Please email me instructions on how to fertilize cacti safely. Brin
Cacti are tough plants that need need minimal nutrient maintenance. It’s simple to make your own cactus fertilizer by mixing one tablespoon of Epsom salt with four liters of water. It is preferable to mist plants with water rather than filling the pot with water. Only in the late spring or summer do succulents (plants with leafy tissues that retain moisture) require fertilizer. Composting is one of the best kept secrets for growing happy cactus since it is full of nutrients.
A leather recliner that belonged to my aunt has been passed down to me. The chair is now quite sticky because the nursing home where she resided used some form of detergent on it. Is there anything I can use or do to get rid of the stickiness and bring back the leather’s natural feel? I want to preserve the chair without restoring it because it has been well-maintained and is comfortable. Darcy
The procedure of restoring sticky leather involves two steps. Step 1: Mix two cups of water with one spoonful of dish soap. Leather should be sponge-wiped. Use water to rinse. Step 2: Apply commercial leather conditioner in a circular motion with a delicate cloth. After waiting 20 minutes, gently rub the area with the same soft cloth.
When I unrolled a chocolate rolled cake to add the filling, it cracked after baking. Is it possible to stop the cake from crumbling? Patrick
Here are some pointers: Do not overbake the cake. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, roll it in parchment paper (or a tea towel dusted with icing sugar). The likelihood of cracks increases as the cake cools.
For many hours or overnight, let the cake cool in the refrigerator. When adding filling, carefully unroll the cake. Cover the cake with frosting, whipped cream, toasted almonds, or icing sugar if it should happen to crack.
Is there something I can use to wipe on my feet to get rid of the odor? Thanks. Darcy
The solution is to soak a towel in vodka and wipe your feet. Both clothing and skin can be deodorized with vodka. Alternately, put your feet in a bowl of hot tea.
Every user acknowledges and agrees that using any advice from this column carries the risk of harm or injury. All products should first be tested on a discrete area.
Keep asking me questions and giving me advice; I like it. Need a speaker to discuss The Power of Words or Effective Speaking? Look at reena.ca
Which fertilizer is ideal for cacti?
The traditional idea of the ideal habitat for cacti is a hard, arid desert with two extremes: intervals of complete lack of precipitation or unexpected downpours that the plant must absorb, store, and use during the following dry spell.
It’s crucial to bear in mind that fertilizer cactus plants may keep them happy growing no matter the season, whether they are outside in the yard exposed to seasonal extremes or in a bright, sunny spot in the house.
Fertilizing cactus plants will help them adapt, actively grow, and even reproduce if it is one of their traits, just like with any other garden or indoor plant. The fertilizer needs for cacti are rather straightforward. Any decent houseplant food that is higher in phosphorus than nitrogen is a suitable option (diluted to half). A 5-10-5 solution may be effective.
Knowing when to feed cactus plants is essential now that you are aware of their true requirement for fertilizer.
Repel Pests
Snails and slugs are easily repelled by salt, a natural insecticide. You can use pure Epsom salt as a natural slug repellent by sprinkling it on or around your succulent plants to kill or scare off any inquisitive gastropods. Tackle snails and slugs the same way you would treat fungus gnats: by sprinkling a thin layer of Epsom salt on the soil surrounding your succulent plants. This is similar to applying diatomaceous earth or hydrogen peroxide to your soil.
Slugs and snails are easily repelled by the use of epsom salt, a natural pest deterrent.
Fertilize your Succulents
During the growing season, epsom salt works wonders as a fertilizer and can keep your succulents looking lush and lovely for a very long time. Additionally, a fantastic approach to support blooming in many succulents is by using an Epsom salt fertilizer. Just a pinch of pure Epsom salt and a cup of distilled water are required to prepare an Epsom salt fertilizer. Epsom salt grains can be easily dissolved in water by swirling them in because salt is soluble. Consider using hot water while mixing to make sure everything dissolves completely, then allowing the water drop to room temperature before watering your succulents.  
Potting and Repotting
There are not many strategies to prevent or ease the discomfort of transplant shock, which is why we advise repotting during the growing season. However, by boosting the magnesium concentration of your soil, you can use Epsom salt to assist your succulents recover from transplant shock. Your succulent will easily absorb the nutrients it needs to recuperate from the transplant if the soil has more magnesium.  
Before relocating your succulent, moisten your soil with your Epsom salt solution and allow it to dry.
Which vegetation like Epsom salts?
Epsom salt’s putative advantages for plants are a hotly contested subject among gardeners. Others contend that Epsom salts are not only ineffective at enhancing plant health but can also harm the soil’s quality when added to plants. Some gardeners feel that applying Epsom salts on their plants is the reason for their outstanding development. Here, we’ll examine numerous arguments and data to decide which plants, if any, would profit from Epsom salt supplements.
Improves Nutrient Uptake
Magnesium, an important nutrient that aids a plant in carrying out some of its critical tasks, can be found in epsom salt. The ability of a plant to absorb additional nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, without which it would struggle to survive, is one of them. Epsom salt is consequently effective for providing the plant with magnesium while also ensuring that the plant can absorb the right amounts of other essential minerals from the soil.
Makes Plants Greener
One of the key components of Epsom salt, magnesium, is thought to make plants greener. This is because magnesium helps plants produce chlorophyll, which affects the color of their leaves and, as a result, makes their foliage appear lusher. In order for a plant to photosynthesize, which enables it to produce food and energy for itself, chlorophyll is also necessary.
Provides Micronutrients
Magnesium and sulfur, two micronutrients that are beneficial to plants, are found in epsom salts. Some gardeners contend that these micronutrients are not absolutely necessary for the plant, while others assert that they are the only factor in a plant’s ability to grow well. In truth, whether these micronutrients are necessary or not depends on the sort of plant you have.
Therefore, Epsom salts would not significantly affect the growth of these plants. Many leafy vegetable crops, or some varieties of beans, will perform excellently even with very low magnesium levels. The micronutrients in Epsom salts would be beneficial to rose, pepper, and tomato plants because they need high quantities of magnesium to grow.
The National Gardening Association conducted experiments that showed pepper plants developed larger peppers and roses produced more blossoms with larger blooms when Epsom salts were used instead of merely commercial fertilizers (The National Gardening Association).
Deters Pests
Some garden pests, such as voles and slugs, can be repelled with the aid of epsom salt. Epsom salt treatments for your plants could reduce the quantity of slugs in your garden, but they probably won’t be the magical pest deterrent you were looking for. However, if you are using Epsom salts to help your roses flourish, then its capacity to deter some pests from setting up camp is a positive side effect. In reality, Epsom salts shouldn’t be your first port of call if you are wanting to treat your insect problem.
Balances Nutrient Levels
In some types of soil, epsom salts can assist in balancing the nutrient levels. You can test your soil to determine what nutrients are missing if your plants aren’t doing well and you suspect a nutrient deficiency. Magnesium is a frequent nutrient that is insufficient in agricultural soil or soil that has been overworked, and it needs to be replaced to ensure the health of plants growing in that soil. Epsom salts can help restore the soil’s magnesium levels if they have been depleted over time, such as from years of growing tomatoes, which can benefit your subsequent crops.
Neutralizes Soil pH
Epsom salts may aid to neutralize soil with a pH above 7.5 if you have a high soil pH. The pH of the soil should be lowered in these situations since too-alkaline soils are difficult for many plants to flourish in. The soil’s acidity will progressively rise as a result of working the Epsom salts into the surface.
Is salt beneficial to succulents?
There are many different sizes, hues, and shapes of succulent plants. They come from many other plant families as well. In addition to their tendency to grow succulently, these plants are all related by the fact that the bulk of them are found growing in dry areas. Succulence has developed as a way to store water, and it can be found anywhere, including the center of a desert or high in a tree’s canopy. However, many of you who live close to salt marshes might be aware that a few salt marsh species are also succulent. How did plants get their succulent habit of growing in standing water so frequently? The solution is in the salt.
The majority of plants don’t do well in salt water. Plants experience dehydration in the same way that humans do when they consume or drink large amounts of salt. In general, salt dehydrates plants and interferes with their ability to absorb nutrients. Salicornia and other genera are an exception to this rule. The numerous Salicornia, often known as glassworts, pickleweeds, or picklegrass, are true salt-lovers.
Salicornia has been dubbed a “taxonomic nightmare” in terms of taxonomy. Delineating species within the genus is best left to Salicornia specialists because to their extremely reduced morphology and remarkable phenotypic flexibility. We do know that they are all members of the Amaranthaceae family, which includes amaranths. You shouldn’t let all of this uncertainty ruin your enjoyment of Salicornia. There is a lot to admire about this family of plants, including their capacity to survive in situations that would cause the majority of other plants to perish.
Salicornia are more than just salt-tolerant organisms that can survive in salty environments. They are “halophytes,” or true salt aficionados. In fact, studies have revealed that certain Salicornia thrive significantly better in salty environments. This is all related to how these plants adapt to their saline surroundings. Salicornia contain expanded vacuoles that hold water, just like all succulents. But these big vacuoles store more than just plain old water. They also keep a large quantity of salts.
Osmosis plays a key role in Salicornia’s salty success. As you might recall from science class, things in our universe tend to travel from concentrated places to diffuse areas. This typically takes place between biological membranes in the case of water within an organism’s tissues. The more salt you add, the less concentrated the water gets since it actually displaces water molecules as you add it. We become dehydrated as a result of salt water. Water diffuses out of a cell when it is surrounded by salt, balancing the amounts on either side of the cell membrane. Salicornia take advantage of this.
The vacuoles of these plants actively absorb salt from their surroundings. This indicates that the water concentration inside the vacuole is lower than the water concentration outside of the cell. Water then rushes into the cells of the plant due to osmosis. Salicornia make sure they are always on the receiving end of the water gradient by concentrating salt in their vacuoles. These saline plants constantly receive water, not the other way around. The Salicornia are able to occupy a niche that is generally inaccessible to most other plant species by co-opting morphological adaptation to drought. It also implies that these plants continue to have a pleasingly succulent habit despite the abundance of water in their surroundings.
What can I do to make my cactus bloom?
Cacti and succulents prefer summer and winter seasons, as well as a clear variation between night and day temperatures. Succulents prefer colder outdoor nighttime temperatures of 50-550F (10-130C) or at least 60-650F indoor nighttime temperatures (15-180C). Succulents prefer a noticeable contrast between their night and day temperatures to imitate their natural habitat, with the low night temperatures playing a crucial role in the plant’s growth cycle, especially when kept in a controlled setting.
If you want to see your succulents and cacti bloom, overwintering is also crucial. For desert cacti in particular, this can be accomplished by keeping plants cool and largely dry over the winter. During the winter, keep them at a comfortable temperature of between 35 and 440 °F (1.5-70C). If maintained indoors during the winter, try to keep them in an unheated room or keep the temperature low to provide them the necessary cold winter season. This does not apply to holiday cacti, such as Rhipsalis, Schlembergera, and Hatiora, which have different moisture and temperature needs than desert cacti (see below for Holiday cactus blooming tips).
Make sure the plants are kept in a bright area and receive enough sunshine throughout the year, including during the darker winter months. Most succulents and cacti require at least 4-6 hours of bright sunshine every day, if not more. Some plants require filtered but bright light to avoid solar damage since they cannot withstand harsh, full sun. Lack of light causes plants to gradually etiolate, become paler, and spread out in search of more light. To provide adequate lighting, place indoor plants in windows with a south or east orientation. If more light is required indoors, think about using grow lights. Lack of sunshine stunts the growth of succulent plants, and they are unlikely to blossom as effectively.
Giving your plants the nutrition they require instead of fertilizing them will assist maintain healthy growth and promote blooms. Flowers require a lot of energy to grow, therefore giving plants more nutrients during flowering season will assist meet their nutritional requirements. The best time to fertilize is during the active growing season, which is in the spring and summer. Fertilizers work best when applied every two weeks at a quarter- or half-strength. Avoid fertilizing during the winter and towards the conclusion of the fall growing season. It is acceptable and typical to use a balanced fertilizer blend that has been diluted to half strength. Cacti and succulent-specific fertilizer mixtures are also appropriate.
Although cacti and succulents can store water, they still require frequent watering during the active growing season. Regular watering helps to guarantee that they don’t lose all the water they need to store for growth. Regular watering also improves their ability to resist the hotter summer sun. Water plants thoroughly during the active growing season until water begins to leak out of the pot’s openings. Don’t water again until the soil has dried out. Before watering, check the top inch of the soil for moisture. During the hot summer months, watering should be done more frequently; during the chilly winter months, less frequently. Succulents and cacti suffer from overwatering, so make sure to let the soil dry out in between waterings.
Succulents and cacti require a well-draining soil in addition to suitable watering methods. Cacti and succulents don’t like to sit in water. If left moist for too long, their roots are prone to rot. The capacity of a succulent potting mix to drain efficiently is its most crucial requirement. You have the option of using store-bought potting soil or making your own for succulents. Giving them the proper medium increases their chances of flourishing and blossoming. Keeping your plants content will boost blooming.