How to Grow Cacti Best? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Care Methods
Cacti are a common type of household flower. To adapt to the arid desert climate, cacti have evolved their leaves into short little spines. Because of their strong character and hardy, easy-to-keep quality, cacti have been recognized and accepted by more and more people, but cacti are very hard to keep alive. So how do you grow cacti? What are the methods for growing cacti?
Growing Environment
Before growing cacti, we should understand the growing environment of cacti. Cacti like strong light, tolerate heat, drought and poor, thin soil, have tenacious vitality and are undemanding to manage, making them very suitable for growing on a household balcony. The optimum growing temperature for cacti is 20-30°C, and during the growing period there should be a day-night temperature difference, ideally 30-40°C during the day and 15-25°C at night. In spring and autumn, watering should follow the principle of “do not water until dry, and do not overwater”. From June to August is the period of vigorous growth; generally water thoroughly once each morning, and replenish water in the evening as conditions require. If it is especially hot and windy, water twice a day. + If you want the plant to grow larger and hope for more offsets, water more; if you want it to bloom and to control the plant's increase in size, water less.
Temperature Control
Cacti like high temperatures and a dry environment. In winter, the room temperature should stay above 20°C during the day, and the nighttime temperature should not be lower than 10°C. If the temperature is too low, the root system is prone to rotting.
Light Requirements
Cacti require plenty of sunlight, but in summer they must not be exposed to strong direct sunlight and need appropriate shading. When grown indoors, they can be illuminated with artificial light to help them grow strong.
⟦NL>Choosing Potting Soil
The soil for potted cacti needs to be well-drained, well-aerated, lime-containing sandy soil (or sandy loam). It can be mixed from 2 parts loam and 2 parts leaf mold, 3 parts coarse sand, plus 1 part limestone gravel or old lime wall debris discarded when old buildings are demolished. It can also be mixed from 2 parts loam and 2 parts coarse sand, with 1 part each of crushed brick, leaf mold and old lime wall debris. When planting, a small amount of crushed brick, stone or tile pieces should be placed in the bottom of the pot to ensure smooth drainage.