How to Plant Cacti
The topic brought to you by the editor involves how to plant cacti and the steps for growing them, related to the cultivation of flowers. Please see the detailed introduction below.
Cacti are perennial herbaceous succulents belonging to the Cactaceae family and the Cactus genus. They are commonly planted in pots indoors. Their young plants are spherical, while the older plants are cylindrical, with sharp spines and large, beautiful flowers. Cacti have a robust nature and follow the Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) pathway, absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen at night, and can absorb most harmful gases, improving and purifying indoor air. Let's learn about the cultivation methods for cacti.
I. Soil
The potting soil for cacti should be conducive to drainage. You can place pebbles at the bottom of the pot, about 3 centimeters thick. Then add a mixture of compost, garden soil, and coarse sand in a ratio of 1:2:1 to create a growing medium. If conditions allow, you can also add a base fertilizer or decomposed organic cake fertilizer to the growing medium.
II. Light
In the growing season, cacti can be placed outdoors to ensure 4 to 6 hours of sunlight each day. In summer, when sunlight is intense, they need to be shaded appropriately. Sufficient sunlight is beneficial for their flowering.
III. Temperature
Cacti are native to the dry grasslands of Argentina and southern Brazil and prefer a warm environment. The most suitable temperature for their growth is 20 to 25 degrees Celsius during the day and 13 to 15 degrees Celsius at night. The minimum temperature should not be below 0 degrees Celsius, and they should be moved to a warm indoor area during winter.
IV. Watering
Although cacti are drought-tolerant, they prefer moist soil and should be kept moist. However, this does not mean to overwater; excessive watering can cause waterlogging and root rot. It's also not advisable to go without watering for too long, as it will make the plant soft. Watering should follow the principle of "water when dry and water thoroughly when watering."
V. Fertilizing
Cacti enjoy fertilizer and require 2 to 3 applications of dilute liquid fertilizer each month. No fertilizer should be applied in the first year of planting, and no fertilizer is needed in winter.
VI. Diseases and Pests
Cacti are prone to scale insects during the growing season. A small number can be removed with a brush or tweezers, or the pests can be eliminated by applying a 15% metalaxyl granular formulation to the soil or by watering the roots with a 40% omethoate emulsion diluted 2000 times.
VII. Precautions
When potting cacti, do not choose an oversized pot. It's best to place them in a pot with some space left. This is because an oversized pot makes it difficult to control the amount of watering, leading to potential overwatering and root rot.
VIII. Propagation Methods
(1) June is a suitable time for planting cacti seeds. Soak the seeds in warm water for 3 days before planting, then insert them into broken bricks with a distance of about 2 centimeters between seeds. Water after sowing and cover with white paper to prevent rapid evaporation of moisture. Maintain a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius, and you can see seedlings after a month. After germination, allow the seedlings some exposure to light, and water a little if the potting mix dries out. Wait until they are a year old before repotting.
(2) Cut one of the offshoots from the cacti with a small knife. If the cut is large, let it dry first and then place it flat on moist river sand, keeping the sand surface moist without too much water. Then move it to an environment of 20 degrees Celsius, and it can grow after a month.
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