Cactus - The Plant That Almost Takes Care of Itself

The cactus is a plant. If you have a garden, you should know that you can plant it outside, but in winter you have to take it home warm, otherwise, it will freeze and die. This is perfect for a busy person who likes flowers. It does not require special care, so you do not have to worry when you go on vacation. It is a succulent plant, and water stores it in the trunk to survive extreme heat conditions.

The cactus is not an attractive plant but rather rejects you with the ones it has. Collectors of "strange" plants are very attracted to him because there are hundreds of shapes, sizes, and shades. It is a perennial plant and generally lives in the desert. Other species live in tropical forests.

Appearance

It is a fleshy plant with many spines and is devoid of leaves. Originally, thorns are leaves that have undergone modifications to provide protection against pests, excess wind, and are intended to gather moisture during the night.

The cactus rarely blooms, and the flower can be white, yellow, red, or purple. This plant grows either vertically or remains dwarf and grows in diameter. In general, its development is very slow. If you want to have this plant, do not try to plant it yourself because it usually does not stick. Still try, you have nothing to lose.

Flowerpot

If you like this type of plant you need to know a few things before planting it. For those that grow vertically, we recommend a pot that is half the diameter of it. The explanation is simple. The roots are the ones that need a lot of space.

They grow in length, and a tall, narrow pot is unsuitable for proper development. If you like dwarf cacti, you should choose a pot that is 5 cm larger than the diameter of the plant. The pot must be made of clay, not plastic or enamel. Clay is the best choice because it retains water and watering should not be done very often.

Soil

The soil in which they will grow and develop is composed of a mixture, namely: sand and peat. Gravel must be added to both the root and the surface (above the ground). The only criterion you have to meet is for the water to drain.

Remember that the soil should not be too rich in organic matter. You need to know that he doesn't like being moved from one pot to another. The cactus is a stable plant and does not need fertilizer. The soil should be disinfected from time to time with potassium permanganate.

Parasites

Well, this plant has no problems with pests. If you just bought it recently, you can rest assured. You don't need any spray against creatures that can harm them.

The water

In the winter months (November and December) you should not water this plant more than 2–3 times. It needs water so that it does not dry out. If you overdo it with water, it will rot and die. Remember: in January it does not need water at all so do not water it.

Watering will be done from February. Instead, cacti should be watered in the summer approximately every time you water the regular plants. These plants are perfect if you have a very busy schedule, but you should not miss them. You need to give them a little attention and love from time to time.

Air, light, heat

The air must be changed in the room where the plants live, and this is done by ventilation. If you do this every day, your houseplants will reward you by blooming. If the air in the room is status, it can be very harmful to cacti.

Light is the most important element that the plant should benefit from. The place it should have is at the window or at least in the brightest part of the house. In general, these plants love light, but there is a species of Christmas that likes shady areas of the house. The places where they are placed must be cool and dry. They have no problem with the cold. In winter, they need 8–10 ° C during the day, and 4–6 ° C is enough at night.

Multiplication

The multiplication of cacti is done by several methods, and one of them is pruning. The best time to do this is between May and July. The cuttings are made from stem fragments.

Planting will not be done immediately, but after a few weeks, to form a crust. The seedlings are planted at 2 cm in sandy substrate. When the first roots appear, they will be transferred to pots with soil. Grafting is used only if the cactus has slow growth.