be watered more often and more abundantly. And vice versa: when cacti - for example, during winter period dormancy - are kept in cool conditions, watering is completely stopped. At temperatures below 10-15 ° C, the metabolism of cacti stops, water is no longer absorbed by plants, and watering at this time will in any case lead to decay of the root system. How to water a cactus also depends on the time of year, the ambient temperature. Therefore, in winter from October to March, with a cool content, the vast majority of cacti should not be watered at all. If they winter in warmer conditions - for example, on the windowsill of a living room - or if we are talking about cacti from tropical regions, then in winter they are watered very sparingly: about one teaspoon or tablespoon of water per week. When cultivating such cacti in clay cacti, which are placed in a box filled with peat or similar moisture-absorbing material, only slightly moisten the substrate between the pots. In the spring, when the plants resume growth and the first buds appear, the cacti are only sprayed at first. warm water and very sparingly watered clean water(no fertilizer!). Due to this, the dust accumulated during the winter is washed off the plants and the formation of water-absorbing lateral roots is stimulated. We will talk about how to properly water a cactus and not flood its root system, later in the article.

How many times should a cactus be watered per week or per month

How many times to water a cactus depends on the time of year and the period of plant development. During the growing season from March-April to September-October, cacti are thoroughly watered every one to three weeks. How many times a week to water a cactus in summer also depends on the size of the plant, the larger it is, the more often this operation is performed. However, no hard established rule there is no; The frequency of watering depends on the location of the plant, the temperature, the size and type of flower pot, daily mix or substrate, and not least the growth of the plant itself.

However, in principle, cacti should be watered only when the soil is almost dry, not only on the surface, but also in the depths of the pot. Still not dry, the damp substrate is never watered!

Another factor in determining how many times to water a cactus is the flowering period. Some cacti, for example, certain types of rebutia. After flowering, when kept in warm conditions, they have a short summer dormant period, so at this time they are watered more moderately. Dwarf cacti, whose long, turnip-like roots and many white spines indicate that they come from areas with a dry climate and are very economical with water, water less than cacti that look green in appearance and are characterized by faster growth, for example, fast-growing columnar cacti or echinopsis. In autumn, from about September-October, watering is gradually reduced so that the growth of the current year is well ripened and the plants are prepared for winter. How many times a month to water the cactus at the same time depends on the variety, but usually the frequency does not exceed 2 times.

An exception to this rule are epiphytic and forest cacti, in which the substrate should never dry out completely. These in winter time, kept in warmer conditions also in winter and watered sparingly.

However, epiphytic cacti prefer only light moisture in the substrate and do not like waterlogging. How much to water a cactus of this species depends on the air temperature in the room. The higher it is, the more often there is a need for moisture. In principle, cacti need to be watered in hot and sunny weather, because then they require and can absorb a lot of water. If you water the cacti very abundantly at the beginning of the period of wet and cool weather, then there is a great danger of prolonged waterlogging of the earthen coma, which can lead to rotting of the roots and death of plants. The easiest way to say how much you need to water the cactus in hot summer weather. Here, as they say, there is no excess liquid.

Watering cacti during flowering

During the growth period, cacti should not be watered a little every day, but at long intervals, but thoroughly. In many cacti, the root neck is very susceptible to decay - the place where the roots grow from the stem. Some cacti have thick, turnip-like roots with moisture-absorbing root hairs located at the bottom of the pot. That is why watering from below is especially favorable for cacti. If in individual pots with sufficiently large trays, the required amount of irrigation water can be poured directly into the tray. Water that has not been absorbed by the substrate within an hour must be drained. In no case should cacti be left all day with trays filled with water. Larger collections grown in pots can also be optimally provided with moisture using this method - water suction.

When watering a cactus during flowering, you need to moisten the substrate, and not pour water on the plant itself. Otherwise, in the tops of some plants with deep folds, drops of water may remain for a long time, which, with strong sunlight act like magnifying glasses and cause burns, and in cold weather lead to fungal disease or rot. On the other hand, you shouldn't overdo it either. From time to time it is very useful to refresh cacti a little, that is, in the evening of a hot day, spray them with clean, fertilizer-free water. Fans who grow their cacti on outdoor windowsills or in the garden during the warm season can state how fresh and healthy they look after a night of rain. However, cacti that have a bluish or chalky wax coating on the stems should not be sprayed, otherwise spots will form on the decorative coating. Very hard water should not be used for spraying cacti, as it leads to the formation of ugly spots and salt deposits on the stems. Air humidity. In the homeland of cacti, there is often a large difference between night and day temperatures. The result is heavy fog or dew and high humidity at night. Some cacti can absorb moisture from the air using the epidermis or spines and hairs. Many cacti wither in constantly too dry air. However, in some apartments, especially on sunny and hot southern windows, the air humidity is very low, therefore, originating from highland areas and usually completely problem-free species and varieties of rebutia (Rebutia), lobivia (Lobivia) or echinopsis (Echinopsis) grow in such places very bad.

Fertilizers for cacti and succulents at home

In their natural habitats in their homeland, cacti most often grow in soils rich in mineral salts. Therefore, the common opinion that they do not need to be fed with fertilizers for cacti is erroneous. Moreover, it is very important to feed the cacti at the right time and with the right fertilizer. fertilizers are carried out only during the growing season, that is, approximately from April-May to August. At the beginning of the growing season, plants are watered with clean water without fertilizers. The same applies to the last watering in the fall before the start of the winter dormant period.

Separate fertilizers for cacti and succulents differ in their chemical composition. Without going into too much detail, one can distinguish between fertilizers containing more nitrogen, which promote plant growth, and fertilizers containing more potassium and phosphorus, which stimulate the formation of flowers.

Compared to other herbaceous plants or shrubs, cacti differ only in insignificant and much slower stem growth, and therefore need fertilizers containing little nitrogen and more potassium and phosphorus. The most suitable for cacti and other succulents is a fertilizer mixture containing about 4% nitrogen (N), 14% phosphorus (P) and 18% potassium (K). It is very important that the fertilizer also contains trace elements such as magnesium, manganese, boron and others, which are also necessary for healthy growth of plants, although in much smaller quantities. The use of fertilizers with a high nitrogen content for cacti leads to unnaturally vigorous growth, resulting in a significantly increased susceptibility of plants various diseases. Cacti should grow healthy, that is, slowly and compactly, and in this they are helped by top dressing with poor nitrogen and a fertilizer containing a lot of potassium and phosphorus.

Of course, an amateur cactus grower - if he does not have a very large collection of plants - does not make his fertilizer mixtures on his own. On sale there are special fertilizers for cacti; you can also use so-called fertilizers for flowering plants. In addition, cacti from time to time can be fed with guano, which, however, smells rather unpleasant and does not completely dissolve in water. Guano contains especially many trace elements, which are deficient in some artificially formulated fertilizers. Fertilizer for cactus at home in the concentration indicated on the package is added to irrigation water. When preparing the solution, it is necessary to ensure that the fertilizer is completely dissolved in water so that some cacti do not receive too little, while others get too much nutrients. In general, when using mineral fertilizers, the concentration of 1 gram per 1 liter of irrigation water should be considered the upper limit.

Many novice gardeners think that succulents, which are native to desert and arid regions, do not need watering. Of course, this assumption is wrong. From our article you will learn how to water a cactus grown at home.

Cactus, like any other indoor flower, needs proper soil moisture. The lack of moisture adversely affects the growth and development of the flower. However, as experienced flower growers note, excess moisture in a flower pot is more dangerous for many succulents than dry soil. Too wet soil leads to rotting first of the root system, and then of the cactus stem. To avoid the death of the plant, you need to know how often to water the cactus.

Despite the fact that most cacti, of which there are more than 15 thousand varieties in nature, are unpretentious plants in care, you need to know what water is suitable for watering these prickly indoor flowers.

Adhering to the recommendations of flower growers involved in the cultivation of various succulents, it is recommended to water cacti with melt or rain water. Alternatively, you can use boiled or settled water at room temperature. Please note that you need to defend the water for at least 24 hours.

It is also important to consider the degree of hardness of the water. When watering cacti with hard water, over time, a whitish coating begins to appear on the base of the stem, which indicates the deposition of calcium salts. You can soften water by filtering through special devices or by adding not a large number of peat.

From this saw you will learn how to properly water a cactus.

Watering methods

To date, flower growers have not come to a consensus on how best to water cacti. When choosing a method of watering, some cactus growers prefer watering through a pan, while others insist on moistening the soil from above. Let's look at the benefits of these irrigation methods.

Through pallet

Watering a cactus through a pallet is convenient because when moistened, the nutrients that a houseplant needs for a full life are not washed out of the soil.

But this way also has its drawbacks. So, novice flower growers, having not too rich experience in growing succulents at home, often do not know how to correctly calculate the required amount of water for irrigation.

Above

Unlike the previous method of soil moistening, it is more convenient to control the amount of water consumed by the plant during top irrigation. Also, this method contributes to the wetting of the entire earthen coma.

If we talk about the shortcomings, then, of course, it is worth mentioning the leaching of nutrients and substances vital for the normal growth of the plant from the soil.

Optimal watering time

It is equally important to know not only how to properly water cacti, but also at what time of the day it is better to perform this procedure. For most of our regions, morning watering of succulents is recommended.

Try not to moisten the soil in your flower pots if it's rainy and cold outside. Lack of heat and sunlight adversely affects health indoor plants. Do not water succulents in the evening and with a sharp drop in air temperature. It is better to skip a few waterings than to over-wet the soil.

How often to water

Most varieties of cacti endure the absence of soil moisture for several months. However, there are also subspecies of this culture that do not like drought. We are talking about tropical and forest species of succulents. For this reason, when organizing the care of indoor flowers, it is necessary to take into account individual characteristics every plant.

Many are interested in how many times a week or a month a cactus should be watered so that the indoor flower does not suffer from either excess or lack of moisture in the soil. Let's see how the seasonal watering of succulents differs.

In winter time

Watering cacti in winter depends on the conditions of detention indoor flower. The best wintering option for most varieties of succulents is a combination of light coolness, lack of drafts and low lighting. When creating such conditions, plants practically do not need watering. In winter, cacti need only slightly moisten the soil once a month.

With the onset of spring warmth and an increase in the length of daylight hours, the growth of indoor plants, including cacti, is activated. From the second half of April, when the weather has already stabilized, you can begin to make changes to the frequency of watering. Experienced flower growers are advised to increase the number of waterings up to two times a month. It is especially necessary to carefully control the soil moisture during the flowering of the cactus, since with an excess of moisture, the flower can shed its flowers or turn them into small shoots.

During the summer

How to provide cacti with proper care in the summer, you ask? The frequency of watering depends on many factors: average rainfall per month, features temperature regime, the composition of the substrate used for planting or indoor flower, the presence or absence drainage system and etc.

Top dressing of cacti

Cactus, being a kind of indoor plant, needs special feeding. If most indoor flowers can be fed with complex fertilizers, then fertilizers with a high nitrogen content should be avoided when growing succulents.

Do not know how to fertilize cacti grown in the house on the windowsill? In specialized flower shops you can buy fertilizers for cacti and succulents containing phosphorus, potassium and calcium.

Succinic acid, obtained from natural amber, will help to activate growth, stimulate photosynthesis, improve absorption and assimilation of nutrients and nutrients from the soil by indoor plants. It is not recommended to spray the aerial part of succulents with this biostimulant; it is better to use succinic acid for watering plants.

Many flower growers, knowing what kind of “sweet tooth” cacti are, feed indoor flowers with sugar, which is a source of energy for all plant life processes.

Succulents are one of the most unpretentious varieties of indoor plants. ornamental plants. They have high adaptive capabilities, including the ability to accumulate in their aerial parts and roots a large amount of moisture, which is necessary for a period of drought.

Since you still need to take care of the cactus, it is important to observe the norms of watering, temperature, and light. If you want to achieve flowering, which in room conditions happens much less frequently than in its natural habitat, it is necessary that the plant receives enough sunlight.

Important points in growing cacti

Properly caring for cacti at home means organizing conditions that would be as close as possible to wild ones. In tropical areas where succulents grow, constantly high humidity and temperature, long daylight hours, no frosts, rains are infrequent. If you can arrange for similar indoor climates, the cactus will grow quickly and bloom every growing season.

Good illumination

Habitual for most succulents are long daylight hours. During the day in the wild, such plants receive sunlight for at least 12 hours.

At home, place cacti on the windowsill of a window that faces south or southeast. Only in very hot weather, remove the plants deep into the room so that its leaves do not get sunburned.

For uniform formation of the crown, it is recommended to rotate the plant in a pot around its axis. In about one week, the cactus should complete a full 360-degree rotation. So the light will fall with the same force on the leaves from different sides of the stem, they will grow equally even, massive.

Air humidity

Before you care for a cactus and buy succulents in general, determine what humidity is in a room in your house. For almost all succulents, indicators at the level of 50-70% are optimal. In city apartments, especially with the onset heating season in autumn, this figure drops sharply, humidity often does not exceed 30-40%.

So that the flower does not stop growing, its stems and leaves look juicy and healthy, increase the humidity by spraying. You can additionally humidify the air around the pot using containers filled with water, such as aquariums, low flowerpots. It is not recommended to increase the frequency of watering, since water from the soil evaporates more slowly, the roots may rot. In addition, almost all succulents have thorns and hairs on the shoots and leaves, which also store moisture from the air.

When and how to water

If you decide to properly care for indoor cactus, you need to decide on the cleanliness of watering. Sample Plan:

• from April to the end of summer, water the plant once every 2 days;
• with the onset of autumn, one watering should be in 5-7 days;
• in winter, especially if the room is not hot, you can even water the plant once every 3 weeks, but you should always focus on the condition of the top layer of the earth.

The warmer and drier the room, the more frequent and plentiful watering should be. The succulent begins to bloom in the cold season, and active growth is observed in the warm spring and summer months.

If you apply too much water before the start of winter, the plant will not be able to enter the dormant phase, and you should not wait for flowering.

Do I need to feed cacti

To grow a cactus with the highest decorative effect, it is necessary to include mandatory top dressing in the home care plan. They are entered in three ways:

1. The most convenient and practical way to apply fertilizer are special prolonged sticks. They must be inserted into the ground parallel to the stem, so that during irrigation they gradually soak, giving nutrients to the soil.
2. Liquid concentrated mixtures cannot be used in pure form, it is necessary to dilute them with water, and with low hardness.
3. Dry, granulated or in powder form, feeding tablets must also be diluted with water according to the instructions.

When choosing fertilizers, monitor the concentration of nitrogen in them. Nitrogen mixtures can reduce growth, lead to deformation separate parts plants, provoke diseases, the appearance of spots with watery patches. The composition of top dressing must necessarily contain phosphorus and potassium, which accelerate the rooting, flowering of succulents, increase immunity and growth.

Feeding rules:

1. If during transplantation you find rotten areas or damaged roots on the roots, do not apply any fertilizer immediately after the procedure.
2. Fertilizer can be diluted in ordinary boiled, melted, mineral, rain water. For hard water, pre-softening is required.
3. On the second day after feeding, it is recommended to spray the entire plant with plain water to remove excess mineral salts from the aerial part.
4. The minimum intervals between top dressings are 10 days, and then only in the flowering phase. The rest of the time in spring and summer, the break is 2 weeks, and in winter - up to 20-30 days.
5. In addition to mineral mixtures, organic matter can be used. But even organic fertilizers are optimally selected for purchased ones, since natural bird droppings, humus, mullein and other substances can cause burns to the root system and harm the normal growth of the succulent.

About the deficiency of certain components will say appearance plants. With a lack of nitrogen, it stops growing, with a lack of magnesium and iron, the foliage fades, the color of the shoots changes. Unopened buds or lack of flowers often indicate a lack of potassium and phosphorus. If the roots develop poorly, it is possible that the succulent lacks calcium. Overfeeding causes a violation of the shape of the shoots, their elongation and the absence of a budding phase.

Also, the health of a cactus is indicated by the shape and structure of its thorns. When they are dense, evenly colored, long, then the succulent is healthy and has strong immunity.

How to care for a flowering cactus

Care for cacti at home should begin immediately after purchasing a seedling. As soon as you brought the plant home, you need to transplant it and systematically perform watering, foliage inspection and other activities day after day. This is the only way home succulents bloom and grow actively.

How to care for a cactus so that it blooms

Succulents need several conditions to bloom:

• dry and cool wintering;
• lack of fertilizers from November to March, reducing the number of irrigations this period;
• smooth transition to winter;
• since March, the flower should be in the room. Perform daily spraying, start watering only a week after entering the room;
• by the end of March, it is necessary to make the first top dressing based on phosphorus and potassium.

Growing cacti does not always produce beautiful buds. Some types of succulents do not bloom even in the wild, certain specimens can enter the budding phase only at the age of 10-30 years.

Transplanting adult cacti

Caring for cacti is also a mandatory plant transplant as they grow older and the volume of the root system increases. In the first years of growth, succulents are transplanted annually, picking up a pot 2-3 cm larger in diameter, and starting from the age of three, they are transferred to a new place once every 3-4 years.

Landing technique:

1. The soil mixture is made up of leafy and putrefactive earth, river sand, marble chips, finely crushed gravel, expanded clay or broken brick can be taken as a drainage layer. The soil itself can be made with your own hands and or you can buy a ready-made mixture in the store.
2. The pot should be deep and wide. For a medium-sized cactus, a container of 6-7 cm in diameter is suitable. When transplanting an adult plant, consider the size of the roots and take a pot 4-5 cm in diameter larger.
3. The timing of transplantation is selected based on the age and appearance of the plant. The procedure can be performed in summer or spring. Old cacti are transplanted once every five years or not pulled out of the old pot at all, simply replacing the upper part (third) of the soil with new soil.
4. You can perform the procedure as follows: the cactus is carefully pulled out, for this it is necessary to moisten the soil first, the roots are inspected, the damaged ones are removed. Shake the ground a little. Then pour a layer of drainage into a new pot, soil on top, then place the plant in the center, sprinkle it with earth again and lightly press it with your hands. At the same time, the root neck should be above the soil surface, and the layer of earth itself should not reach the top of the pot by 2-3 cm.
5. Immediately after planting, it is impossible to feed the plant, but it is necessary to slightly moisten the ground.

When replacing soil for very old succulents, carefully remove the top soil with a small spatula. Extra roots that peep out and out drainage holes, can be cut off. Replace the old earth with fresh soil, in which case drainage is not needed.

Growing problems

When growing cacti at home, the grower may experience difficulties:

1. Diseases that can occur after mechanical injuries. This group includes frostbite, burns on the leaves, trunk breakage, as well as the chemical effect of concentrated dressings. Carefully read the instructions for fertilizers, for young plants you can dilute the mixture stronger. To avoid burns on the foliage, remove the pot when it is in direct sunlight.
2. Lack or excess of nitrogen and other elements and vitamins can disrupt almost all physiological processes of the succulent.
3. When the soil is swamped and the plant is in a cool room, fungal and bacterial diseases can develop. A cactus with weak immunity becomes susceptible to pest attacks.
4. Too tight a pot while increasing the root system of the plant can lead to a lack of nutrients. In this case, the succulent grows poorly, the thorns and spines are underdeveloped, budding and flowering are absent.
5. If the shoots thicken and burst, this may indicate an excessive concentration of nitrogen in the soil, combined with frequent watering.
6. Reddening of the aerial parts can be caused by a change in light. Some varieties do not respond well to water on the stems and leaves. From drafts, spots of a rusty tint may appear.
7. If you move the pot around the room and often change its position, the plant is stressed and drops buds.
8. Sometimes during transplantation, rotten areas can be found on the roots. root rot develops with excessive watering and infection with some pests.

Caring for cacti is not as difficult as it might seem. They are less demanding than other houseplants, especially flowering plants, but it is important to observe agricultural practices when cultivating. In general, succulents tolerate dry soils and high temperatures well, but are afraid of drafts, cold air, direct sunlight, and nitrogen in the soil.

Features of growing cacti at home:

• In summer, the cactus grows at temperatures up to 24 ° C. In winter, most species need a decrease in temperature. If you keep them at temperatures above 20 ° C, they will not bloom.
• Cacti need a lot of light. If it is not enough, the top of the trunk is pulled out, and the plant loses its attractiveness.
• In summer, cacti can be taken out into the street. It is only necessary to take into account that they are very afraid of drafts. Plants must be protected from rain and wind with a film. First, the cacti are taken out for several hours. Gradually increase the time spent outside. After a couple of weeks, they can be left overnight. Changes in temperature at different times of the day harden the cactus, its spines become shiny. Such hardening strengthens the plant, helps it to endure winter more easily.
• In winter, plants are installed closer to the glass. But you can't get close to him. It must be remembered that the cactus does not like to travel around the apartment. He does not tolerate well not only the movement from one window to another. The cactus should not be rotated around its axis. Feed once every 2 weeks from April to the end of August.
• If you water the cactus with hard water, which contains a large amount of salts, the soil dries long time, the lower part of the stem is covered with a brown salt coating. It spoils the appearance of the cactus, but will not bring much harm.
• Pests common to most plants: mealybug, spider mite. You need to deal with them by treating them with insecticides. But it is better to avoid infection.

Repot the cactus in the spring. Only young plants are transplanted annually. Those who have reached 4 years - after 2 or 3 years. Dishes for transplanting a cactus can be of any shape. But flowerpots-cubes made of white polystyrene have become popular for growing cacti. If they have a retractable bottom, then removing the cactus from such a pot is much easier.

The size of the pot is taken a little more than the diameter of the cactus. A layer of gravel is laid at the bottom, which will allow moisture to easily pass through the soil. The base of the cactus should be at the level of the pot. Straighten the roots in different directions. Sprinkle with mixture. It is advisable to put a layer of sand or gravel on top. It will protect the soil from compaction and drying out. You can pick up beautiful decorative stones that will decorate the pot.

After transplanting, the cactus is not watered for 4 days, but exposed to the sun after it takes root.

The soil mixture consists of washed river sand, finely broken bricks, peat, turf and leaf soil. They make the composition loose and breathable. Peat is taken 2 times less than sand. It will help make the soil slightly acidic. The prepared soil is steamed to disinfect it.

Mixtures for young and adult cacti differ in composition. For young people, you need to add sod land, for adults - clay. You can buy a ready-made mixture at a flower shop.
Cacti that grow quickly need humus. Prickly species are sprinkled with eggshells in the soil.

Cacti do not require frequent watering with a small amount of water. It displaces the air and prevents the roots from breathing. Most species require watering only when the earth ball is completely dry. The exception is the cacti of moist forests. For each apartment or room, the drying time of the soil can vary significantly.

When and how to water a cactus:

• To determine how dry the soil is, you need to make a recess in the corner of the pot and check the moisture manually.
• Water for watering cacti should be soft. It can be obtained using filters. You can boil running water from the tap, and then defend. Cactus does not absorb cold water, the temperature of which is below 12°C.
• Shed an earthen lump completely. excess water drains into the tray. It is drained from there in half an hour. The disadvantage of this method is that useful substances move faster to the lower part and are washed out. There is a risk of water getting on the stem.
• You can pour water into the tray. Thus, it does not fall on the cactus stem. The main part of the roots is in the bottom of the pot, so they will be able to absorb moisture. In this case, it is difficult to determine the right amount of water. This requires some experience.
• The cactus absorbs a lot of water. It will take him a long time to digest it. The substrate dries out between waterings, saturated with air. The roots breathe, the cactus grows.

How many times should a cactus be watered?

• In winter, adult plants are watered according to the requirements of the species, approximately once a month. Small ones - once every 2-3 weeks, a couple of tablespoons of water is enough for them. You can spray the plants with warm water once a month and water them once. During the formation and growth of buds, cacti are only sprayed.
• In the spring, from March, increase the amount of watering. In March, it is enough to do this once every 2 weeks, in April - once a decade, in May - once a week. Sprayed every 2-3 weeks.
• In summer, in the heat, the soil dries out very quickly. Therefore, most species are watered every day or every other day.
• In autumn, the number of waterings is gradually reduced: in September once a week, in October - once every 2 weeks. From November to March, a period of rest and wintering begins again.

When watering cacti, some restrictions must be observed. Do not water in the heat when the sun is at its zenith. This may cause burns. Do not water on a rainy day. It is best to do this in the evening. Some types of cacti in the hottest period cease to function, do not grow. Therefore, watering them at this time is not necessary. After all, they cannot absorb water in this state. When caring for cacti, you need to remember that it is better to add too little water than pour it too much.

More information can be found in the video:

The opinion that cacti do not need care is more a stereotype than reality. Despite their relative unpretentiousness, these thorny plants still require minimal attention from the owners. This is especially important if you want the cactus to bloom. If this has not happened over a long period of time, this means that the plant has not been cared for much. So, how to care for a cactus correctly? Let's try to answer this question in more detail.

Cacti belong to the family of perennial flowering plants. It is believed that they appeared as a result of evolution about 30-35 million years ago. However, there is no exact information about this, since scientists have not been able to find the fossil remains of this plant. At all times, cacti have been used in home interior. Most often they served as amulets at home. Interestingly, many breeds of dogs do not tolerate the neighborhood with this plant.

How to carry out a transplant?

At the same time, many are interested in the question of how to care for cacti after transplantation. First of all, it should be noted that it is desirable to do this annually, but only while the plant remains young. In the future, a transplant can harm him, so it is performed only if necessary. It is advisable to transplant the cactus in the spring, using a larger pot each time.

For this plant, it is best to choose the most illuminated place in the house. This rule is especially true in winter, when there is not enough natural light. However, direct sunlight should be avoided during the hottest months.

The main condition that must be ensured for the normal wintering of all types of cacti is a sufficiently low temperature. The thermometer should range from +5 to +13 ° C. With such a dry and cold atmosphere, the growth ripens, which is a guarantee of the formation of flowers in the future.

An earth ball should consist of a mixture that includes:

• leaf humus;
• sod land;
• washed sand (preferably with large grains).

All these components are added in equal proportions. It is often recommended to also use crushed bricks. If you do not want to mix all the components of the soil mixture yourself, then you can purchase special soil for cacti. Small stones or even foam can be used as drainage.

Do not spray the cactus, even in the summer. The only species that tolerates this process normally to some extent is Cleistocactus. It's better to limit yourself fresh air- this is the most favorable environment for this plant.

How to care for a cactus at home

Cacti are among the most sought-after indoor plants that bloom today. Not many are aware of this, because under adverse conditions, flowers rarely appear on them. However, if you surround them with attention and care, then cacti will surely please you with buds. If you are wondering how to care for cacti so that they bloom, then you should pay attention to the following recommendations.

Most species of this plant are able to bloom at an early age, but there are those that are preparing for this process for a long time, for example, prickly pear and cereus. The main thing that is required for this is to create conditions that are as close as possible to their natural environment.

Most often, cacti are covered with buds already at the age of three or four years. This phenomenon is repeated every year, in particular in the spring. Due to the compactness of this plant on one windowsill, you can collect a whole collection of different varieties that bloom at different times of the year. These genera include:

The peculiarity of their flowering lies in the fact that almost all cacti flowers appear only on a new growth. To provoke this process, careful care of the plant in the summer is required. In winter, it is advisable to leave it alone. The secret also lies in the fact that a slightly tight container better "explains" to the plant that it is time to bloom.

How to water a cactus?

Experienced growers agree that proper care for cacti is moderate watering. It is better to underfill them than to overfill them. To do this, it is desirable to use soft, settled water, the temperature of which is at least 30 ° C. Watering should be increased only in the spring until the end of summer.

All cacti need abundant watering only during the period of active growth. At this time, the earthen ball should be thoroughly moistened. In the autumn, watering is reduced, and in winter this plant does not need moisture at all.

How often to water the cactus the rest of the time? During the dormant period, it is advisable to water the plant quite rarely, only when the soil in the pot dries up.

Video about caring for cacti at home