Caring for Cacti - A Short Guide
You can also make your own by adding sand and fine gravel to premium potting mix or follow the below recipe:
1 part organic compost
1 part horticultural sand
1 part coir
1 part vermiculite/perlite
1 part pine bark
In the growing season cacti will need good watering every couple of days, but the trick is to let the soil dry out between each watering. Your potting mix should be light, airy and well draining so the water can pass through, capture some moisture to get the roots wet but the water needs to drain away. If the roots of your cacti plants will sit in water they, and the whole plant will rot. The potting mix is the key. In winter cacti only need little water. Once every couple of weeks will be more than enough.
In the growing season your plants will benefit from fertilising. Good seaweed fertiliser diluted in water should do the trick. Add the fertiliser every second- third watering. You can also use slow release fertiliser- aim for low nitrogen and high phosphorus. In winter, there is no need to apply fertiliser.
Cacti can be used in pot arrangements, terrariums and also in the garden. They have fantastic landscaping potential and you can create an unusual raised garden bed with cactuses and other succulents. Gravel and rocks are often used to mimic desert environment.
Many cacti have sharp thorns and can cause serious injury, especially if a broken thorn is left in the skin. When handling cacti, wear thick gloves or use tweezers. Don't be fooled by the ones with softer or hair like thorns as they can penetrate the skin as well, can cause irritation and are extremely hard to see. To get them out, apply sticky tape on the wound and pull.
It is not hard to see why so many people become addicted to collecting cacti and using them in arrangements. The many different sizes, colours and shapes make them a great collectors plant and fantastic contender for arrangements.
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