February 4, 2023
Tips for Caring for Cacti & Succulents
Cacti and succulents are some of the easiest plants to care for in the home. Here are some tips to help keep your desert dwelling friends happy and thriving all year long:
Light & Location
Minimum 4 hours of bright, direct sunlight per day, the more the better. Ideally a south or west facing window or an insulated sunroom.
Temperature
18 to 20°C (average home temperature) is ideal.
Can tolerate up to 32°C or as low as 15°C; change your watering schedule accordingly.
Water
Let cacti and succulents dry out very well between waterings.
Soil should be very light in colour, even breaking away from the edge of its pot.
Pot sizes, light, and temperature will affect your watering schedule; check your pots often.
Water thoroughly and deeply, ensuring that water comes out the bottom of the pot.
You may have to water a few times to allow the soil to absorb the moisture.
Remove any excess water from the saucer within 5 minutes.
1” to 3” pots: ¼ cup of water every 10 to 14 days
6” to 10” pots: About 4 to 6 cups of water once a month
12” pots & larger: 2 to 3 litres of water once a month from March to November, then every 6 to 8 weeks in winter months – check your pots often.
Dish Gardens: Slowly water around each individual plant to ensure all get a good deep drink. Some dish gardens do not have drainage holes so water carefully!
The most common issue for cacti and succulents is over-watering.
Never allow cacti or succulents to sit in water!
Fertilizer
Only needed during their growing seasons: once in spring, once in summer.
Use a cactus fertilizer or an all-purpose fertilizer used at half-strength.
Pruning
Prune when cacti or succulents get too tall/too leggy/become top-heavy.
Always use a sharp, clean knife or pruners.
Many varieties will bleed white sap which contains latex; wear protection and exercise caution when handling cuttings.
Cut will scab over, and future branches or “arms” can eventually appear at the site.
Exception: Aloe Vera! Its leaves are filled with an oozing gel made primarily of water and used for relief from minor burns. Remove outer leaves by gripping near the base and twisting until it pops from the plant.
Repotting Cacti
Cacti and succulents grow best when pot bound. Using too large of a pot means soil will not dry evenly, leading to watering issues and root rot.
Ideal time to repot is during active growing seasons: spring and summer.
When there is more root than soil, go up by 1 pot size and ensure new pot has drainage.
Lay cacti on its side on top of layers of newspaper.
Use barbeque tongs to avoid spines, and gently ease the plant out of its pot. Careful not to squeeze too hard!
Add a few inches of cacti & succulent soil to the bottom of the new pot. If pot is very deep (or cactus is top heavy) place a heavy layer of stones first and then the soil to lower the centre of gravity.
Using tongs/multiple layers of newspaper/protective gloves, lift your cactus into its new pot. Check that it is centered and stable, adding or removing cactus soil as needed.
Hold cactus upright with one hand (with tongs/gloves) and use other to fill in spaces with cacti & succulent soil, packing down gently as you go.
Place newly potted cacti back in its bright, direct light location and water in thoroughly.
Repotting Succulents
Same steps as cacti, with less need for tongs or other protective equipment.
For trailing succulents (Burro’s Tail, String of Pearls, etc.) ensure plants are very very dry before repotting to reduce the risk of excessive leaf droppage.
Placing Outdoors for Summer
Cacti and succulent can thrive outdoors once the temperatures remain above 15°C day and night, typically around late June – always check the weather reports!
To reduce the risk of sunburn or stress, place them outdoors in morning sun for a few hours, preferably close to sunrise until 9 or 10am. Be sure to bring them back indoors before the light gets too intense!
On the second day, put them outside at the same time, increasing the time spent outside by an hour or two. Continue to gradually increase the amount of direct sun exposure over 5 to 7 days until they can comfortably stay outside day and night.
Be aware: pots will dry out faster outdoors – check pots daily and water deeply as needed. If it is a rainy season, you may have to move your pots to a protected area or move them back inside so they don’t get too waterlogged.
Once the temperature starts to drop below 15°C they’ll need to move back indoors, typically around the Labour Day weekend but sometimes mid- to late September.
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