To thrive, cacti need a sunny location in a compost that is very well-drained, like cactus compost.
Select a windowsill facing south or east for the greatest effects. If the windowsill gets too chilly in the winter, you might need to find them another position.
How to plant cacti
Plant cactus carefully at all times. Your skin may sting and bleed from the spines. To avoid harming yourself while planting your cactus, it is a good idea to use everyday kitchen tools like a fork, spoon, and thick tea towel.
Cactus should be planted in a compost that drains very well, such as cactus compost. Alternately, use a multipurpose compost devoid of peat that has been enriched with horticultural grit or vermiculite to improve drainage.
To finish the aesthetic of the pot display, add a layer of horticultural grit or pebbles. Additionally, this stops water from re-splashing on the cactus.
In our No Fuss video guide, Kevin Smith of Gardeners’ World Magazine demonstrates how to use cactus plants to make a visually appealing display. Kevin discusses how to make a decorative mulch, which compost to use, and why salad tongs are the best tool for handling cacti:
Caring for cactus plants
Water cacti in the summer only once a week at most. A decent watering less frequently is preferable to a little-and-often strategy. In the coldest months, you shouldn’t need to water cacti at all.
Cacti should be repotted every two years to receive fresh compost; larger pots aren’t always necessary.
Stan Griffin of Craig House Cacti shares his three best growing advice for cactus plants in this Golden Rules video, including when to water, feed, and when not to. He also offers guidance on how to take cactus cuttings.
Growing cactus plants: problem solving
Cactus plants often pose no problems. Overwatering or inadequate lighting might cause them to decay at the base. The plants frequently die as a result of this.
Spindly growth is possible in cactus plants, although it is simple to fix. In our Quick Tips video, Emma Crawforth from BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine explains everything.
Cactus varieties to grow
- Golden barrel cactus, Echinocactus grusonii, is initially globular but later becomes tall. It has brilliant green stems with spiky ribs that are native to Mexico. In the summer, flowers that are bright yellow bloom.
- The varied cactus Gymnocalycium paraguayense has flattened spines. In spring and summer, it blooms a creamy white color.
- A globe-shaped cactus with brilliant pink, funnel-shaped blossoms is called Mammillaria spinosissima. It has reddish-brown or yellow center spines.
- Rebutia krainziana is a clump-forming barrel cactus that grows little, white areoles and spines in contrast to its dark green, up to 7 cm in diameter stems. Large, yellow or red flowers grow in a dense clump around the main stem in late spring.
You Will Need
- Cacique seed
- clay and plastic miniature pots
- Cactus compost or free-draining compost
- fine grit or vermiculite
- glass sheet
- spoon or fork
- Tweezers
- Gravel
Step 1
A pot should be filled with a loose-draining, moist compost. Firm the surface down gently and level it. Spread your mixture of cactus seeds evenly around the area, being careful not to sow them too densely.
Step 2
Over the seeds, evenly cover the surface of the compost with a thin layer of vermiculite or fine grit. To keep the soil moist, leave the pot wrapped in a clear plastic bag in a greenhouse or on a warm windowsill.
Step 4
Your seedlings should be ready for transplantation the following spring. To gently pry out individual cactus, use a fork or spoon, being careful not to get the spines on your skin.
Step 6
Add compost all around the seedling and give it plenty of water. If more compost is required, add it after placing the gravel around the seedling with the spoon. Keep in a bright area, like a windowsill, and turn on the pot as necessary.
Can cactus be grown from seed easily?
Some people are interested in learning how to cultivate cacti from seed due to the rising popularity of succulent plants and cacti. Anything that produces seeds can be propagated from them, albeit not all seeds are capable of doing so. If the conditions are ideal, cactus seed growth might proceed without your assistance, but this is uncommon. It may take many years for certain seeds to germinate once they fall in their natural environment. You might have to initiate the procedure yourself to get them going. More cactus plants are produced when cactus seeds germinate successfully, increasing your collection.
How long should cactus seeds soak?
Use pre-made or homemade cactus soil mix to fill a tiny pot. To level the earth, gently press it down. The soil is properly drained and aerated with the use of inorganic grit, sand, or pumice.
Step 2
The seeds should be soaked in warm water for 30 minutes prior to planting. This encourages germination and loosens the seed coat. Opuntias need a few days of soaking in warm water since their seed coverings are quite resistant. Soak the seeds, then scatter them over the top of the flat soil. Unless the seed is exceptionally large, avoid pressing it into the soil.
Step 3
Just enough inorganic top dressing should be used to completely cover the seeds and soil surface. Don’t cover the seeds entirely in the top coating. Water gently and let the pot entirely drain.
A word about watering: During step 4, it is essential to use freshwater or distilled water to help avoid bacterial and algal growth. If the chlorine in your tap water is overpowering, you should think about drinking distilled water instead. The chlorine will damage or stop growth by burning the young, delicate roots and perhaps causing iron chlorosis. Careful watering can be accomplished by either letting the pot stand in water that is half its height or less, or by gently watering from the top while being careful not to wash away the top dressing. Allow the pot to drain completely in both scenarios.
Step 4
With a plastic container that enables light to pass through, cover and seal the pot. This might be a plastic tub or a supported plastic bag that is rubber-banded shut around the plant. The goal is to create a setting that will act as a greenhouse by retaining heat and moisture. Many things will work, so think creatively and ingeniously! But take cautious not to leave the seedling container submerged in water for too long. If you have chosen a plastic cover that is clear and colorless, move the pot to a location with bright indirect light that is approximately 70 F (21 C). If you’ve picked a clear but colored container, like blue or green, you should put it somewhere with a little more light while keeping the temperature the same. If you have chosen a container that is slightly hazy or foggy, you should put it in a cooler environment, 65 F (18 C), where it receives at least 4 and no more than 8 hours of direct sunlight, with the remaining hours of the day spent in brilliant indirect light.
Keep in mind that the sun is hotter in the late morning and afternoon than it is in the early morning or early evening. Consider the plastic bottle in general as sunscreen. The most light can travel through clear, colorless plastic, slightly less light can pass through clear, colored plastic, and even less light can flow through fogged, clear plastic. In every situation, the plastic container’s interior will warm up.
Don’t fry your young, delicate plants! If the walls of your container dry out during germination, water sparingly, reseal the container, and move it to a warm, well-lit area. If algal growth appears, remove the cover and let the seedling pot partially breathe before wiping it down with a solution of no more than 1 part bleach to 20 parts water (5 percent bleach in water). Give the cover time to dry. Place the seedling container back in a warm, well-lit area after recovering it and sealing it. As needed, keep cleaning the plastic container.
Step 5
The recently sprouting seedlings appear to be well on their way, despite being above earth. They have disproportionately small root systems underground, making it difficult for them to quickly take in the nutrients they need to grow into mature plants. Therefore, until they are almost fully grown, the seedlings should be kept in a plastic container at a high humidity level. Up until appropriate root systems are created, high humidity makes it easier for the roots and leaves to absorb water and nutrients.
Step 6
When the seedlings are large enough to handle, carefully take each seedling from its original nursing pot while wearing gloves or covering your fingers with tape. If the soil has kept moist, this is much simpler.
Step 7
Repot the seedling gently into a pot filled with cactus and succulent soil mix, filling the pot all the way to the top, and top dress with sand, gravel, or pumice. 3 or 4 days later, water. Never put the cactus back in its humidity compartment made of plastic.
How frequently do I need to water cactus seeds?
Everything is based on how big your cactus seedlings are. It’s pretty simple to get them to germinate, but the most difficult part is getting them to grow from a seedling into a mature cactus.
If you water your plants excessively, you run the danger of giving them fungus illnesses and other issues that cactus seedlings are particularly vulnerable to. However, if you don’t water the seedlings enough, the tiny, fragile root hairs that are developing on them may dry up and you may lose the seedlings.
<1cm in Width: Keep Soil Moist at All Times
Because they lack the water storage capacity of larger, mature cacti, you must make sure that the soil is always moist when your seedlings are very small, less than 1 centimeter in their breadth. A large, mature cactus may go without water for many, many months. Cactus seedlings can’t do that.
Therefore, at this size, the soil must always be damp but not wet.
There is a distinction between wet soil and damp soil.
>1cm in Width: Water Once a Month
But once they pass that tiny stage—generally when they are one centimeter wide or larger—I start to hold off on watering a little bit longer. I usually only water older cactus once a month and wait until the earth is absolutely dry before I water them again.
How much light do young cactus plants require?
Succulents and cacti typically require between 10 and 14 hours of light every day.
However, there are several things that affect how much light you should provide! What kind of light is it? Is it man-made or natural? Is the light direct or indirect?
You should at the very least be aware of whether your succulent prefers full sun, full shade, or a combination of the two. If you’re unsure, you can presume the plant needs full sun. Cacti and succulents in general are!
Ever questioned why you couldn’t simply leave the lights on all the time? That would imply that it is constantly expanding, right?
Actually, not quite. Like people, plants also require rest. Particularly in the case of desert flora. They engage in CAM photosynthesis, a unique type of photosynthesis. They truly only produce plant food at night, unlike other plants. They would starve if the darkness didn’t exist.
Cacti grow slowly, right?
A cactus is a wonderful addition to any home because of its eye-catching size, form, and blossoms. No two cactus plants are same, so whether it’s placed on your windowsill or displayed on a shelf, this houseplant is a distinctive, aesthetically pleasing way to add interest to your living room.
The Greek word “kaktos,” which means “spiky plant,” is the source of the name “cactus” (officially known as the Cactaceae family). Cacti or cactuses are native to the Americas (a vast region in North and South America with a strong concentration in Mexico) and are typically found in areas that experience drought. Because they are perfectly adapted to the intense heat and environment of the desert, they can most definitely survive the warm and dry conditions of a centrally heated home.
Cactuses are an excellent choice for those who aren’t as adept at taking care of plants because they simply require moderate watering—underwatering is actually preferable to overwatering.
Although slow-growing, a cactus plant is fairly self-sustaining as it stores moisture in its roots, leaves and stems, and therefore generally regulates its own food intake. Cactus plants want a site that is open, airy, and warm—around 18°C is ideal—but not overly warm. They can also tolerate direct sunlight.
Learn why these beautiful houseplants are much more than just prickles!
Are cactus plants indestructible?
No, you are not the only one if you have ever murdered a cactus. The simplest method is to overwater, have poor drainage, and use the incorrect compost. Normal potting soil retains water effectively, which is great for most plants but not for cacti because they require excellent drainage. It is best to use specialized cactus soil if you want to keep cacti alive.
How are cacti grown indoors?
As long as they are placed in an area that receives at least 4 to 6 hours of sunshine every day, cacti can be cultivated indoors. To ensure they are etiolated, we advise rotating them daily in your brightest windowsill, which is typically a southeast-facing window.
Why does cactus growth take so long?
absence of leaves Cacti don’t have leaves, which is another factor contributing to their poor growth. The leaves of plants are how they transpire. A plant’s leaves allow about 99 percent of the water absorbed by its roots to evaporate. Cacti would therefore be unable to survive in the desert if they have leaves.
Why do cactus seeds remain inactive for so long?
The majority of cacti are native to arid regions, and our perception of a cactus is one of a plant that has evolved to thrive in those conditions: it has a thick stem that stores water, no leaves to prevent moisture loss, numerous spines to guard its prized possessions, etc. Therefore, you would think that you need to plant cactus seeds in the sand in an environment with intense heat and aridity, but this is false.
In reality, only one desert cactus seed out of 100 really germinates in nature, and only one out of 1,000 seedlings matures. Most years, there is absolutely no germination! The seeds can slumber for years if required as they wait for Mother Nature’s cue to begin growing, which is a good, thorough rain. And occasionally, it does rain in a desert, yeah. The seeds, which are frequently decades old, do not begin to germinate until the soil is moist. The seedlings then fight against the elements to grow as quickly as they can, but if the soil dries out too quickly, they perish. But every so often, a year will come along when the soil is consistently moister than usual or when there are numerous downpours. The next generation of cacti really manages to get off to a terrific start in those circumstances.
Therefore, don’t treat cactus seeds like desert plants unless you want to have success with just one cactus seed out of 1,000. Instead, treat them well! Like any other plant, sow them and care for them. This is how:
Simply push the seeds into the soil after fully moistening the seed mixture in a tiny pot. To maintain high humidity, cover with a dome or a clear plastic bag. (I know it seems counterintuitive for a cactus, but it works!) Place the pot in a warm, well-lit area (light is required for germination), but keep it out of direct sunshine to prevent the unfortunate seedlings from overheating inside their transparent plastic protection. The ideal setting is under a grow lamp. It can take several days to many weeks for seeds to germinate.
Interestingly, even though the majority of cacti don’t have leaves as adults, they do as seedlings. Like any other dicot plant, each fat seedling bears two cotyledons, but they are significantly thicker. The stem of the infant cactus will soon start to grow at the intersection of the two cotyledons.
No watering should be required as long as the seedlings are covered by plastic, though you might lightly mist the growing medium with water if the soil surface does start to dry up. Remove the plastic bag or dome gradually after 23 months of growth, opening or lifting it a little bit more each day until the seedlings harden off.
Transplant each seedling into a separate tiny pot once they have adjusted to the indoor environment. Use cactus potting soil this time. When the soil seems dry to the touch, start watering them like a standard houseplant (not quite like a desert cactus at this point). At this point, moderate illumination is still the best option.
Only after the seedlings have grown on their own for about a year should you start treating them “like cactus,” putting them in full sunlight and allowing the soil to completely dry up before watering again. Although cacti generally develop slowly, some will be rather attractive by their second year. How long until they flower? Mammillarias or rebutias can bloom in as little as two to three years, but the majority of small cacti take five to six years to reach that stage. If they ever bloom, expect candelabra and barrel forms to last 15 to 50 years.
The above-mentioned sowing suggestions obviously include certain deviations. The technique outlined above will work with practically every desert cactus, with the exception of a few opuntias from northern regions, which will need a prolonged cold treatment before germination.
Although the cactus was the focus of the information above, most other succulents also require care when they first sprout. When you sow them, give them high humidity and only moderate light until they are well-established, whether they are agaves, aloes, euphorbias, or crassulas. So, at first, be kind with them. They’ll appreciate it, so do it!
The majority of the larger seed catalogs (Stokes Seeds, Park Seed, Halifax Seeds, Chiltern Seeds, etc.) also carry mixed cactus or cactus and succulent seed packs, so you may likely find them there as well. Try Mesa Garden or Cactus Store (both in the United States), RarExoticSeeds (in Canada), or Kakteen for a wider variety of cactus seeds, perfect for cactophiles (Europe).