Cacti and succulents are not considered to be particularly high maintenance, but they do require a certain amount of attention to thrive.
With their thick fleshy leaves and unusual shapes, cacti (Cactaceae) and succulents have long been popular houseplants. But one property in particular makes the green roommates so attractive: They are considered plants that can hardly be killed. But that's only half the truth: Although both plant genera are characterized by an extremely robust species and are therefore ideal as a beginner's plant, they also need the right amount of care. If they are neglected, succulents and cacti begin to get sick or even die. We give you five tips that will ensure that your cacti and succulents not only survive, but also thrive.
In contrast to many other plants, cacti and succulents are quite easy to care for and often forgive gross mistakes. Nevertheless, you should not overdo it if you don't want to risk the plant dying. You should therefore follow these five care tips if you want your plant to shine in all its glory.
Tip 1: The right location
While cacti are found almost all over America, succulents are found on every continent (except the polar regions). Nevertheless, all plants of these two families have relatively similar location requirements: Since they are particularly common in dry regions with high levels of solar radiation, the plants love bright, sunny places. In contrast to many other indoor plants, dry heating air is also very popular with succulents. What the plants don't like at all is high humidity - so succulents and cacti are unsuitable as plants for the bathroom.
Tip 2: The right substrate
Cacti and succulents are not only demanding when it comes to location: Choosing the right soil is also crucial. The plants prefer a rather sandy substrate that has good drainage properties - high-quality cactus soil is ideal. Is theSoil that is too dense for water to drain can quickly lead to waterlogging and root rot. A good buffering capacity of the soil is also an advantage, otherwise the soil can acidify over time and the plant is no longer ideally supplied with nutrients.
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Tip 3: Water cacti and succulents properly
Although succulents and cacti are known for their ability to survive without water, they sometimes need a drink. However, you should always stick to the motto "less is more": Since the plants have specialized in storing water, they only need to be watered extremely rarely. In fact, over-watering enthusiasm is actually detrimental - almost all succulents and cacti react to waterlogging with root rot. During the growing season, the plants can be watered once a week. Make sure, however, that the soil has dried properly in the meantime. In addition, excess water should always be drained from the planter or saucer. At the latest, however, when the plants begin to shrink, they should get liquid again - then their own water supply is used up. This article tells you how to water your cacti properly.
Tip 4: Fertilize cacti and succulents properly
It's also important to exercise a little sensitivity when it comes to fertilization - fast-growing succulents and cacti should be given some fertilizer about every three weeks to support their growth. A special succulent and cactus fertilizer is suitable for this: It has a higher concentration of potassium, which plays a decisive role in the area of water storage. Slow-growing plants, on the other hand, often do not need any fertilizer at all. In any case, try to avoid over-fertilizing - the sensitive roots can suffer burns from too high a concentration. Our Plantura organic indoor & green plant fertilizer is also suitable for cacti and succulents, but should be used in lower doses. With every second watering between spring and July, one milliliter of fertilizer is given per liter of irrigation water.
Tip 5: Overwinter cacti and succulents
Even cacti and succulents sometimes have to rest in order to continue growing at full speed afterwards.However, the various species sometimes differ greatly in their winter requirements: while some, such as the snake cactus (Aporocactus flagelliformis) or the rosette thick-leaf (Aeonuim arboreum ) can simply remain in the living room and only need less water, other varieties have to overwinter in a cool place. For example, wart cacti (Mammillaria) and echeverias (Echeveria) should rest for three to four months at temperatures below 15 °C and above 5 °C and less light , so that you can continue to grow he althily afterwards.
Cacti should be repotted every now and then. You can find out when and how often to do this and how to go about it when repotting cacti in our article with video instructions.