How to grow golden barrel cactus? Understanding its growing conditions and care methods
The golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) belongs to the cactus family (Cactaceae) and is a perennial succulent plant. It flowers from June to October; generally, only a 30-year-old mother plant can flower and set seed. Next, let us take a look at how to care for the golden barrel cactus.
Light: When cultivating the golden barrel cactus, you should meet its demand for sunlight as much as possible. Except when it is brought indoors for the winter, it must be placed in a spot with ample sunlight all day long in spring, summer and autumn. If the golden barrel cactus is kept indoors for a long time, it will affect its body color and spine growth, the globe will become deformed and abnormal, and it will lose its ornamental value. When brought indoors for the winter, the golden barrel cactus should be placed on a sunny windowsill; after a period of time, turn the pot so that all parts of the globe receive light evenly. During the intense direct sun of midsummer, appropriate shading is needed. The author's approach is to cover the upper half of the golden barrel cactus with a colored plastic bag to protect the downy hairs on top of the globe from rain, then cover both the globe and the pot with a large plastic bag and place it in the spot outdoors that receives sunlight for the longest time. In the high temperatures of midsummer, remove the large plastic bag to avoid the stuffy, damp conditions inside the bag causing the globe to rot. After removing the bag, the pot and globe are in a ventilated environment, and the globe grows well.
Watering: Although the golden barrel cactus is drought-tolerant, that does not mean it does not need water. Some golden barrel cacti never grow large, or even shrink, which is related to not being watered for a long time. During the growth periods in spring and autumn, the golden barrel cactus should be given sufficient water, while during the dormant periods in winter and summer, watering should be restricted. In the early stage of growth, water once every 4, 5 days or 1 week, pouring the water from the edge of the pot, preferably at 9 or 10 in the morning or 4 or 5 in the afternoon. Tap water is best left to stand for 2 days before watering. From late April to June, the golden barrel cactus's water requirement increases; water once in the morning and once in the evening, and water thoroughly. During the plum rain in June, be careful to prevent the potting soil from becoming too wet, which can cause root rot. In July and August, the golden barrel cactus enters its summer dormancy and watering should be restricted. From late September to October, the golden barrel cactus enters its growth period again; water once every 3 or 4 days. In November, the golden barrel cactus's growth tends to stall; watering can be done once every 10 days. In December, the golden barrel cactus enters dormancy and may not need watering, in order to strengthen its cold resistance.
Fertilizing: In spring, apply thin fertilizer frequently, once a week. In May and June, once every 4 or 5 days, and the concentration can be slightly higher. Do not fertilize during the high temperatures of midsummer. In September and October, apply once a week; from November to the following spring, do not fertilize. For the fertilizer, use poultry or fish meat residue or poultry manure after it has been decomposed, diluted with water and applied; it is best done at 9-10 in the morning or after 5 in the afternoon, and water again one day after fertilizing.
Potting soil: It requires loose soil with moderate fertility, neutral or slightly acidic pH, and rich in organic matter. Bagged soil is sold on the market, or you can mix your own: (1) 3 parts loam, 2 parts leaf mold or peat soil, 1 part sieved bone meal, 4 parts coarse sand; (2) 3 parts coarse sand, 3 parts garden soil, 2 parts leaf mold, 1 part calcareous material, 1 part crushed brick or tiles, with a little superphosphate, charcoal granules or bone meal added.
Pot: An breathable clay pot is best, followed by ceramic pots, porcelain pots, etc. The size of the pot depends on the globe of the golden barrel cactus; the gap between the globe and the pot wall should be 3-4 cm. If the globe is large, the gap can be appropriately larger.
Planting: The best time is when its winter dormancy has ended and it has not yet begun to grow. The next best time is during its summer dormancy. Specific steps: cover the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot with a tile or broken pot piece, fill in 1/4-1/3 of broken tiles, bricks and stones, dead branches and other drainage materials, then fill in 1/4-1/3 of potting soil. Trim off part of the root system, place the golden barrel cactus in the center of the pot, cover the root crown of the golden barrel cactus with soil, gently shake the pot so that the soil fully contacts the roots, press the soil around the roots firmly with your hands, then spread a layer of coarse gravel on top to resist the washing effect of watering. There is no need to water; place it indoors until it grows, then water.
Repotting: The timing of repotting is the same as for planting, once a year or every other year. First prepare a pot one size larger and fresh potting soil, take the globe out of the old pot, remove part of the old soil, and trim off some dead roots and rotten roots, etc., then let it dry before potting. The operation is the same as for planting. In addition, because repotting is difficult when the globe is too large, you can remove part of the old soil and add fresh potting soil. After changing the soil, press it firm, then spread a layer of coarse gravel on top; there is no need to water.
Cold protection: The golden barrel cactus is not cold-tolerant. When the temperature drops to about 5°C, you can move the golden barrel cactus indoors to a sunny spot, keep the potting soil dry, and be careful to prevent cold winds from hitting it.
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