How To Repot Small Cactus

When you’ve decided whether to repot your cactus, it’s time to grab your equipment and exchange the old soil or container with the new one. Fresh soil is an excellent idea even though every cactus doesn’t require a new container. Only plants that are pot-bound require a larger pot.

Gently tong, glove, or wrap the plant out of its pot. If the soil is dry, they normally come out easily, but you might need to use a trowel to remove the soil around the edges. Plant the cactus at the same depth it was growing in the old soil after shaking off the old soil. Put it in a bright southeast or east window, filling in the area around the roots with your medium.

Not watering the plant right away while it is accustomed to being handled and new soil conditions is one of the most crucial repotting cactus advices. A few weeks later, you can water the plant, let it dry up, and then water it once more.

Prepare Your Tools and Supplies

Depending on the size and degree of spikyness of the plant, specific instruments are needed for cactus transplantation. For instance, towels and/or newspapers may not be required while transplanting smaller cacti, whereas larger cacti may need a complete complement of safety gear.

No of the size, handling cacti is always safer when done with thick, protective gloves.

Remove the Cactus from the Old Pot

If required, loosen the dirt around the pot’s edges with a dull knife or trowel. If necessary, you can use the towel to handle the cactus or wrap it in many layers of newspaper to make it easier to hold. Lay the cactus flat on the surface of your work area after gently wriggling the root ball out of the old pot.

Loosen the Root Ball & Discard the Old Soil

The root ball should be loosened and the old soil should be dumped after the cactus has been removed from its old pot. This can occasionally be a delicate process depending on how root-bound the plant is. Slow down and take care not to uproot too many roots.

Inspect the Roots and Trim if Necessary

It is advisable to inspect the roots for any evidence of pests or illnesses while they are exposed. If necessary, prune back any sick or dead roots and use a fungicide.

Choose the New Pot

For your cactus, pick a clay or terracotta pot if you have a tendency to overwater plants. Cacti can grow in any type of potting container, although unglazed clay pots are better since they can absorb extra moisture from the soil and help limit overwatering. No matter what kind of pot you select, make sure the bottom has a drainage hole.

Plant the Cactus in the New Pot

To ensure that the cactus will be planted at the same depth as its previous container, fill the bottom of the new pot with the cactus soil combination (you may buy cactus soil in stores or make it yourself). Place the cactus in the pot gently using the towel or newspaper and hold it there while you add dirt to the remaining space in the pot.

The newly transplanted cactus needs time to adapt to its new environment, so avoid watering it right immediately. You can resume your regular watering regimen after about a week.

Cacti are resilient and adaptable, and the majority of kinds do well when transplanted as long as they were in good condition before being repotted. Make sure to replant your cactus in the same spot where it was originally located so that it can continue to get the same amount of light and ventilation as it did before it was moved.

Cacti are desert plants, thus to promote new development, they need a lot of sunlight. Most cacti kinds thrive in a sunny windowsill that faces south or west. One of the best ways to promote new growth is to leave your cactus outdoors in full light throughout the summer if you live somewhere with warm summers.

Do I need to repot my miniature cactus?

Today, we’ll talk about another aspect of caring for cacti. In this article, we’ll discuss how to repot or transplant a tiny, tall, or huge cactus and share our insider knowledge and advice. We’ll also go over when to repot your cactus and how to do it safely so you don’t get stabbed or harmed. Then we’ll cover how to take care of cacti after repotting them.

Should I repot my cactus and how often should I do it?

Yes, you must repot new cacti every year and adult plants every two years. Because cacti grow and eventually require additional space and new growing material, repotting or transplanting them is crucial.

Growing cacti will require additional room because their roots will spread out inside the soil mixture. By inspecting the rootball at the pot’s base, you can make sure (which should have drainage holes). You should repot your cactus as soon as possible if any roots are showing.

The same holds true if you remove the cactus from its pot and can see its roots wrapping around the root ball. Repotting also typically “wakes up” your cactus and promotes healthy growth.

What is the best time to repot a cactus?

The conclusion of the dormant season is the ideal time to repot cacti. Your cactus will experience less stress as a result. For many plants, the dormant time will vary. However, the majority of cacti that are found in regions with harsh winters are compelled to hibernate from November until the end of February.

General important tips for repotting cacti:

  • Before or after transplanting your cacti, avoid watering them. So that roots can continue to grow, let the soil dry. Additionally, you should hold off on watering your cactus for seven to ten days after repotting. This is crucial since handling the plant could harm the roots, and any contact with water could kill the plant.
  • Since certain cacti have extremely pointed spines, additional protection is required when repotting them. This can be a spare glove, newspaper, or piece of cloth.
  • When repotting cacti, you must safeguard your hands. Several cactus will have longer, sharper spines, so be extra cautious! These nitrile coated gloves, which function far better than leather gloves since they are thicker, are the ideal tools for defending your hands from spiky cacti. Wear two sets of gloves or get gloves with double coating if you have a cactus with sharp spikes.

How to repot your cactusstep by step overview

  • Prepare the materials and the area before you start repotting your cactus. Have ready-mixed soil, a plastic container for handling root balls, a brush, nitrile gloves, a wooden stick, some folded newspaper, and shears with micro-tips or scissors on hand as well.
  • Select a container for your cactus. A pot should be larger than the one before it and cleaned and sanitized. Avoid choosing a pot that is too big since cactus want a snug fit. When choosing a pot, make sure it isn’t too deep and that it is at least 1-2 inches wider than your cactus. However, there should be enough room for the roots of the cacti to sit comfortably in the pot. Pick the same-sized container and repot your cactus if it has extremely weak roots and hasn’t been growing steadily. This will encourage growth. Add bone meal, egg shells, or time-release fertilizer to the soil. Read more about selecting a container here.
  • Add charcoal and some rocks or gravel to the pot you’ll be using. This will facilitate drainage and stop soil from escaping drainage holes. Add some fresh soil mixture on top before planting your cactus.
  • Remove your cactus from the pot (we’ll go over how to do it in a moment) and clean the roots of any old soil. If the old soil is difficult to remove, soak it.

When should a little cactus be repotted?

Cacti come in a wide range of colors, textures, and sizes for their flowers. Cacti can be divided into two primary categories: desert cacti (which are typically armed with spines) and jungle cacti (often without spines and most are epiphytes). You can have an interesting houseplant that is trouble-free and long-lasting if you choose the proper cactus for the right location.

When to repot

As soon as the roots start to peek through the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot, cacti need to be repotted. Fast-growing plants should typically be repotted every two to three years, whereas slow-growing species should be done so every three to four years. The optimum time to repot cactus is in the spring when they are actively growing. Two days prior to repotting, water the cactus to keep the roots moist but not soggy.

Do cacti prefer little pots?

Your cactus or succulent plant’s survival depends on the pot size and soil type you choose.

In this section, you will learn how to pot or repot your plant, how to knock out a plant, and how to manage prickly plants, as well as everything else you need to know about properly caring for your cactus or succulent plant.

When they’re young, succulents and cacti can be kept in a dish garden. For a start, the common clay bonsai trays are excellent.

The plants can be moved into their own pots when they become too large. No matter the temperature—45°F or 85°F—the plants will remain the same size if you keep them dry. The plants will rot if you water them in cold weather or when they are dormant.

Avoid overpoting. Rotting roots are frequently caused by overpotting. Put the smaller pot into the larger pot and fill the area in between with gravel if the plant is top heavy. This will provide the plant with a sturdy foundation without putting it at risk of decay.

Pot Size

Cacti and other succulents should be potted in the smallest containers possible. Use a pot for cactus that is just big enough to accommodate the plant. Use a pot that is just a little bit bigger than the root ball for other succulents.

The drainage provided by the holes on the pot’s bottom is insufficient for some plants. Make the hole in a clay pot bigger by using a hammer and a screwdriver. For a plastic pot, use a hot knife or hot ice pick.

In either scenario, take care to avoid burning yourself or breaking the pot. If the clay pot does crack, save the fragments for your subsequent planting endeavor rather than throwing them away.

Soil

The potting material is less significant than excellent drainage. A thick layer of gravel or crumbled bricks should be put over the porous soil. More humus (organic matter) is preferred by spineless succulents in their potting soil.

We typically use the terms “heavy,” “organic,” and “light” to describe different types of soil. These definitions mean as follows:

Heavy. This is composed of clay, loam, or good garden soil with roughly one-third humus. It should contain roughly one-third washed builder’s sand or perlite where good drainage is necessary.

Organic. This is humus-rich soil, leaf mold (decomposed leaves), or some other organic material-rich soil. The drainage will be improved by using perlite or coarse builder’s sand.

Light. This describes a material with an open texture that has great drainage and can be kept damp but never wet. Plants that spend time in trees in the natural world benefit from it.

How to Pot

1. Choose a pot that is not excessively huge.

2. Fill the bottom with enough drainage material.

3. Insert your potting material into it until it is roughly one-third filled.

4. Check the plant’s size (make sure it won’t be too high above the pot’s top or too far down in the pot). Unless the plant prefers to move horizontally, in which case it should be placed at one edge, place the plant in the middle.

5. Fill all the crevices between the plant and the pot with your potting medium while holding the plant gently where you want it to stay.

6. Shake the pot to help the soil settle, then gently press the earth down around the roots. Add extra soil if there isn’t enough or if it starts to pack down. Older plants get more earth packed around them than seedlings do. So that there is room for water, leave a space between the top of the medium and the top of the pot.

7. Give the plant water.

Repotting

The process is essentially the same when working with plants that are already potted, with the exception that you must start by taking the plant out of pot 1.

Sometimes the plant can be readily removed, but other times it can be more difficult. Do not pull on the plant if it is stubbornly refusing to emerge from the pot. The container breaking can be preferable to the plant being damaged or having its top broken off.

How to Knock Out a Plant

If the plant is stuck in its pot, try gently tapping the pot against something hard, like wood or concrete, to see if you can squirm it out.

If it doesn’t work, try carefully slicing the inside of the pot with a knife to see if the plant will now emerge.

If that doesn’t work and the pot is made of clay, use your hammer to smash it with a few controlled strokes that won’t harm the plant.

Take part of the soil around the root ball out once the plant has been removed from the pot. Prune away a portion of the roots if they appear to be overgrown.

You can take a knife and simply chop off the outside of the root ball, including the roots, on some plants where the roots become extremely, extremely thick. If you wish to retain your plant in the same-sized container, you can also utilize this root pruning technique.

You can keep your plant “growing on” in the same container for years by first cutting some of the roots and then portion of the top.

How to Handle Spiny Plants

Handle prickly plants by wrapping them in a narrow band of newspaper. Using the band like a belt or harness, wrap it around the plant. For each plant, use a new band.

Gloves are uncomfortable to handle because the small spines break off inside the glove and the huge spines stab right through the glove.

Actually rather simple to propagate are cacti and other succulents. Learn everything you need to know about successful plant propagation in the section that follows.