A 3cm cactus ball bloomed, but why won't one that's been grown for 10 years bloom?

0075, My 3cm cactus ball bloomed, so why won't your ball that's been grown for 10 years bloom? 3 major misconceptions, see how many you've fallen for!

Has your cactus ball bloomed?

Although it's already autumn, a cactus ball grown by Lanyao also bloomed again a couple of days ago. When a neighbor came over to visit, she asked me in surprise:

Your cactus ball is so small and it's already blooming, so why has mine been grown for 10 years and still hasn't bloomed?

Oh, that does sound a bit strange. A cactus ball grown for 10 years must surely be very big by now, so how could it have never bloomed?

Lanyao was very curious too, so she went with the neighbor to their home to find out........

Haha......

It really is quite big, but this one is called the golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii). Many people think the golden barrel cactus doesn't bloom. In fact, the golden barrel cactus can bloom, but it has to be grown for 20-30 years before it will bloom, and it has high requirements for light duration, so it's rarely seen blooming.

Actually, apart from the reason of variety, the bigger reason cactus balls don't bloom lies in our care.

Many flower lovers don't know enough about cactus balls and easily fall into the following 3 misconceptions. Although the cactus ball lives quite well, it's very hard for it to bloom.

1. Cactus balls don't need watering

At the mention of cactus balls, many people think of the desert. Thinking of such a dry place where cactus balls can still grow, they assume cactus balls must be extremely drought-tolerant, and so think that growing a cactus ball requires no watering.

But water is the source of life. Without enough water, it's very hard for a cactus ball to grow healthily, and blooming is even harder.

If you don't water for a long time, the potting soil becomes too dry, which can cause the cactus ball's roots to dry up and die. When some moisture comes along, it finally manages to grow new roots, but once there's a lack of water the roots dry up and die again. It can't even grow normally, so how can it bloom?

When caring for a cactus ball, you should follow the principle of watering thoroughly once the soil has dried out. When you notice the potting soil has become dry, you should water. If you're not sure, you can insert a wooden stick into the soil; when the soil at half the depth of the pot is no longer moist, you can water.

With enough water, the cactus ball can grow normally. Once the ball grows strong, there's hope for blooming.

2. Cactus balls don't need fertilizing

Although cactus balls are very tolerant of poor soil, that doesn't mean they don't need nutrients. We grow cactus balls hoping they'll grow bigger and bloom. If we still follow the way of the natural environment and let the cactus ball go hungry, then blooming will surely be difficult.

Spring and autumn are the fast growth periods for cactus balls. During this time, apply a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium compound fertilizer once every half month to promote the growth of the ball.

To ensure the fertility of the potting soil, it's best to repot once a year. If you don't repot, you should also shallowly bury fermented organic fertilizer along the edge of the pot once every half year.

3. Cactus balls like sunlight, so full sun in summer is no problem

Cactus balls love light very much, everyone knows this, so can cactus balls be left in full sun in summer?

Plenty of light is very good for a cactus ball's growth and blooming, but if the cactus ball's root system isn't good, then in summer it's still best not to leave it in full sun, as it's quite a test for the ball.

Moreover, full sun can easily scorch some cactus balls, causing ugly scars.

In summer you can give the cactus ball appropriate shade, while in spring, autumn and winter you should ensure plenty of light.

Do the above three things well, and the day your cactus ball bursts into bloom will be just around the corner. Lanyao reminds you that although cactus ball flowers are beautiful, the blooming period is fairly short, and the most important thing is that this cactus pit really burns money!

(The text of this article is original by Lanyao. The images are all from the internet. If there is any infringement, please contact me to delete them.)

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