Month: June 2020

Knowing how often to water your cactus is vital to support blooming and fruiting. How often you should water your cactus will depend on what kind of cactus you have. While we most often associate cacti with deserts, some cacti have adapted to growing in the rainforest.

How often should a cactus be watered? A cactus typically needs to be watered about once a week, depending on the season and the cacti’s environment. A cactus can survive in extremely dry conditions. However, the key is making sure your cactus is thriving and not merely surviving.

You can do many things to make sure your cactus is thriving no matter the season or the environment. Keep reading for more water and cactus care tips.

How Often to Water a Cactus

Each cacti species is different and requires a different amount of water, so the best thing you can do is look up your specific species and learn all you can about it. Let’s walk through a few things that influence how much you should water your cactus.

Indoor Cacti

Keeping an eye on your plant is the best way to know when and how often to water your cacti. Once your soil has thoroughly dried, it’s time to water your cactus again.

Here are a few other factors that will help determine how often you should water your indoor cactus:

• The size of your cactus. Smaller cacti are younger and need more water, whereas larger cacti are older and don’t need to be watered as frequently.
• The size and type of your pot. If your cactus is in a large pot, it won’t need to be watered very often as its volume will contribute to holding water; however, a smaller pot will need to be watered more frequently. Smaller pots are recommended for cacti since it’s not good for them to sit in water.

Plastic pots tend to hold onto moisture for a while. While they can still be used for planting cacti, keep in mind that plants probably won’t need to be watered as much and be sure to check the soil before watering. Terra cotta pots are porous and allow the soil to dry quicker. Terra cotta is also a super inexpensive pot that can be purchased in any size or shape. Regardless of what type of pot you choose, keep in mind a pot with drainage holes is the way to go.

The specific species of your cactus can also help you determine how much water will ensure your cactus is thriving.

Checking your soil is essential when it comes to watering your cactus, but also a great way to ensure you’re not over-watering your plant. To properly check your soil, you should:

• Poke a finger into the drainage holes and check if the soil is dry.
• Use a small stick or skewer to check if the soil is dry or damp at the bottom. If the soil is still damp, it will adhere to the stick or skewer, and if the soil is dry, the stick or skewer will come up clean.
• Poke your finger a few inches into the soil, if the soil is dry, you can add some water, and if the soil is still damp, you can hold off on watering.

Outdoor Cacti

Watering cacti outdoors can be a little trial and error, so if you do your research and find a routine that works for you and you notice your plants thriving, stick with it.

Generally speaking, a deep soak is great for outdoor cacti. This mimics its natural environment more. A deep soak is achieved by allowing your hose to drip steadily for several hours, depending on how big or small your cacti are.

As a general rule, you’ll want to plan on watering cacti every two weeks; however, if you live in a warmer climate you may find yourself needing to water cacti more often, and if you live in a cooler climate you’ll probably find you won’t need to water your cacti as frequently. Just as with indoor plants, smaller cacti will require more water while larger cacti are able to store more water and won’t need to be watered as much as smaller ones.

A super helpful tip if you’re repotting or planing a new cactus, plant it dry and give them roots about one week before exposing them to water.

Spring, Summer, Fall, & Winter

Spring and summer are the peak growing season for cacti, so plants will need to be watered about once a week during these warmer months. Still make sure before you water again that the soil is mostly dried out to avoid overwatering.

During this time, when plants are thriving and experiencing a lot of growth, it’s also a good idea to fertilize plants once a month. 

The cooler months of fall and winter are dormant, or rest periods, for cacti. This means plants are alive, but not actively growing If you have a cactus that will flower during the winter, it’s important to keep your plant warm and to water regularly; however, if your cactus doesn’t bloom during the winter and prefers warm, dry climates, you’ll find yourself watering your cactus less frequently.

More Watering Tips

Here are a few more tips to keep in mind as you fall into a routine of watering your cactus:

• Make sure you always allow the soil to dry completely before adding water to your cactus. To ensure your soil is dry, you can opt to use a water gauge or simply dig your finger a few inches into the dirt.
• If your cactus is planted in a pot, it will need watered more frequently than cacti that are planted outdoors.
• It’s important to note that the hardness of your water will affect your cactus. If you have hard water, you’ll want to plan on repotting your cacti every couple of years to avoid salt buildup.

Too Little Water? Or Too Much?

Just as easy as it is for some to neglect a cactus, you can easily over water a cactus as well. Here are a few signs you may be neglecting your cactus, as well as signs you may be killing your cactus with kindness.

Signs of Under Watering

Cacti can still survive even if you’ve neglected them for a little while, but if you start noticing any of the following signs, it’s time to give your cactus some love and maybe start a cactus watering schedule.

• Cactus appears to be limp and/or soft.
• Cactus is leaning to one side.
• Cactus has changed color; typically when cacti are suffering from drought, they will turn a paler color.

It’s important to keep an eye on your cactus and if or when you start to notice any of these things occurring to go ahead and increase the amount of water your cactus is getting. Consider keeping a spray bottle of water near you or your plant and using it as you need to give your plant some extra moisture.

Signs of Over Watering

Too much watering will cause cactus roots to rot, can cause bacterial and fungal growth, and doesn’t allow the cactus to absorb nutrients properly. Unfortunately, your plant will appear to be happy and healthy on top, while it is suffering underneath. Here are a couple of signs you may be giving your cactus too much water:

• Look for extremely fast growth. If you notice your cactus has recently gotten plum and is growing quickly, cup back on watering for a bit.
• If you notice your cactus turning yellow, wilting, or softening, it may be too late to save it.

To avoid overwatering, make sure that the pot you have your cactus planted in has drainage holes in the bottom so that the roots aren’t sitting in water, and opt for a fast-draining soil to plant your cactus in. It may also be helpful to track when you water your cactus by creating a plant schedule.

More Cactus Care Tips

Cacti are pretty low-maintenance plants, but they still require a certain amount of love and attention. Here are a few things you can do to make sure your cacti are staying happy and healthy:

1. The soil you plant your cactus in is super important, and soil used to plant a cactus in needs to allow drainage to avoid allowing the cactus to sit in water. Check out this Succulent Planter Soil Kit or this Succulent and Cactus Soil Mix. Research the kind of soil your specific cacti prefer; some prefer soils with more gravel, while others prefer a sandy mix.

2. Cacti love sunshine, but there is such a thing as too much. Cacti can begin to burn if they happen to be sitting in a window that receives a lot of direct sunlight. Look for color changes on the side facing the sun. Your cactus may need to be moved to a different spot with less sunshine if you notice they begin to burn.

3. Read up on your cactus and learn how to care for your specific plant, and should you have any questions, don’t be afraid to ask a local nursery. Plants typically come with a tag that includes basic information, including the name, for your plant; if not, take a picture to your local nursery, and they can help you identify your plant, or look at pictures online to discover what species of cacti you have.

4. Cacti can benefit greatly from some fertilizer, especially fertilizers that are made specifically for cacti and succulents such as Cactus Juice or this Dynamite Cactus and Succulent Food. Typically you’ll just sprinkle a little fertilizer with each watering, but read the instructions on your fertilizer before use.

Mistakes to Avoid

Here are a few common mistakes to avoid as you begin to care for a cactus:

1. Using a peat-based moss. Many nurseries use this moss for cacti and succulents, and while peat moss may work for a while, at some point, it will get and stay too wet, which isn’t good for cacti.
2. If you plan on using cacti for landscaping, consider your cacti’s specific needs before planting. Poor planning can lead to unhealthy and potentially dead cacti. Again, be sure to do your research on the specific species of cacti you have so you can find the perfect spot outdoors with sufficient sun and shade.
3. Roots need room to grow, and as they become too tight, the roots may not be acquiring the nutrients the plant needs causing the plant to die. If you can see roots through the drain hole, it’s time to re-pot.
4. While succulent and cacti gardens are super popular right now and look great, mixing different species of plants that require different watering schedules and amounts of sunshine could cause cacti, or other succulents, to die. While it takes a little more research and planning, taking the time to choose cacti and/or succulents with similar needs will be worth it in the long run.

Best Indoor Cacti

If you’re wanting an indoor cactus, but aren’t really sure what species to go for, here are a few ideas:

1. Rat Tail Cactus – The Rat Tail cactus is a hanging basket cactus that can grow up to 3 feet long. This cactus blooms bright magenta and takes direct sunlight.
2. Old Lady Cactus – The Old Lady cactus is a unique looking plant that consists of spheres with white hairs and spines. On the healthiest of plants, you’ll notice small pink blooms that form a circle at the top of the spheres. Old lady cacti like sandy potting mix, bright light, and to be watered bi-weekly to monthly.
3. Christmas Cactus – The Christmas cactus has no prickles and bears beautiful flowers that bloom in red, pink, orange, or white. This cactus requires diffused light, and slightly cooler temps during the winter months.
4. Angel Wings Cactus – This cactus has hair instead of spines, grows to be about two feet tall, requires full sun, and will have pale yellow blooms.
5. African Milk Cactus – The African Milk cactus is a slow grower but can grow up to 8 feet tall. This cactus likes partial to full sun and likes watered about twice a month.

Best Outdoor Cacti

Cacti typically thrive indoors, but there are some that do great outdoors as well. If you’re interested in planting cacti outside, check out these species:

1. Claret Cup Cactus – The Claret Cup cactus can grow up to 3 feet high and 6 feet wide. These cacti bear a juicy fruit that turns bright orange as it ripens. Claret Cups like soil with a lot of gravel and prefer full sun.
2. Golden Ball Cactus – Golden ball cacti are also known as Lemon Ball or Yellow Tower because of its color. These cacti can grow up to 3 feet tall, are great for beginners, and enjoy some shade during the hottest part of the day.

1. Strawberry Hedgehog Cactus – The Strawberry Hedgehog cactus grows to be about 28 inches tall, loves all the sun, and has beautiful purple-magenta blooms.
2. Old Man Cactus – Old Man cacti grow as tall columns covered by woolly white hair. These cacti can grow an impressive 49 feet tall and enjoy full sun.
3. Orchid Cactus – The Orchid cactus is a beautiful plant that can grow as long as 225 feet, and grow gorgeous blooms in pink, red, white, yellow, or orange. These cacti require filtered sunlight.

Final Thoughts

How often you water your cactus is vital to making sure it’s not only surviving but also thriving. Several factors will contribute to how often you water your cactus, such as the location of your plant and what climates you experience where you live, among other things.

For example, if you keep your plants indoors, you will want to keep an eye on the soil, and once it’s dry, you can add water. For indoor cacti, you’ll more than likely fall into a routine after a while. For outdoor cacti, the general rule to follow is a deep soak about once a week.

During the warmer months, it’s normal to need to water cacti more frequently and to hold off on watering during the cooler months.

Something to be mindful of with a cactus is that while they can die from not getting enough water, too much water is just as bad for them. Softness, leaning to one side, and lightening in color are all signs your cactus may be thirsty, while extremely quick growth may be a sign your cactus is being overwatered.

Being mindful of the soil you use, noting how much sunshine your cactus is getting versus how much it requires, researching the specific species of cactus you have, and fertilizing your cactus are all ways you can ensure your cactus is staying happy and healthy.

Cacti are pretty versatile, low-maintenance plants making them great for beginners and green thumbs alike, so whether this is your first plant or one of many, enjoy the process and happy gardening!

Cacti and succulents can be a gardener’s best friend. They are easy, low maintenance, and can grow just about anywhere, indoors or out. Some might say they require no care at all.  But those folks would be wrong. Just like any other plant, cacti and succulents do require care. It is just a different kind of care than many traditional plants you are accustomed to.

How do you water a cactus?  Saturate the soil, then allow it to fully dry out before watering again. In landscape, for desert cacti, you want a dry depth of 2” or more, depending on cactus size. For indoor potted cacti, a dry depth of at least 1½” to 2” is best. Good drainage is key to avoiding root rot.

There is an old joke… how do you water a cactus?  VERY carefully! Though that is true, there is a lot more involved than wearing chain mail gloves and standing 6’ away. Issues include where is the cactus located, what season is it, what kind of cactus or succulent do you have, what type of soil are you using, what is the ambient temperature and on and on and on?  Each answer can play a role in “how to water cactus.”

Cactus or Succulent?

First, not everyone knows if they have a cactus or a succulent. These are different, but related plants. A cactus is a type of succulent, but not all succulents are cacti.  With me so far? An example might help. A Prickly Pear or Saguaro is a cactus. Aloe Vera is not a cactus, but it is a succulent.

In this context, a succulent is defined by Cambridge Dictionary as “a plant such as a cactus in which the leaves and stem are thick and can store a lot of water.” On the other hand, a cactus is defined as “any of a type of plant that grows in the desert, having thick stems for storing water and usually spines”. There are more than 1,750 different cactus species throughout the world.

In a true cactus, the base or “stem” is extremely thick and almost tree-like in some species.  The “spines” or “thorns” are actually modified leaves, that help reduce moisture loss by being tightly furled. Like more traditional plants, cacti have stomata to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide with their environment. However, in cacti, the stomata are located in the base or trunk, rather than the leaves.

A cactus stores water in its trunk/stem. In some species, you can actually see the plant change in size and shape before and after thorough watering.  The barrel cactus and the saguaro cactus are both good examples of that. Pad-type cacti, like the prickly pear for example, also store water in their pads.

There is an incorrect assumption that cacti (the plural of cactus) do not need water, or at least not much. Not accurate. Cacti are much better at storing water than other plants, but that does not reduce their need for water.

Cacti are simply very drought resistant. Their natural environment is the desert, where water comes and goes intermittently. When there is good access to water, the base will expand or the “pads” will expand, depending on species.

If you have ever cut into a cactus or a succulent, you know the interior is a wet, juicy, pulpy material. This is how the water is stored. As water is needed, the cactus can pull it from the pulp and use it in normal cellular functions.

Additionally, during dry time or drought conditions, most cacti can go into an almost suspended state. Growth is greatly reduced or stopped until conditions improve.

Succulents, overall, also need less frequent watering than cactus because they also are able to store water in their fleshy areas. Unlike cacti, succulents lack substantial spines or thorns as a prominent feature.

Location and Soil Type

Now that we’ve identified if you have a cactus or a succulent, the next thing to note is where is your plant located and what type of soil does it have?

Indoors

If your cactus is indoors, planted in a pot, you are able to control external variables like heat, humidity and sunlight. The most important thing to note, in this event, is what type of soil is in your container? Cacti, and succulents in general, prefer soils that drain or percolate very well.  The worst thing you can do to your spiny little friend is to put him in some peat moss and keep him damp all the time.

Cacti do best in loose, porous, pebbly or sandy soil materials.  They require good aeration and, as noted, plenty of drainage. Their root systems are specialized to live within these harsh conditions. 

• First, they are covered with a cork-like outer layer, that helps reduce water loss to the soil itself.
• Second, they have an extensive shallow root system that acts almost web-like to catch as much water as possible when it is available. New roots form quickly when water is available.
• Third, cacti are able to dehydrate new root growth when the soil begins to dry. This leaves small air pockets in the soil, preventing any water from seeping back out of the root system.

Living in a pot in your home, you need to keep this root system in mind. Make certain your pot is more than adequate to allow for good root growth. Remember, we’re talking lateral growth, not vertical. With controlled environments, most cacti will not need to be watered more than every 10 days, or so. The biggest risk you have with this situation is overwatering the little guy and causing “root rot”.

Cactus roots are simply not designed to sit in a wet environment. You need to water very thoroughly, then allow the soil to completely dry out before another watering occurs. Check soil depths as far down as 2” to make sure they are fully dried before you water again. Do not “mist” your cactus. It does no good, whatsoever.

Outdoors

I live in Arizona. We get less than 9” of rain annually. However, over 2/3 of that comes in a 2-month timeframe.  We call them the “monsoons”. A storm will build over the course of the day. In the afternoon, a torrential rain may occur. It can drop up to ½ inch or more in less than 30 minutes. Then, it’s gone.  These storms pop up in different locations and rain off and on throughout the entire southern third of the state in the months of July and August.

Beyond that….it’s dry as a bone. Seriously, the lead-in story on the news is when it rains. Cacti LOVE it! Most desert environments are comparable.  It is VERY hot and dry 9-10 months per year. Then, you have a short “wet” season, where the rains will torrent down. Flash flooding is common.  This is prime growth season for cacti.

Because deserts tend to have sandy soils, the water drenches the roots well, but does not linger. This wet/dry cycle is the key to good cactus water management. You need to mimic this watering cycle, as best possible. You need a good draining, loose type of soil. Do not go out and buy moisture-retaining mulches, this will just lead to root rot.

When the weather is hot, DRY, and sunny, you will water more frequently. If it is cooler, or you live in a humid area, your watering levels will decrease. Some species actually go dormant during the off-growing season. In that event, you may go months without needing to water, depending on the rainfall in your area.

If there is a lot of humidity, the ground will stay wet longer, reducing your watering frequency. Like an indoor plant, when you do water, you will want to saturate the soil, then allow it to fully dry out before watering again. With larger outdoor plants, you may need to check down as far as 6” to 8” to make certain that soil has dried.

What Type of Cactus Is It?

Regular, houseplant types of cacti generally come in two forms. The first is the “traditional” cactus. You know, spiny thorns, lives in the desert, grows in shapes likes paddles, balls and obelisks. 

The other form is the “forest” cacti. This type of cactus is native to wetter, more temperate areas. Like their name indicates, they are indigenous to temperature forests, and include tropical and subtropical regions. A good example is the Christmas cactus. As you can probably guess just from that information, these cacti have very different care needs, including watering.

Traditional or Desert Cacti

As we discussed earlier, traditional or desert cacti prefer well drained soil. If you’re using a commercial brand, make sure it has a high perlite content. For forest cacti, regular potting mix is fine.

Traditional or desert cacti prefer temperatures in the 55° to 80°F plus areas. During their growth season, traditional cacti will do much better in the warmer temperatures, but you will want to keep them cooler and protect from drafts during their rest periods. They are also not fond of a lot of humidity. If you live in a humid area or it is during your rainy season, the desert/traditional cacti water frequency needs to drop substantially.

Forest or Jungle Cacti

Many forest cacti don’t really look much like cactus at all. They lack the spines or thorns we generally associate with cactus. They are usually either epiphytic, meaning they grow on trees or other organic materials or they are lithophytic, meaning they grow on rocks. Both get their water and nutrients from rain, dust, air, dead leaves, etc. Neither are parasitic, they simply utilize the other structures for support.

For obvious reasons, you will want your soil to mimic these conditions as closely as possible. Good soil materials include orchid bark, potting soil, pumice and oak leaf mold. It is important that the soil is loose, airy and provides extremely good drainage. Forest cacti are watered more like a regular houseplant than like a cactus. You will want to water it regularly during the summer months and especially when buds begin to appear.

During its resting period, you will water only when the soil is dry to the touch. Like other succulents and cacti, overwatering can result in root rot. Forest cacti have a temperature range comparable to desert cacti but will do well dropping to the 50s even during their growth season.

Unlike desert cacti, you will want to re-pot your forest cactus every 2-3 years. The best time to do so is after it has finished blooming. Providing fresh new soil mix at that time is a good idea.

With your forest or jungle cacti, you will want to water after the top 0.5cm (a little less than 1/4”) is dry. It the stem segments are shriveled, and the soil is dry, the plant is probably in need of water. Be careful, shriveled stem segments can also be a symptom of overwatering. The soil itself is the best gauge of watering frequency.

Other concerns that may affect your forest cacti include lighting and humidity levels.  A really great resource for forest cacti specifically is worldofsucculents.com.

Identifying your type of cactus may be as easy as reading the little tag in the pot when you buy it. If not, you may need to do some research.  There are some very good online sources for identification. My favorites include plantsam.com, cactiguide.com, and drought-smart-plants.com.

Watering Your Cacti

We’ve been addressing this question throughout our conversation, but I think it’s best if we pull it all together in one location. That way, we avoid any misunderstandings.

Watering Your Indoor Desert Cacti

Starting with indoor desert cacti. You will generally water these about every 10 days, or so. For the first month or two, there will be a little trial until you identify the best schedule for your cactus to thrive.

Thoroughly soak the soil. If your pot has a hole at the bottom, make sure the water is running through the hole.  Begin checking soil moisture about 7 days later. If you have a moisture guide, that makes it easy. If not, put your finger in the soil. You want to be dry at least 2” down.

If you aren’t sure if it’s dry or not, a telltale sign is the soil being cooler toward the top than it is lower, that temperature gradient is indicative of moisture. When you hit that magic 2” mark, it is time to water again. Over the course of a couple of watering cycles, you’ll establish how often to water. Remember, watering frequency will need to increase when it is hotter than normal indoors. If you have evaporative cooling, it will need to decrease based on the increased humidity in your home.

Watering Your Indoor Forest Cacti

If you have indoor forest cacti, you want to fully saturate the soil. Again, if you have a pot with a hole at the bottom, make sure the water is running out the hole. If not, don’t be afraid to put some significant water on it.

Begin checking soil after 5 days. With forest cacti, you only need to be dry down about ¼”, rather than the 2” for desert cacti.

Some aficionados prefer to place a saucer of water under the pot and allow the cacti roots to pull the water up. This can work, but it is imperative the roots do not touch directly in the water, as that would lead to root rot. The safest way for your cactus is the soil down method.

There is no need to spritz or mist either type of cactus. They don’t get their moisture in this fashion, so it does absolutely no good, whatsoever.

Watering your Outdoor Forest Cacti

Honestly, most people keep forest cacti indoors, as they are a very decorative plant. However, that is not a requirement, so we should address the possibility here.  Most do not do well in direct sun, so please be sure you have planted in an appropriate location.

You will probably want to maintain this in a pot, rather than plant it directly in the ground. If that is true for your forest cacti, begin with the same instructions as indoor plants. Do not be surprised if you have to increase water frequency to less than once per week, however.

During the warmer, summer months, the watering frequency may increase to as often as every 3 days, depending on temperature, wind and humidity levels.

Watering Your Outdoor Desert Cacti

Outdoor desert cacti are the trickiest of the bunch. So much is dependent on the temperature, humidity level, size of the plant and other variables. With smaller plants, less than 2’ high, the 2” depth margin for dry soil remains a good yardstick. However, if you have larger plants, like saguaro or good-sized prickly pear, you need to adjust accordingly.

Recommendations would be waiting to water until soil conditions are dry 3” down for plants 2’ to 4’ tall and dry down to 4” for plants taller than 4’. Regardless of height, you will want to saturate the soil thoroughly, remembering this must be good draining soil.

Overwatering = Root Rot

The biggest risk to your cacti, whether it is indoor or outdoor, desert or forest is the risk of overwatering. Remember how we talked about cactus roots being specialized to live in low-water environments? This specialization is what lead to problems with overwatering. When your cactus sits in too much water, the roots can’t handle it properly. The outer coating begins to break down and rot sets in.

Over time, you can actually see the rot occurring, as your base near the soil turns first mushy, then brown, then ultimately black and shriveled.  All hope is not lost! The sooner you identify the rot, the more likely you are to salvage the situation and save the plant.

Here are the steps to salvaging an indoor plant with root rot:

1.        Remove the entire cactus from the pot. You’ll probably want to use kitchen tongs or a comparable tool to do this. Place it gently on its side and remove as much dirt from the root system as you can without causing any further damage.

2.        Trim off any roots that are brown, black, smelly, or oozing.  The affected roots will be very obvious. It is recommended you use bypass pruners for this step. Dust the remaining roots with powdered sulfur and allow the plant to lay in the air, roots exposed for 1-7 days, to allow the cuts to scab over. Be sure to disinfect the pruners thoroughly before you put them away.

3.        Using a pot (terra cotta is best) slightly larger than the former pot the cactus was in, fill it about 2/3 full of commercial cactus potting mix. Place the cactus carefully in the pot, without bending any of the now brittle roots. Fan the feet across the soil. Continue filling the pot loosely with enough soil to bring the level back to where it was in the former pot.

4.        Wait about 2 weeks before watering the cactus deeply.  Then, begin your water regimen again, remember to check soil moisture levels carefully before re-watering.

Steps to salvage an outdoor (landscape) cactus with root rot are a little different:

1.        Mark the north side of the cactus with chalk before you begin to dig it up. It is important to keep the cactus oriented the same way when you re-plant. Uproot the cactus by cutting a circle around it with a shovel about 6” from the base. Be sure you use the shovel to lift it gently from the base area before lifting it from the ground.

2.        Using tongs for smaller cacti or a garden hose for larger ones, move the cactus into a wheelbarrow and transport to a shady area to assess the situation.

3.        Lay it on its side, with plastic sheeting underneath. Brush away as much loose dirt as possible to get a good view of those roots. Using pruning shears, remove any roots that are black, brown, soggy or smelly. Dust the remaining roots with powdered sulfur. Place a shade cover over the cactus and leave the roots exposed to air for at least 2 days to allow for scabbing over the cuts. Disinfect your pruners!!!

4.        While you wait for the scabs to form, we need to identify the problem. It is probably a drainage issue, so let’s dig a hole about a foot deep where you’re going to re-plant. Fill the hole with water and wait for it to drain. Then, fill it again. This second-time monitor how long it takes to drain. If you’re draining less than 2” per hour, you have some work to do.

5.        If we’ve identified a drainage issue in step 4, we’re going to address it here. Loosen the soil 18” to 24”. Add 2” of sand to the loosened soil and mix thoroughly. Test the drainage again by filling the hole and monitoring the drainage rate. If you have added more than 4” of sand with no improvement in drainage, you will need to prepare a large terra cotta pot full of commercial cactus mix to re-plant the pot in.

6.        To re-plant, carefully place with cactus in the hole you’ve prepared or the partially filled terra cotta pot. Remember to face the chalk mark north. Carefully spread the roots out on the soil, while being careful not to bend them. Fill in soil around the cactus until you’ve reached the area the soil was at prior to the rot occurring.

Withhold water for 2 weeks. Then water deeply. Allow soil to dry out to a depth of 2” to 3” before watering again. Monitor your water frequency closely and check soil moisture routinely prior to watering.

Final Thoughts

Though cacti and succulents are wonderful plants to grow both indoor and outdoor, lack of knowledge about their needs and requirements can be deadly. I’m not suggesting you need to go become a cacti expert if Aunt Edna gives you a nice little Christmas cactus, but I am saying your lack to understanding its needs can be detrimental.

If you want that gift to thrive, or even survive, first you need to know what you have and how to care for it. Remember, Christmas cactus and other forest-type cacti prefer indirect sunlight, moderate temperatures and moisture frequencies of around a week.  Let their soil dry out to a depth of at least ¼” before watering again.

Water requirements will fluctuate primarily based on growing season, interior temperature and humidity. Desert cacti love direct sunlight, warm temperatures and low humidity. Remember to let their soil dry out to a depth of at least 1½ “ to 2” if they are in pots and 2” or more if they are landscaped, depending on size.

Water requirements will fluctuate greatly throughout the year. Primary variables will include temperature, sunlight, wind, humidity and growing season. Take care of your cactus or succulent and you can enjoy it for years.

Overly active children, marauding cats, a careless bump, or an unexpected accident can easily knock a piece off your loved cactus plant. If such a thing ever happens to you, no need to worry because you don’t have to throw away the cut piece.

While the main plant can still survive even after losing part of its stem, it may seem wasteful to throw away the dislodged part and forget everything.

So, can you cut off a piece of cactus and plant it? The simple answer is yes. A significant number of cacti species can easily be propagated from cuttings. Some of the common cacti species usually propagated from cuttings include a hedgehog, prickly pear, and branching columnar cacti such as the night-blooming cereus. 

Also, if a section of your cactus breaks off accidentally, don’t throw away the broken piece. Instead, root it and let it grow into a new plant.

In this post, we discuss everything you need to know about propagating cacti plants from cuttings. Whether you have taken the cutting from your plant intentionally or it has broken off accidentally, we are going to teach you how to grow new plants from the cuttings.

Taking a Cutting from Your Cactus

When it comes to propagating a cactus from cuttings, you need to be careful with how and where you take your cutting. In fact, this step will determine your success in the long run. If you make a mistake at this point, your cactus cutting may fail to grow into a new plant.

The first thing you need to do is choose a healthy and mature plant where you will be taking your cutting from. If your plant has pads, be sure to select a mature one even if other smaller pads have started growing on top of it.

Once you have identified a good plant to take cuttings from, put on protective gloves and carefully cut off a section of the plant that is at least a few inches from the top. You can use a sharp knife or hand saw to accomplish this step.

Make sure you take the cutting at an angle so that rainwater doesn’t start collecting on the parent plant because it can lead to rot issues. You should also disinfect the knife or handsaw before you take the cutting.

This is to ensure that you don’t transmit bacteria to the plant via existing wounds on its surface. If you don’t feel comfortable holding a cactus plant with your hands, feel free to use a pair of cactus pliers or tongs.

Rooting Your Cactus Cutting

Once you have your cutting, you will need to do a few things before you root it.

First, set your cutting in a dry, cool area away from direct sunlight for a few days. If possible, keep the cutting in a vertical position to prevent roots from growing out on the sides of the cutting and to help it remain straight while drying.

Let the cutting rest for a few days to form a callous at the cut end. Don’t take the cutting and plant right away because it will only rot and you will have nothing at the end of it.

Callousing seals and protects the wound from bacterial and fungal organisms that could easily cause the cutting to rot once it has been planted.

1. Rooting in a pot

Once your cutting has dried and calloused completely, it is time to root it so it can start growing into a new plant. You can choose to root your cutting in a planting pot or the ground. We shall talk about both methods.

If you decide to root your cutting in a pot, make sure you find the right pot size. For a cutting, you don’t need an enormous container.  Just find something appropriate that won’t appear too large for your cutting. Ensure the container you choose has plenty of drainage holes.

The next thing you need to do is fill your pot with an appropriate potting mix. Let us discuss a few things about the soil because it plays a crucial role in the survival and rooting of your cactus cutting.

Just like mature cacti plants, your cactus requires porous, well-draining soil. Keep in mind that if the soil holds water for too long, it may cause rotting of the cutting at the base. To be on a safe side, consider adding plenty of perlite or sand to your soil to improve drainage.

Now, fill the growing pot with the potting mix and carefully insert the cutting into the container.  Your cutting should penetrate at least two inches into the soil if it is small (less than six inches) and three to four inches deep if the cutting is more than six inches long.

Consider supporting your cutting with small stones or two wooden stakes with twine to keep it in an upright position.

Keep the newly planted cuttings away from direct sunlight. You can position your pot in a brightly lit location but make sure the cutting is well protected from direct sunlight until roots are well established.

You want to avoid sunburns and dehydrating your cutting before it develops a stable root system.

2. Rooting in the ground

If you don’t have an appropriate pot size, you can still root your cutting in the ground.  If you choose to take this route, be sure to loosen the soil in the spot where you want to plant your cutting.

After that, dig a hole in the loosened soil that is deep enough to place the calloused end of your cutting in the ground a few inches deep.

In most cases, you may be forced to mound small stones around the cutting for support, especially if the cutting is from a columnar cactus.

Once you are sure that roots have successfully formed and your cutting is now firmly anchored in the ground, remove the stones.

Should I Water the Cutting Immediately After Planting?

When it comes to taking care of cacti plants, watering is a critical factor that you need to handle carefully. By now, you must be aware of the fact that overwatering kills these succulents much faster than underwatering.

So, how often should you water your cutting after rooting?  At the time of planting, consider wetting the soil thoroughly. From there, you don’t have to worry so much about watering because the cutting can remain in good shape for a few days or weeks before it requires another watering.

Any subsequent watering must be light and consistent. A good rule of the thumb is to lightly water your cutting once every week to keep it moist.  You should aim to keep the soil damp, not too wet.

Don’t try to force faster rooting by overwatering because the cuttings will only rot.

How Long Does It Take a Cactus Cutting to Develop Roots?

Typically, the rates at which cuttings develop new roots depend on a wide range of factors such as the size of cutting, type of cactus, and watering regimen.

Generally, it takes four to six weeks for the roots to form, but smaller cuttings tend to develop roots much faster than large cuttings.

To achieve better results, make sure you take time to prepare your cuttings properly beforehand and pot them in sterile rooting material to keep them from rotting or withering before they root. After rooting, most cacti plants will be ready for transplantation approximately one month later.

If a Cactus Breaks Off, Can I Plant the Broken Pieces?

Yes, you can.  Don’t throw away broken pieces of your plant because they can give you new plants. The only thing you need to do is to make sure that you are following the right steps in preparing the broken pieces for planting.

The first thing you need to do is to check the broken end of the piece. If it is crooked or broke, use a sharp knife to make a fresh cut to even the end out.

Set the broken piece aside for a few days to allow the wound to callous over in preparation for rooting. Make sure the cut end is dry and sealed over before you proceed to root it.

3 Tips for Successful Propagation

As a gardener, your joy is to see your cuttings /seeds develop into new plants to increase your plant collection. These tips will help you when it comes to propagating cacti plants:

1. Develop technical and mechanical skills

Take time to train your hand and eye because they are crucial in propagation. Most of the time, your head will know how, but your hand won’t be willing to do it. The best way to improve your skills is by practice.

2. Know your cacti species and its best form of propagation

There are over 2500 cacti species in the world, and each one of them is unique. Therefore, strive to know your plant species and the form of propagation that works best for it.

3. Know the different plant structures and how they grow

The best way to learn about your cactus is to study it. Make an effort to know something new about your plant every day. Let it teach you, and once you understand how they grow, you will have an easy time propagating them.

Final Thought

Now that you know how to propagate cacti plants from cuttings, it’s time to go out there and practice what you have learned.

Feel free to experiment with new things and let us know how it goes. We love talking to cacti lovers all over the world. Subscribe to our email list for the latest gardening tips.

A significant number of people start out with cacti plants as a gift plant and usually don’t think about propagation in the early days. However, as it grows and starts to blossom, many of them quickly turn into collectors, and questions such as “how do I propagate my cactus?” begin to rise. Fortunately, there are several ways of propagating cactus. 

So, how to propagate cactus pups? Generally, this is one of the easiest methods of propagating cacti since it doesn’t involve a lot of things. Pups are smaller versions of the parent plant that tend to grow at the base.  The process involves removing the offsets from the parent, rooting them in appropriate potting mix and watering appropriately.

Propagating cacti pups not only produces new plants but also plays a critical role in decongesting crowded pots.

Read on to find out everything you need to know about cactus propagation from pups and how to take care of newly propagated offsets.

Propagating Cactus from Pups- A Quick Overview

Propagating cactus by pups is a vegetative form of plant propagation because it doesn’t involve transfer of seeds. The parent plant produces an offset asexually, and this is what you use to get a new plant.

The pup occurs as a small clump that you can easily separate from the parent plant and grow a new cactus from it. This is probably the easiest method of propagating cacti. Most of the time, it is relatively easy to separate the pup from the parent plant, and it will grow its roots and settle pretty quickly and often successfully.

In most cases, the pups will already have a small set of their own roots. Unfortunately, not all cacti species can produce pups. Therefore, before you start considering this propagation method, make sure the cactus species in your garden can produce offsets.

Types of cacti that grow pups/offsets

Many of the barrel and rosette types of cacti do produce offsets. Typically, the big barrel cacti form the biggest pups, and it is one of the best types of succulents to propagate using this method. The barrel cactus has a unique way of providing nutrients and water to its offsets and shading them from the harsh sun.

Most pups form at the base of the plant, but you may also find some along the stem or even on the pads. You can remove any of these offsets and root them in a container so they can grow into a new plant.

Cactus propagation by offsets/pups is easy and fast as long as you take clean cuts and allow the offsets to callous before rooting.

Generally, cacti plants you should consider propagating with pups must be large, round, and clump producing. The parent plant must be large, and the offsets must be at least the size of a small ball.

How to Propagate Cacti Using Pups- The Process

Once you are fully convinced your plant has good offsets/pups for propagation, follow the steps outlined below to turn your pups into new plants.

Removing cactus pups from the parent plant

The first thing you need to learn is how to remove the offsets from the parent plant. Get a sharp kitchen knife and wipe it with some alcohol or a 10% bleach solution. This will disinfect it and prevent pathogens from finding their way into your cactus through the cut areas.

Locate a good pup and carefully cut it away at a 45^o angle. Make sure your cut is slanted to deflect water so that the cut area doesn’t rot before it callus. Some gardeners love to dust the cut end of the pup with sulfur powder to prevent rot issues and fungal infection.

However, sulfur powder may not be necessary as long as you allow the cut end to callus fully before rooting. This may take a few weeks or one month, depending on the conditions in your home. You will know that the offset is ready for rooting when the cut end is dry, hardened, slightly shriveled, and whitish.

When obtaining the offset, make sure you remove soil from the top of the pup to see the joint between the parent plant and the offset. If the joint is clear, you may realize that disconnecting the pup manually is much easier.

If there is any part of the parent plant on the offset, be sure to cut it off. Otherwise, it will start to rot, and that may affect your pup severely.

Rooting the pup

After obtaining the pup, the next thing you need to do is root it. This step is only necessary if your pup doesn’t have any roots. To root your pup, consider placing it in a dry soil with some gravel for a few days or up to one week. Monitor it carefully and get it out as soon as it grows a few roots.

You can also place the offset in a small pot with sand, ground charcoal, and some perlite for it to grow roots.  Skip this step with all pups that have small roots.

Growing the offset

Once your pups have developed a few roots, it is time to pot them. Start by preparing the container and the potting mix for your offsets. Make sure the container has plenty of drainage holes and is of the right size. Cactus pups need a pot that is just slightly larger than their diameter at the base.

The soil should also have good drainage and gritty. You can purchase commercial soil or make your own by combining 50% perlite or pumice with 50% compost or peat.

Carefully place your pup in the soil, but do not push inside the potting mix too much. Only ¼ of the pup’s stem should be under the soil. Ensure your pup is stable enough so that it doesn’t fall over. Place the pot in a spot that receives bright but indirect sunlight and keep the soil moist.

However, do not water your offsets straight after planting. Wait for at least five days or one week before watering. This minimizes the chances of root rotting and fungal infections.

Another critical point to note is that some cacti plants tend to produce tiny pups beneath their stems. These offsets are often too small because they get less sunlight.

After separating such pups from the parent plant, dry them up for a couple of days before planting. After planting, leave them in the shade for a few days before you gradually move them to a bright spot.

What Kind of Potting Mix Should You Use for Pups?

The most crucial consideration when it comes to choosing cactus soil is drainage. Cacti plants love well-draining soil that doesn’t hold water for too long. If you are a beginner, we’d recommend going for a commercially prepared cactus soil.

However, if you are an experienced gardener, then you probably know how to make your own potting mix. Here are a few tips for success:

• Dampen the potting mix thoroughly, but do not get it too soggy. Remember the fact that wetter soil encourages rapid fungal growth and root rot. Before introducing your pups into the soil, consider dipping them in a rooting powder containing a fungicide.
• If you want to avoid the moisture problem completely, consider using pumice to start your pups and then transplant them to their permanent containers after they get some growth.
• Keep your pups in a relatively warm area with plenty of bright, indirect sunlight and excellent air circulation. Give the offsets a little misting once in a while but do not water them heavily.
• To achieve better results, just set the offsets on top of the soil. There is no need to bury them deep into the soil. As long as they are stable, they will automatically send out roots in search of soil.

How Often Should You Fertilize Propagated Pups

For a start, there is no need to fertilize your pups. Moderate watering and exposure to a sufficient amount of sunlight should do the trick. However, as the pups start to grow into plants, you should begin to apply fertilizer at least once in a year.

Do not apply fertilizer during winter because your cactus is dormant. Wait until spring or summer when the active growing season begins and give your plant a good dose of recommended fertilizer to promote growth and blooming.  Consult experts from your local plant nursery to establish the best type of fertilizer for your plant.

PS: After you give your cactus plant water that contains fertilizer, make sure you rinse the plant body. Otherwise, if you leave any fertilizer on the skin of the plant, there is an increased risk of the plant being sunburned or burned by the chemical itself.

Summary

That is it on how to propagate cacti from pups/offsets. Keep in mind that this is probably the easiest way to propagate cacti, and you shouldn’t experience any problems if you stick to the procedure outlined in this article.

The best time to propagate pups is late spring or early summer. Just make sure your pups dry up completely before planting.

If you have any comments or questions, let us know in the comments section below.

Gardeners must always find a way of propagating new cacti plants to minimize the cost of acquiring new plants. In the wilderness, propagation from seeds is the most common way these succulents use to multiply, but that doesn’t mean it is the only way. As natural habitats of cacti and other succulents decline, the need to propagate and maintain these species through home gardening is more crucial.

So, the big question is, can you grow a cactus from cutting? The simpler answer is “yes.” In fact, propagating a cactus from a cutting is one of the easiest and cheapest ways of growing new cacti from existing cacti. A significant number of cacti species can be propagated by small cuttings taken from the stem of an existing plant, which are then allowed to dry out and be callous.

It doesn’t take long before the cuttings eventually start rooting from the cut end and growing into a new plant.

In this post, we discuss everything you need to know about propagating cactus from a cutting. Keep reading to discover how to expand your cactus collection easily.

Propagating Cacti from a Stem Cutting

Let us take a look at the process of propagating a new cactus from an existing plant. To complete this process, you will need the following materials:

• A healthy cactus
• Heavy-duty gloves
• Well-draining soil
• A pot/container
• A clean, sharp knife
• Rooting powder (optional)
• Tongs or cactus pliers (optional)

Once you have all the mentioned requirements, proceed with the steps outlined below:

Obtaining a stem cutting

You will be taking a healthy cutting from the top of your cactus plant. If your cactus has pads, make sure you choose one that is mature enough- even if a few smaller pads have started growing on top of it.

Using a young pad is quite dangerous because it may fail to root successfully. For columnar cacti, be sure to select a thin stem that will root much faster than a chunky one.

On columnar cacti, carefully cut off the stem at least a few inches from the top. Make the cut clean and straight and be careful not to crush the rest of the stem. If you are dealing with pads, then you can easily snap off one by hand.

Before you begin obtaining cuttings from your existing plant, make sure you disinfect your knife thoroughly. Keep in mind that there may be open wounds on your cactus that can easily contract bacteria leading to other issues. Also, wear gloves to avoid coming into direct contact with the spines.

For extra protection, consider holding the cactus cuttings with tongs or a pair of cactus pliers instead of your hands.

Rooting your cactus cuttings

So, you now have your cuttings, what do you do next?  Set the cutting aside for a few days to allow the cut end to dry up. Make sure the cutting is stored in a safe place away from sunlight and soil. Once the wound has healed, it will form a callous, which is an indicator that the cutting is ready for potting.

Sometimes, you may be forced to use a little sulfur on the cut end to speed up drying and protect the cutting from bacterial infection. The sulfur may turn a few colors, but that should worry you at all. Just check after a few days to see if the end is dry.

Once the cut end has formed callous, you are ready to jump on to rooting.

Fill your new pot with a moist potting mix and level the soil. Carefully stick your cutting into the potting mix with the cut side down. Be careful while sticking it into the container to avoid opening up the dried wound.

If it can’t stand on its own, simply lay it on top of the soil. If you have rooting hormone powder, make sure you dip your cutting into it right before planting.

Use the right type of soil

The type of soil plays a critical role in establishing whether the cutting grows into a new plant or not. Therefore, you need to ensure you are using the right type of soil.

Go for a porous potting mix that is well-draining. Typically, almost all cacti plants require soil that drains much quicker than your average houseplant soil. If the soil holds water for too long, it may cause severe rotting of your cutting at the base.

Consider adding gravel, sand, or perlite to your soil to improve its drainage.  If the soil is already moist, do not water the cutting after planting. If you are not sure of anything, feel free to ask your local nursery center for basic cactus soil mix, and you are good to go.

Watering a Newly Planted Cactus Cutting

While the roots are developing, your newly planted cutting will mainly be relying on stored nutrients and water. Therefore, you need to keep the soil continually moist to supplement the supply and encourage deep root growth.

Consistent watering may also play a critical role in yielding great results.  Light water the soil every few days to keep it moist. However, be careful not to soak the soil with water since it may lead to rot issues. Just keep it damp.

The root-growing speed will largely depend on the type of cactus, size of cutting, and watering frequency. In most cases, small cuttings grow roots faster than large cuttings. Your cactus cutting can take anything from a couple of days to one month or even more to develop roots.

Once the roots have settled fully into the soil, switch to a typical cactus watering regime. Always make sure the soil dries out completely between watering sessions.

At this point, start introducing your young cactus to more sunlight gradually. Keep in mind that even though the roots are growing, you won’t see any significant stem growth for at least one year.

Can You Root a Cactus in Water?

To answer this question efficiently, you need to understand the type of cactus you are dealing with. Typically, there are two broad types of cacti; desert cacti and jungle cacti. 

A desert cactus only thrives in arid areas and is extremely drought-resistant, while jungle desert grows in tropical regions that receive plenty of rainfall. A good example of a jungle cactus is the Christmas cactus.

Although you cannot root a desert cactus in water, jungle cacti (specifically the Christmas cactus) can be rooted in water. If you prefer taking this root, you will need to do everything right to achieve better results.

Start with obtaining between one and four cuttings from a healthy Christmas cactus. Make sure each cutting is approximately four inches long, with a minimum of three leaves on each.

From there, take an empty glass jar and fill the bottom with pebbles/stones to about two inches deep. Carefully add water such that it rises above the stones/pebbles.

Carefully place your Christmas cactus cuttings in the glass jar containing water and make sure the bottom of each cutting touches the water. The majority part of the cutting should be in the glass jar but above the water level.

The humidity in the glass jar will help your cuttings to root without rotting. Always keep a close eye on the water level so that it doesn’t evaporate. Add more water to the glass jar every time you notice a significant drop.

Also, consider using rainwater or distilled water for better results. If you must use tap water, let it sit for at least 48 hours so that the chemicals and salts can evaporate.

Tap water contains significant amounts of fluoride, which is harmful to young cuttings since it travels through the plant and settles on the leaves. This makes the leaves turn brown, which can spread to the rest of the plant quickly if you continue feeding it with fluoridated water.

Can You Replant a Broken Cactus Part?

Yes. Just like the cuttings, you can also replant a broken part. However, you will need to inspect it carefully to determine if it is mature.

Once you are satisfied that the broken part is mature enough for propagation, carefully check the broken end of the cactus. If it is uneven or crooked, make a fresh cut to even it out.

From there, set the piece aside for a few days to allow the cut end to heal and callous over. Remember the fact that the cut end must be dry and sealed over before you root it.

The amount of time it takes for the cut end to dry and callous will depend on the thickness of the cut and amount of humidity in the air.

After it has dried and calloused over, follow the steps outlined above to root it.

Should I Fertilize a Newly Propagated Cactus Cutting?

Yes. Applying small amounts of succulent fertilizer is essential for a newly propagated cactus to maintain its health and grow rapidly.

However, be careful not to feed the young plant too much fertilizer since it may cause significant damage. Also, avoid using chemical-based fertilizers since they may contain too many salts that can burn the young cactus plant.

You should only fertilize the cutting once it has grown roots. From there, apply fertilizer twice every month but reduce the amount with time as the cactus grows. If you are unsure of anything, consult your local nursery center for basic fertilizer guidelines specific to cacti plants.

It is also essential to ensure that the other conditions for your newly propagated cactus are optimal, such as the right soil mixture and watering frequency. Pay attention to these aspects, and you will have a healthy cactus in no time.

Is Propagation from Cuttings Same as Grafting?

Many people confuse propagation from cuttings with grafting. The two techniques are entirely different and should never be confused.

Grafting is the process of attaching a part of one plant onto another to form a new plant. When done correctly, the two plants can grow side by side as one unit. This method is mainly used when it’s practically impossible to propagate from cuttings.

Propagation from cuttings, on the other hand, is a much simpler and straightforward process. As explained above, it only involves creating small cactus cuttings and rooting them in soil or water. The new plant produced will be genetically similar to the original parent plant.

Grafting is generally more complicated and requires more expertise. It is mainly used when a certain plant species or variety cannot be propagated from cuttings. Therefore, it is best to try the propagation from cuttings method before trying your hands on grafting.

If things fail, you can consider grafting as an alternative technique. However, propagating cuttings is the best way to go if you want to clone your favorite cactus plant and have more of them without breaking the bank.

Final Thought

Cactus plants are relatively easy to propagate from cuttings. In most cases, you will get faster and more predictable results if you decide to propagate a cactus from cuttings than you would from planting seeds.

While it is more common to propagate cacti from cuttings indoors, you can also do it outdoors and expand your home garden.