When Do Cacti Bloom? A Detailed Guide to Growing Methods

It is widely known that cacti do bloom, just not very commonly, and their flower language is “strong” “resolute love.” So when do cacti bloom? And what are their growing methods? Let us explain in detail.

1. When do cacti bloom?

Cactus blooming is relatively rare, and the blooming time is not fixed either. Some can bloom after about three years of planting, while others may not bloom even after more than ten years. They can only bloom under careful care, and cactus blooming generally occurs in spring. Their flowers usually grow on the areoles, with relatively large flower shapes, and the flower colors are also very bright and diverse.

2. What are the growing methods for cacti?

1. Soil selection

The soil for growing cacti should be prepared according to differences in plant size, species and climatic conditions. For example, young plants need large amounts of nitrogen fertilizer and water during the growing period, so the proportion of leaf mold in the growing soil should be appropriately increased. In areas with more rainfall and high air humidity, the proportion of river sand can be increased to keep the potting soil well aerated and well drained. Also, for potted cacti placed on outdoor balconies, the water in the potting soil evaporates easily, so the proportion of garden soil and leaf mold can be appropriately increased. Sometimes peat soil or charred rice husks are also used instead of leaf mold, and the effect is also very good.

2. Fertilization method

During the growing season of cacti, appropriate fertilization is needed, and it is especially important for seedlings and grafted plants with well-developed rootstocks. For top dressing, fully fermented fish intestine water, soybean cake water, rotten egg water, etc. can be used, and attention should be paid to the concentration of the liquid fertilizer. If it is too dilute, the effect will be small; if it is too concentrated, it is easy to burn the roots. Among these, the household method for making liquid fertilizer is to crush soybean cake, fish intestines, etc., put them into a wide-mouthed bottle with a lid, add an appropriate amount of water, and let it stand for a period of time to ferment. After fermentation is complete, add water to the clear liquid in the bottle at 10-20 times, and apply it once every about 15 days.

For some ground-growing cacti that prefer calcareous soil, lime water can be applied 2-3 times during the growing period to prevent acidification of the potting soil. Its preparation method is to fully stir and dissolve lime and water at a ratio of 1:2, and after precipitation, it can be used for watering.

3. Watering method

Although cacti are relatively drought-tolerant plants, they still need very careful attention in cultivation and growing. Watering and care should be carried out reasonably according to differences in plant size, species and season, so as to avoid plant shrinkage and premature aging caused by excessive water shortage.

In addition, the amount of watering should be directly proportional to the temperature. For example, during the growing season from May to October, wetter management should be adopted. In midsummer, when the temperature is high and evaporation is large, watering twice a day is needed. In the rainy season, when air humidity is high, the potting soil should be kept at half moisture, which can prevent cactus root rot and stem rot. As the temperature drops, the frequency of watering should also be reduced accordingly. Especially in winter, it is only necessary to keep the soil from becoming excessively dry. The lower the temperature, the more the potting soil should be kept dry, generally watering once every 1-2 weeks, before noon on sunny days, and be careful not to let water touch the cactus stems, otherwise stem rot is easily caused. From March to April, as the temperature rises, watering should follow the principle of alternating dry and wet, and watering only after the soil has dried through, so as to meet the cactus's requirements for breaking dormancy and resuming growth.

The blooming time of cacti depends on whether the usual care given to them is appropriate. Therefore, when growing cacti, everyone must be careful and can manage them according to the above growing methods.