6 Cacti Care Tips

A shelf of plastic cameras and cacti is certainly a joyful sight don’t you agree? So I thought I’d share my current office display for this month’s Urban Jungle Bloggers which is celebrating the plant selfie! In October I posted a few tips for looking after succulents and this month I’m focussing on cacti. I’ve had some of my cacti plants for years and so here are a few of my tips for taking care of them.

1. Light

Cacti love light so place your plants near a window or on a window sill. As with most of us they enjoy a bit of sunshine, but not too much or they might burn!

2. Water

Cacti prefer well-drained soil so water once a month and during the winter every two months. It’s good to let the soil completely dry out between each water. I collect my cacti together and place them in a tray of water for roughly 15 minutes. Once bath time (!) is over I check the saucers are clear of any excess.

3. Feed

Fertilise cacti with houseplant food or cacti feed in the spring and summer, following the recommended amount on the bottle. This will replace nutrients in the soil and get them ready for the colder autumn and winter months.

Park city to Valentines day 2015 190

Park city to Valentines day 2015 353

4. Repot

If you notice the roots are reaching the sides of the pot or growing out of the bottom they need repotting. A sandy, gritty compost is required and I always buy the prepackaged mix produced for cacti. Don’t forget you’ll need some gloves when repotting to protect your hands.

5. Pests

It’s good to regularly examine the appearance of your cacti. I buy houseplant insecticide if required or put them in a sunny spot and monitor the soil if they’re not looking their best.

6. Display

There are many ways to display cacti, from groups in individual pots to dish gardens. Although mine are currently in white pots I think they look fabulous in terracotta. I also use a dry paint brush to remove any dust.