How to Grow Cacti Best? A Detailed Guide to Care Essentials and Techniques
Cacti are a common type of houseplant. To adapt to the arid desert climate, cacti evolved their leaves into short little spines. Because of their tough character and hardy nature, cacti have been increasingly recognized and accepted by more and more people, but cacti are hard to keep alive. So what about cacti? What are the methods for growing cacti?
Growing Environment
Before growing cacti we should understand their growing environment. Cacti like strong light, tolerate heat, drought and poor soil, are tenacious, and need only rough care, making them very suitable for growing on a family 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 "don't water until dry, and never over-moisten". June to August is the peak growing period, generally watering thoroughly once every morning, and topping up in the evening as needed. In extremely hot and windy conditions, water twice a day. +If you want the plant to grow larger and produce more offsets, water more; if you want it to bloom and to control the plant's increase in size, water less.
Temperature Control
Cacti naturally prefer high temperatures and dry environments. In winter, the room temperature should stay above 20°C during the day, and the nighttime temperature should not fall below 10°C. Too low a temperature easily causes root rot.
Light Requirements
Cacti require plenty of sunlight, but in summer they must not be exposed to strong direct sun and need appropriate shading. For indoor cultivation, artificial lighting can be used to help them grow vigorously.
Potting Soil Selection
For potted cacti, the soil should be well-draining, well-aerated, lime-containing sandy soil (or sandy loam). It can be mixed from 2 parts loam, 2 parts leaf mold, 3 parts coarse sand, plus 1 part limestone gravel or old lime wall debris discarded from demolished old buildings; it can also be mixed from 2 parts loam, 2 parts coarse sand, and 1 part each of crushed brick, leaf mold and old lime wall debris. When planting, a small amount of crushed brick and tile pieces should be placed at the bottom of the pot to ensure good drainage.