How to Plant Cactus Fruit Seeds? A Detailed Guide to Sowing and Seedling Methods

Cactus is native to Mexico, the United States, the West Indies, Bermuda and northern South America. It is usually planted as hedges, its stems are used medicinally, and its berries are sweet-and-sour and edible. So how do you plant cactus fruit seeds?

1. How to Plant Cactus Fruit Seeds

1. Choosing a pot and mixing soil

First, choose a suitable flower pot. It should not be too large; generally, it only needs to be slightly larger than the plant itself. Small pieces of tile can be placed at the bottom of the pot to help with drainage. Cactus likes well-drained, slightly alkaline, fertile sandy soil. For a homemade potting mix for growing cactus at home, you can use 2 parts compost, 4 parts garden soil and 4 parts river sand mixed together.

2. Planting

There are many varieties of cactus, including varieties that can bear fruit. When selecting seeds, be sure to choose seeds of fruit-type cactus. Sprinkle the cleaned seeds into the flower pot, cover with a layer of soil about 0.3-0.5 cm thick, water thoroughly once, place in a cool place, and spray water every 3-5 days to keep it moist.

3. Fertilizer and water management

During the growing process, topdress in a timely manner, mainly with farmyard manure, and appropriately add phosphorus fertilizer. When the cactus fruit enters the fruit expansion stage, a certain amount of water is needed; the soil moisture content is sufficient when the soil can be squeezed into a ball by hand without falling apart.

2. Uses of Cactus

1. Medicinal use

Cactus has a bland taste and a cold nature. It has the effects of promoting qi and blood circulation, clearing heat and detoxifying, reducing swelling and relieving pain, strengthening the spleen and stopping diarrhea, and calming the mind and promoting urination. It is used internally and externally to treat many diseases. Cactus is mainly used to treat boils and toxic swellings, and externally it can also treat stomach pain, abdominal pain with masses, acute dysentery, intestinal hemorrhoids with bloody discharge, asthma and other conditions.

2. Edible use

Cactus berries are sweet-and-sour and edible. Cactus fruit is fragrant and sweet, tender and juicy, and is generally eaten fresh; Mexico and other places also process fresh fruit into canned goods or alcoholic beverages, and it can also be blended with honey and fresh milk ice cubes into juice, while making it into ice cream gives an even better flavor.

3. Feed use

The fleshy stem segments of cactus contain large amounts of comprehensive nutrients and trace elements, at levels far higher than other crops. Therefore, in many arid regions of Mexico, fodder cactus is planted in large tracts as the sole feed source for livestock. When cactus is combined with other feed to feed cattle, sheep, pigs and other livestock, there is no need to provide additional water all year round, and the feeding results are very good.

For growing cactus at home, asexual propagation is mostly used, namely division, cuttings and grafting.