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Ideal growing circumstances

Pots

The size of the pot is very important for the cactus. If the pot is too small it can cause the roots to asphyxiate. The cactus will grow little or nothing and will eventually die. If the pot is too big and it has too much soil it will take too much water and this will eventually cause the roots to rotten.

In general you may say that the bulbous cacti (i.e. from the Lophophora family) are most comfortable in pots that are just slightly bigger than their roots. The tuberous cacti (i.e. from the Trichocereus family) normally need a bigger pot than the bulbous cacti.

The choice of material for the pots is normally between clay/ceramic or plastic. The hobby growers normally choose pots made of clay. These pots allow the cacti to breathe better and the soil dries faster inside. Clay pots are more expensive than the plastic ones.

Make sure the pot has one or more holes underneath. Cacti prefer to absorb the water from below rather than from above.

Cactus soil

One (good) soil mixture can make a big difference for the health of your cactus. However the right soil mixture still needs to be found. If you ask 10 cacti growers about the perfect mix, you will probably get 10 different answers.

Normal pot soil is generally not suitable for most cacti. This soil has the capacity of keeping water for a long time. This is something that horrifies cacti. In gardening centers you can therefore find special cacti soil. This special soil is just fine for many cacti. However, most hobby growers prefer to use mixtures that they have prepared themselves after many years of experience.

Ingredients which are often used in cacti soil mixtures:

- peat
- coconut fibre
- potsoil
- small gravel
- perlite
- pumice stone
- lime stone

Most mixtures are made of 25-25% organic material and the rest is inorganic material. It's very important that the mix is loose and light. If that's not the case, it will keep too much water, and this can cause the roots to rotten. Cacti also need enough feeding elements and therefore they use the elements available in the soil mixture. Eventually these elemens will exhaust. Therefore it's good to add a little manure to the mixture once a year to fill up the elements again.

Light

The right amount of light is the most difficult part of the maintenance of cacti. Especially if you live in a cold dark country you really must do your best once in a while to provide your cactus with enough light. Cacti are naturally used to getting a lot of light. Most cacti can survive with less light, but this will slower their growth and they will bloom little or nothing. In the summer cacti normally receive more sun light than in the winter. Most cacti actually need just a few hours of full sun light. Don't forget to place the cactus always near the window. It's also possible to provide the cactus with artificial light. The fluorescent lamp is thus an option, since it actually provides plenty of light. The disadvantages are that these lamps give little warmth, and they have to be placed at a maximum distance of 10-30 cm above the cacti. Another alternative is the halogen lamp. This lamp gives a lot more warmth. It spends, however, a lot more energy.

As usual, excess is not advisable. If the cactus gets too much sun this will immediately be noticeable. The side exposed to the sun will loose color, and that can lead to burn marks. This can cause permanent scars.

Temperature

It's well known that cacti enjoy the heat. That's why they grow mostly in the hottest regions of the Earth. But even the warmest countries often have cold nights. Many cacti are therefore naturally prepared to endure colder temperatures. Some cacti are even able to endure frost for a short while, as long as they get enough heat and light during the day.

Indoors, cacti can generally be maintained at normal room temperature. In the regions where cacti also survive outdoors, it may be better to keep them inside during the winter time.

Water

The most common death cause for cacti is overwatering.

So the golden rule is:
Don't overwater the cacti!

Most cacti die by far because people give them too much water. For many people it's very difficult to know when the cactus needs water. So the best thing to do is let the soil dry completely, before you water the cactus again. A humidity meter can be very useful in this case. When in doubt, it's better to give your cactus no water.

In the summer cacti need more water then in the winter.

In general you may say:
Summer: water them once a week
Winter: water them once to 2 or 3 times in the whole winter
However these amounts can vary enormously per cactus and environment!

It's best if you give them water from underneath. Cacti prefer to absorb water from bellow where their roots are then to get it thrown on them. Therefore the pot must have one or more holes in the bottom and a dish under it. When you fill the dish with water, the soil will absorb the water from bottom to top, easily reaching the roots from the cactus. Throw away the remaining water from the dish after about 2 minutes. With bigger cacti this can take a little longer.

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