How to grow a cactus (ball cactus)? Sharing 8 easy cultivation tips
The ball cactus is a common type of household flower. As long as it is cared for properly, it not only grows fast, but also has a bright, beautiful body and blooms abundantly. So how do you grow a ball cactus?
1. Planting
For pot cultivation, you can use a culture soil mixed evenly from 3 parts each of leaf mold, garden soil and coarse sand, plus 1 part of plant ash and aged lime wall scraps. It is best to pot up or repot in early spring. The size of the pot should be just enough to hold the ball with a little space around it; it should not be too large, otherwise it will look less attractive. When potting, line the bottom of the pot with a layer of broken tile pieces or gravel about 3 cm thick to help drainage. The planting depth should be such that the root crown of the ball is level with the soil surface. The lower the temperature, the more you should keep the potting soil dry. As the temperature rises, the plant's dormancy gradually lifts, and the amount of watering should also gradually increase. But in the hot summer you should also properly control watering and place the potted plant in a shaded spot; after the dog days pass and the weather turns cooler, resume normal watering.
2. Potting soil
For potted ball cacti, the soil should be sandy soil (or sandy loam) with good drainage and air permeability and containing lime. You can mix 2 parts each of loam and leaf mold, 3 parts coarse sand, plus 1 part limestone gravel or old lime wall scraps discarded when old buildings are demolished. You can also mix 2 parts each of loam and coarse sand, with 1 part each of broken brick, leaf mold and aged lime wall scraps. When planting, place a small amount of broken brick and tile pieces at the bottom of the pot to ensure smooth drainage.
3. Watering
Do not water newly planted ball cacti; just spray water 2-3 times a day. After half a month, water lightly. After 1 month, once new roots have grown, gradually increase the amount of watering. In cultivation, note that watering ball cacti is different from watering other potted flowers. During the winter dormant period, watering should be restrained, just keeping the potting soil from becoming too dry.
4. Fertilizing
Ball cacti like fertilizer and tolerate it well; when fertilizer is sufficient, they grow faster. Start topdressing 1 month after repotting in spring. During the growing season, apply every 20 days or so a topdressing of fermented 10x liquid fertilizer mixed with an equal amount of 1000x potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution, or 1000x "Huaduoduo" general-purpose fertilizer once. Do not fertilize in winter. When fertilizing ball cacti, use a fine-spout watering can to apply slowly along the edge of the pot. Do not splash the fertilizer solution onto the ball, otherwise it can easily burn the ball. At home, you can also apply only base fertilizer and no routine topdressing. The base fertilizer can be fermented cake fertilizer, etc., with a small amount of bone meal or superphosphate added. The application rate is 1/10 of the potting soil.
5. Temperature
During the growing period, normal room temperature is fine. In winter, place it in a cool environment (3-5°C); it is quite cold-tolerant. If the potting soil is dry, it can withstand a low temperature of 0°C.
6. Watering
Ball cacti like moist soil, tolerate drought, and are slightly tolerant of wet conditions. Ball cacti originate from subtropical grasslands with abundant rain and humid air, so they are more moisture-tolerant than other cactus plants. Spring, summer and autumn are their peak growing seasons, so water should be replenished in time to keep the soil moist. When placed indoors, you should also often spray around them to increase air humidity. In winter, if the room temperature stays above 10°C, water once the soil has dried out. If the temperature is lower, keep the potting soil on the dry side. Watering should be done on a sunny morning, and note that the water temperature should be close to the potting soil temperature.
7. Pest and disease control
Ball cacti are easily harmed by scale insects. Their larvae often hide inside the ball or in the grooves between the ribs. They can be killed by spraying with a 1500-2000x dilution of omethoate emulsifiable concentrate. They can also be removed with a small bamboo strip.
8. Repotting
For potted cactus plants, it is best to use clay pots with strong air permeability, and line the bottom of the pot with broken brick particles as a drainage layer. Cacti have relatively small root clusters, so the pot should not be too large; the pot diameter should be close to the diameter of the plant body, for an attractive and harmonious look. When repotting, part of the old roots should be cut off. After letting them dry for 4-5 days, pot them again. Planting should not be too deep; it is best to keep the root crown of the ball level with the soil surface. To avoid root rot, do not water newly planted ball cacti; just spray 2-3 times a day. After half a month, water lightly, and only after one month when new roots have grown can watering be gradually increased.
The above is the related introduction in this article. I believe that after reading it you also have a simple understanding of this. If needed, you can continue to follow No.1 Home Network to learn more information.