How to Care for a Cactus to Make It Grow Fast
Today's tip on how to care for a cactus to make it grow fast and the knowledge about cactus cultivation, including the aspects of plant care. Here is a comprehensive introduction.
The cactus belongs to the Cactaceae family, and is a perennial herbaceous plant with succulent tissues. It is commonly planted indoors in pots. Its young plants are spherical, while the older ones are cylindrical, with spines and large, beautiful flowers. Cacti have a robust nature and follow the crassulacean acid metabolism pathway, absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen at night, which helps absorb most harmful gases and improve and purify indoor air. Let's learn about the cultivation methods for cacti.
I. Soil
The soil material for potted cacti should be conducive to drainage. Place small stones at the bottom of the pot, about 3 centimeters thick. Then add a mixture of decomposed leaf soil, garden soil, and coarse sand in a ratio of 1:2:1 to make the growing medium. If conditions allow, you can also add a base fertilizer or decomposed organic cake fertilizer to the growing medium.
II. Light
During the growing season of the cactus, it can be placed outdoors to ensure 4 to 6 hours of sunlight per day. In summer, when sunlight is intense, it needs to be shaded appropriately. Sufficient sunlight is beneficial for flowering.
III. Temperature
Cacti are native to the arid grasslands of Argentina and southern Brazil and prefer a warm environment. The optimal temperature for its growth is 20 to 25 degrees Celsius during the day and 13 to 15 degrees Celsius at night. The minimum temperature should not be lower than 0 degrees Celsius, and it should be kept in a warm place indoors during winter.
IV. Watering
Although cacti are drought-tolerant, they prefer moist soil and should be kept moist. However, this does not mean excessive watering, as too much water can cause waterlogging and root rot. It's also not possible to go without watering for too long, as this 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 per month. No fertilizer is needed in the first year of planting, and no fertilizer is used during winter.
VI. Diseases and Pests
Cacti are prone to scale insects during the growing season. A small number can be brushed off with a brush or removed with tweezers and destroyed. For a larger number, you can bury 15% iron-metam sodium granules in the soil or use a 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate diluted 2000 times to water the roots.
VII. Precautions
When growing cacti in pots, do not choose an overly large pot. It's best to place the cactus in a pot with some space left. Because a large pot makes it difficult to control the amount of water, it's easy to overwater and cause waterlogging and root rot.
VIII. Propagation Methods
(1) June is a suitable month for planting cactus seeds. Soak the seeds in warm water for 3 days before planting, then insert them into broken bricks, maintaining a distance of about 2 centimeters between seeds. After sowing, water and cover with white paper to prevent excessive evaporation of moisture. Maintain a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius, and after a month, you can see seedlings. Allow the seedlings to get some light after they emerge, and if the potting soil dries out, you can water a little. Wait until the plants are a year old before repotting.
(2) Cut one of the offsets from the cactus with a small knife. If the cut is large, let it dry first before placing it flat on moist river sand. Keep the sand surface moist, but not too much water. Then move it to an environment of 20 degrees Celsius, and it will grow after a month.
The above introduction on how to care for a cactus to make it grow fast and the full content of cactus cultivation methods, hope it helps cactus enthusiasts!