Cactus Plants are an excellent indoor and outdoor plant that you can have at home. It comes with different shapes and forms that lures our eyes to look at it.

To make these beauties last for a long time, here’s what you can do to better take care of them by watering them right.

Watering Your Cactus

  1. Use the right soil

The soil used when planting or growing cactus is quite crucial. When you water a plant, some soil will easily let the water drain down, and other soils hold moisture very well. For most cactus, loose soil and the well-drained pot are a good choice to keep them thriving. Most cactus have no tolerance with too much moisture and might result in their leaves to wilt and die.

Check with your garden supplier on what type of soil you need to use for a certain type of cactus. This will help you to gauge your watering schedule and amount that your cactus needs. Although most cactus are of the same family plant, they’re still not the same in characteristics.

  1. Be mindful when using water sprays

Some indoor plants like orchids and other succulents are okay to be sprayed with water. But for desert cactus, it’s the opposite. They don’t like too much moisture or humidity around it. If you spray them with water, the cactus will eventually react to too much moisture and might rot inside.

Jungle cactus will survive with moisture overdose compared to desert cactus. It’s okay when you regularly spray it since it likes moisture, especially during growing seasons. You must keep it well watered so the stems and roots will grow healthy throughout.

  1. Potted cactus needs to have a drainer

Most indoor cactus are potted. Make sure that when you purchase them, it should come with water drainer. Most cultivated cactus are desert denizens, which means that they don’t thrive well when the soil or environment was watered all too much.

When watering your potted cactus, let the water drain well and take the water drainer out. Pour the water from the drainer to get rid of excess moisture when you return it to the pot later. Make sure you do this as often as possible. When the cactus starts showing wilted or soft stems and leaves, then it’s a moisture problem. Act on it right away.

  1. Water directly to the soil

Cactus plants itself are sensitive to water exposure. When you open up a cactus, you will notice that it’s made up of gel-like liquid consistency inside. That means that they have enough liquid stores, and extra moisture won’t help them thrive.

When watering, avoid sprinkling it all over to the cactus. Pour the water directly to the soil. If in case you accidentally pour water on the stems or leaves, wipe it down and let it dry. This will help your cactus to survive all year round.

  1. Water once a week

Cactus is preferably needed to water at least once a week. That’s a big rule when it comes to taking care of it. Overwatering will eliminate the plant eventually since they have poor resistance to water. Make sure that when you water it, the water is enough to moisturize the soil.

Cactus is one of the low maintenance plants. They thrive without constant watering and do well with such little attention and care. They’re very easy to maintain, especially if you have a busy lifestyle to focus on and prioritize.

  1. Don’t water with too hot or cold water

Always water your cactus with room temperature water. You don’t want to surprise the plants with too hot or cold water. Just like most plants, cactus love room temperature water. Enough supply will keep your cactus happy.

Make sure that before you fill up your water bucket for watering plants, check the temperature of the water. At times, when the cold weather strikes, the water can be too cold. The same goes for hot weather producing hot water. Ensure that your cactus will not get burned nor be too cold when watered.

Key Takeaways

At the end of the day, it will always boil down to what type of cactus you currently have.

You can’t just assume that all cacti are the same. Each kind has its characteristics and maintenance to follow. How much water and how often you need to water the cactus will always vary depending on the type of cactus.

Before deciding to care for cactus at home, see to it that you’ve studied the basics of taking care of them. Being familiar with how they thrive when grown indoor or outdoor, potted or not, will help you to succeed in growing them.

How much should you water a cactus?

Always make sure the soil is very dry all the way through between waterings. Another option is to measure the amount of water you use to make sure you’re not accidentally drowning your cacti. A 1/4 to 1/2 cup, every week or two, is enough for your cactus to thrive, depending on the season.

How do you properly water a cactus?

In the growing season, the plants should be watered at least once a week. When watering, the soil should be given a good soaking, allowing excess water to drain away. Allow the compost to dry out slightly between each watering.

How often should I water my indoor cactus?

How often do you water a cactus? During spring, summer and autumn months a cactus plant grown indoors will need to be watered every 7 to 10 days typically. During winter months cactus plants only need to be watered every 4 to 6 weeks.

How do you water a cactus indoors?

Water your forest cactus as a normal houseplant during the summer months and when the buds begin to show. During the resting period, only water when the soil is dry to the touch. As with succulents and desert cacti, forest cactus should not be watered heavily during the rest period. Root rot will result.

Can you overwater a cactus?

Cacti aren’t just drought tolerant – they need some drought to survive. Their roots rot easily and too much water can eliminate them. Unfortunately, the symptoms of overwatering in cactus are very misleading. As they get waterlogged, the roots will die and rot.

How do you know when a cactus needs water?

How To Tell When To Water Cactus – Signs Of An Under-Watered Cactus
  1. The Cactus will usually pucker or shrivel as it uses up the water reserves that are stored within it.
  2. The Cactus will start to discolor.
  3. The Cactus will start to become dry or calloused as it runs out of moisture.

How long can you go without watering a cactus?

Why is my cactus getting skinny?

How long can a cactus go without water? Typical desert cacti can survive for up to two years without water. This is because it has developed thick stems that store a lot of water and has a protective layer that prevents water loss.

Where should I place my cactus?

Tall cacti often develop one or more skinny sections as they grow. The skinny parts of the cactus are caused by periods when the plant has received sufficient amounts of water but insufficient amounts of light.

Is Cactus a lucky plant?

Is it bad luck to keep a cactus in the house?

According to basic Feng Shui principles, placing cactus plants in living room, bedrooms or the front entrance can turn it to a place of conflict, instead of a place of cooperation and harmony. A cactus plant can bring bad Feng Shui if placed in a wrong area.

Is Cactus a good indoor plant?

In a report on Unang Hirit, those cute spiky plants with various species are said to bring good luck. According to Chinese Feng Shui, cactus symbolizes wise spending. It is believed that cacti can redirect the negative energy and balance the house energy flow, bringing positive changes into your home.

Does Cactus purify air?

Negative Vastu Plants #1: Cactus

Both Vastu and Feng Shui experts suggest that cacti, although pretty, can transmit bad energy at home. It is believed that the prickly and sharp thorns on the leaves carry the bad energy in them. Cacti can bring misfortune at home and also cause stress and anxiety within the family.

How long does a cactus live?

Although cacti are known for their love of sunlight, many thrive as indoor plants. Add one to your windowsill or living space for some unique decor. Indoor cacti tend to need less light and are smaller in size, making them the perfect houseplant.

How can you tell if a cactus is real?

Cacti is the best in reducing radiation and bacteria.

In addition, cacti absorbs carbon dioxide at night to release oxygen. Putting cacti in the room is helpful in sleeping and supplementing oxygen.

What is Cactus good for?

In the wild cacti can live for hundreds of years. Indoors they may survive for 10 years or more. The trouble with old ones is that every single knock, scratch or blemish they get stays with them, so they tend to look less appealing as they get older.

How do you get a cactus to flower?

Real cactus flowers are soft as silk and don’t resist when you push on them. Strawflowers have a papery texture and are likely to break if you try to bend them too much. Or look at what connects the flower to the plant.

Is aloe vera a cactus?

A study found that eating cactus can reduce body fat, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. Incorporating cactus fruits into your diet can help reduce the risk of diseases like stroke, coronary heart disease, and peripheral vascular diseases.