Cactus and Water

Posted under Cactuses by ruola

 

Watering is probably the most important thing in a cactus life. In this post i will try to collect the most important information on this question.

There are certain factors that should be considered: time of the year, age of cactus, type of cactus and even the weather.

Probably the first factor to think of before watering your cactus is time of the year. Every cactus has its year cycle: in a warm period it is time for active growing and blooming and winter is a time for rest. During dornant period the temperature should be lower than in spring and march — normally about 10º. At this time no watering is needed otherwise the cactus won’t «understand» that the year is over. At this period necessary vegetal processes take place that will ensure good blooming in summer. If you proceed watering your cactus in winter it will grow further which can cause a loss of decorative qualities or even death of the plant.

In summer when the cactus has best conditions for growth and blooming, water the cactus moderately and as often as the soil gets dry. Also pay attention to the soil condition — it should be friable so that water can go through easily. Some species of cactuses ( Notocactus, Rebutia, Lobivia) get still during the hottest days and therefore need no watering at that period.

When temperatures grow higher in spring it will be good to spray water on the cactus but still no watering. Exception for spraying are cactuses with floss. Check your cactus every now and then for signs of activation — point of growth gets green, buds appear and others. This is exactly the time to start slightly watering the plant. As soon as temperatures are hot enough and regular you can start to water the plant normally — see the summer period. Keep in mind that in rainy weather you need to reduce watering.

In autumn when days get shorter and temperatures go down - reduce amount of water. In the last bright days of the year water the cactus 3-4 times a month. As a rule in October-Novermber watering should be stopped at all and the plant should be moved to a cool place.

All the recommendations above are ment for «adult» cactuses older than 3 years. For young cactuses the conditions in winter can be milder. If you see that your cactus is drying out take it back into a warm place with enough of light and start watering. In one-two weeks it should look better and you can put into «adult» conditions again.

And a few words about the process of watering itself. Make sure water is NOT poured onto the cactus stem as it can lead to a cactus rot. Remove all excessive water from the bottom container for the same reason.

There are also other situations that may influence the frequency of watering. If the plant was stressed somehow stop watering it for some time. Stop watering the plant if you see it gets soft and «fades» as it is a sign of overwatering. Remember that the worst thing for cactus is cold overwatered soil.

I hope following these simple rules you will achieve succes in making your cactuses healthy and beautiful.