How to Choose a Jar
Cacti live for months without water. They accumulate the liquid in the juicy pulp and carefully spend it. Greener “hedgehogs” are afraid of abundant watering and too wet soil in which fungus appears.
In order to make the cacti live longer and to prevent mold from appearing, you need to choose the right pot. First of all, it is necessary to remember that this plant is able to accumulate liquid in its pulp. This means that if you give a cactus a lot of water at once, it can begin rotting from the inside out.
Preference is given to clay containers. The material absorbs moisture and passes air, supplying the root system of the cactus with oxygen. At the bottom of the pot, there should be drainage holes through which excess liquid can drain. You cannot buy glazed clay. Plastic pots will do just as well.
It is important to know how much moisture is accumulated by a cactus in one day and how much water it has spent for its own needs after this day. Only after knowing this information can you accurately determine when it’s time to water it and how much water to give it.
How do Determine the Tank Size?
For a cactus, the choice of a flowerpot is very important, since the roots of this plant are very picky about the soil, which must be just one. Most often cacti used flowerpots with a wide bottom and high walls. The pot must be large enough so that it does not get cramped in it anywhere. The main thing is to observe the drainage of the soil since cactus roots do not like wet ground and rot.
If you buy a ready-made pot, then it is important to know that they are different depending on their origin. For example, clay pots are porous and drain water well. On the other hand, glass pots do not have such a good drainage system, but they are light and at the same time have excellent insulation properties.
Green hedgehogs with a massive and long rhizome are easier to grow in tall pots, similar to beer glasses. The diameter of the new house should be 3-5 cm larger than the old one so that the cactus has enough space to feel comfortable and absorb water.
Which Basis to Choose
The composition of the substrate for cacti includes:
- leaf or coniferous humus – 2 parts;
- turf land from a garden or vegetable garden – 1 part;
- crushed charcoal or wood ash – 1 part;
- small stones with a diameter of 1-5 mm – 1 piece.
The component is replaced by coarse river sand.
If you’re growing a cactus in the traditional way, you’re probably not feeding it at all. The idea behind this is that the plant will be able to survive on its own, drinking from the soil. However, a small amount of fertilizer can be added to increase the size and strength of a cactus.
I would first steam the soil to kill off any unwanted organisms or pests. This can be done by placing the soil mixture into a microwave-safe bowl and heating it for three minutes. You might have to do this multiple times depending on how much soil you have. Next, I would mix in some fertilizer or nutrients that are specific to succulents and cacti. The final step would be to add sharp sticks and rocks so that when you place them back into their pots they can grow easily through the substrate.
Cactus and succulent growers will usually use a mixture of coarse-grained river sand, fine rubble, and organic matter such as leaves, needles, twigs, or pebbles. Another great thing about using organic matter is that it’s easy for the roots to grow through it because of its coarse texture. For example, if you’re planting your cactus in a pot that has drainage holes in the bottom.
Important: soil cannot be added to the base from the beds if they have recently been fertilized with cow dung or bird droppings.
A clay or plastic pot’s base is filled with fine gravel, crushed brick or perlite, and grated moss. The substance removes extra moisture from the ground, shielding the cactus’ root system from fungus. The drainage layer’s thickness varies from 1 to 4-6 cm depending on the reservoir’s height.
Remove the Succulent from the Old Tank
The best way to remove a plant from a pot with multiple stems is to use a scissors or other sharp instrument with a narrow blade. The cut should be made at the base of the stems and not on the edge of the pot, so water does not flow over it. It is also important not to leave any cuts on the surface of the soil, which could lead to infection. If possible, it is recommended that you wear gloves so you do not get pricked by small needles from the hedgehog.
If you have no option but to remove a plant from a container using your bare hands, then you will need to wrap your hands in fabric or leather gloves that are tight around your fingers, while leaving room for your thumbs and palms to slide in and out freely. The fabric will protect you against tiny spikes that could get stuck under your nails or in the skin around your fingers and make them itchy or cause an infection.
Foam sponges can also be used instead of fabric gloves. To use them, start by sliding them over your hand like you would when putting on a pair of socks. Then, fill up each side with newspaper pages and fold the ends together until they form a thick cylinder shape with smooth sides.
Small cacti are removed from the reservoir with special pliers. The tool is sold in flower shops.
The flower in the room is no longer watered 2-4 weeks before transplanting so that all the liquid evaporates from the substrate and becomes completely dry and crumbly. It is not recommended to soak the soil around the root system, as this will increase the risk of injury to fine shoots. This is a very important step, even if the transplants are being transplanted into water, because it requires expelling all water from the aggregate. Without this procedure, there is a great risk of root damage and plant death during transplantation.
How to Extract a Succulent So as Not to Damage It?
- If the pot is made of clay, you need to gently knock the walls with a hand or a spatula for garden work.
- In plastic containers wrinkle your fingers slightly to separate the clod from the pot.
- The pot is returned.
- Hold the flower with one hand and slowly turn the container with the other.
- The flowerpot is removed, and the root system is cleaned from the substrate.
If the cactus is attached to the walls of the container, an earthen ball is circled with a sharp knife. Can’t get the succulent? Then the pot is broken or cut in half.
Before planting in a new pot, the plant is carefully inspected and preventive disinfection is carried out.
Cacti Treatment
Aphids or mold may be present in the rhizome of a hedgehog cacti. A specific bath is made for the removed flower in order to protect it from insects and illnesses.
An iron kettle or bowl and a piece of thick cardboard with a small hole punched in it are required. The container is filled with hot water. The fluid’s temperature ranges from 50 to 55 degrees. Place the cactus on the cardboard base with the neck at the top and the rhizome at the bottom.
The plant is cleared of earthen debris prior to disinfection. It is sufficient to shake the blossom if the soil is not irrigated for longer than three weeks. The stone-like sticky substrate is removed after being bathed in warm water.
Spend 15 to 20 minutes in a warm bath with the prepared root system. Remove the drink from the lovely glass, and place it on a paper towel. Transfer the cactus to a shoebox or plastic container. For three to four days, avoid the sun. The flower is positioned close to a heat source, such as a battery.
After 3-4 days, the rhizome inspects, cuts rotten and dried shoots, and shortens thick shoots. Thin strings do not touch each other, because through them the cactus draws nutrients from the soil.
How to Plant in a Pot
Cacti need special care, which is why they are often sold in separate pots. The process of transplanting the succulent into a new container is rather simple, however, if you follow some simple rules.
The first step is to buy a pot that corresponds to the size of the plant. Succulents have large taproots and require more space than plants with thin roots. The pot must have drainage holes at the bottom and should have a layer of drainage material in the bottom (for example, expanded clay).
Clay soil is mixed with coarse sand or perlite and poured into the pot until it is half full. The succulent is placed on the substrate and gently straightened. The lower part is covered with soil and lightly tamped. The collar should be left above ground. After that, fill the rest of the vessel with the substrate, tamp it down firmly, and then cover it with a layer of expanded clay.
Important: Long roots should not only straighten, but also send them. A plant with a curved base becomes weak and sluggish, eventually losing needles and withering.
Subtleties of Care
After transplanting, the plants are usually watered two or two and a half weeks later. The cactus should be well ventilated, but not placed in direct sunlight; the temperature should be increased gradually to 18-20 degrees Celsius, with a day-night difference of 10 degrees. After 14 days, when the flower adapts and the roots dry out and heal, they produce a small amount of water with mineral fertilizer. The next day, put on a lighted window.
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One of the most common problems for transplanted plants is that the root ball has been stretched too much. What’s happening? It means that either the substrate doesn’t have enough nutrients or there’s too much space between the roots and the substrate. I recommend adding more soil and a smaller diameter pot.
Sprouted Cacti
During transplantation, small shoots are cut from the mother flower. The pallet is separated with a sharp knife and disinfected to protect the adult cactus from infection and rot.
Sprouts that have been separated are put in a plastic container. To ensure that the interior of the container is dry, cover the bottom with paper towels. Place little cactus in a dark, cool area such as a closet or other room. To draw and dry the cutting point, store the crop for 3 to 5 days. A moist sprout will not take root if it is planted in the ground; instead, it will rot and perish.
Dry the substrate as you would for an adult cactus after pouring the drainage layer into a tiny plastic cup. Do not bury; rather, seed in a shallow indentation in the ground. Water or use a spray bottle occasionally.
A new cactus is moved to a clay pot once it has developed fine roots.
A large-capacity thorny bloom will not survive, therefore use a small flowerpot.
Expanded clay is placed at the base of the plates, where it then nods off as a substrate.
Put the sprout in the middle of the pan and gradually straighten and fix the rhizome. cleansed in a dark area, covered with a layer of dirt. In 3 to 5 days, water. The cactus will need a lot of time to recover its thin threads that were destroyed and adjust to its new surroundings.
Cultivated plants are transplanted every 2-4 years. The substrate in the old prickly flowers changes in 5–7 years.
Cacti are beautiful and unpretentious, they will do without water and fertilizer for a long time. They like light, calcareous soils, with expanded clay and wood ash. Transplanting prickly plants is simple: choose the right pot and substrate, transfer the flower to another container and hide it from the sun. This is enough for the cactus to quickly adapt and take root. A few years later, the owner gave her some exotic buds.