How to properly plant a cactus at home?

Cacti are ideal plants for home collecting. At the same time, the fame of the most unpretentious plants that do not even require water has been entrenched for them. However, this is far from the case - no living creature will survive without proper care, and succulents are no exception. Before you start your first green pet, you should learn how to plant a cactus in a pot, how to water and feed it, and in what conditions it should be kept.

Breeding cactus

Some types of cacti live for hundreds of years, and a collection of these plants can be passed down from generation to generation for a long time if properly cared for at home. Any collection begins with the first copy, and in the case of plants, you can get it in several ways:

• acquire an adult plant, sometimes even flowering;
• buy children - sprouts broken off from an adult cactus;
• cut off the top of a mature plant - a cutting.

If the plant reproduces with the help of a shoot, the baby is carefully separated from the parent organism with a knife. For its roots to grow, it must be planted in moist soil at a shallow depth.

The stalk is already moist enough, so it can take root in the sand. After the plant is rooted, it is transplanted into a separate pot.

Excess moisture should be avoided to prevent rotting. To do this, the cut off part of an adult plant must be slightly dried before planting in a root pot.

Transplanting a cactus

A mature plant or a rooted shoot must be planted in a larger pot for vigorous growth and root spread. It is very easy to choose a new home for your pet.

• The diameter of the pot should slightly exceed the size of the stem - although wild plants take root in a huge area around them, a succulent living at home cannot boast of a powerful root system - there is enough water and nutrients even without it.
• The material of the pot can be any - in addition to traditional clay options, polystyrene models with a cubic shape are popular.
• It is advisable to choose the color of the pot light so that the earth in it heats up less.

You can also pick up an improved version - a pot with a retractable bottom, which will help to gently remove the plant when replanting.

Before planting a cactus, you need to prepare the dishes for it. The bottom should be covered with a small layer of drainage, which will allow water to pass freely through the holes and not accumulate in the soil, causing the plant roots to rot.

Important!

The transplant cannot be carried out during the flowering period of the plant.

Land selection

Not any land is suitable for a cactus. In order for the plant to be strong and healthy, the soil must have all the necessary nutrients, do not allow excess moisture and air to pass through. In addition, a slightly acidic environment must be maintained in the pot.

The easiest way is to purchase specialized land for a specific type of succulent. It contains the following substances, selected in optimal proportions:

• cleaned river sand;
• brick chips;
• humus from leaves and turf;
• peat;
• nutritional supplements.

This will create ideal conditions for the growth and development of the cactus. However, good results can be achieved by mixing simple ingredients at home in a 1: 1 ratio:

• sand - river, coarse (1–2 mm), thoroughly washed;
• cleared earth with small clods;
• humus.

To create a slightly acidic environment, peat is added, the proportion of which should be half the proportion of sand. The finished mixture is treated with hot steam, which will kill various parasites.

There is no need to change the land - the composition of the earthen mixture should be relatively constant throughout the life of the cactus. The only caveat is feeding, which is carried out if there are problems with the plant.

Features of cactus care

Planting a cactus correctly is not enough for its long and happy life - you need to take care of it, water it on time, follow the placement rules and protect it from diseases. What are the features of growing succulents at home?

Top dressing

Fertilizers for cacti have one important feature - they contain a small amount of nitrogen. If you use standard fertilizers, from an excess of nitrogen, the plant will begin to develop too actively, its stem will lengthen too quickly, it will weaken. Wounds will begin to appear on the surface of the stem, which can rot.

Cacti need the following inorganic substances:

• phosphorus;
• calcium;
• potassium.

Liquid fertilizer "Cactus" contains all the necessary trace elements, as well as vitamins and organic acids that protect the plant from diseases. The fertilizer is sold in the form of a concentrate, and at home it is diluted in an amount of 8-10 ml per liter of water. Top dressing is carried out during the growth period through watering. In winter, you should not fertilize the soil.

Watering rules

Water the cacti with soft, purified water. Store-bought, filtered or boiled water will do. The water temperature must be at least room temperature.

The frequency of watering during the growing season is the same as for other plants - as the soil in the pot dries up. On hot days, watering is not necessary so that the sun does not burn the cactus. In winter, watering once a month is enough.

Where to put the cactus?

It is widely believed that succulents absorb radiation from computers and other electrical appliances - this is not true; if there is harm from the computer, plants suffer from it no less than people. That doesn't mean planting a cactus next to a monitor is a bad idea. The main thing is that there is enough sunlight.

Although wild cacti grow in deserts, there is no need to place a plant pot next to a radiator in an attempt to provide a desert atmosphere at home. In winter, heat is all the more unnecessary - during the hibernation period, it is advisable to put the cactus in a cool, lighted place; the ideal temperature is about 15 degrees.

Planting and caring for a cactus is quite simple, so it will surely delight its owner with beautiful flowers and new shoots every year. The main thing is not to forget to water it on time, especially in winter, when it rarely needs water.