How to care for a cactus: tips

Green, prickly, hairy and without leaves – for all its originality cactus
a frequent visitor to our apartments. This is a rather unpretentious plant. But even it has its own care nuances.

If right take care of cactus
it will be fresh and evergreen and will even sometimes delight its owners with precious flowering.

How to care for a cactus: tips

• Where to put.
  The cactus loves light and the sun – it is in such conditions that he lives in the wild. Place the plant pot in a sunny spot, on a windowsill or near a window. If he lacks light, the cactus will eventually stretch and deform. In the warm season, at a temperature not lower than + 18 ° C, it is recommended to take the cactus to the balcony. But so that it does not burn, at first put it in the shade or cover it with gauze. If the cactus gets burned, pale spots will appear on it, which will then dry out and darken.
  Cactus loves light / Photo: pixabay

• Water for irrigation.
  Due to salts, which are found in large quantities in hard tap water, a white coating appears on the cactus and the soil around it. Therefore, the water should be soft, filtered, boiled or settled. Melt water or rain water is also useful for the plant. It is better if the water is at room temperature or slightly warmer. Otherwise, you can harm the root system. Once every 3-4 waterings, you can use acidified water, for which add citric acid to it at the tip of a knife.
• How to water.
  For top watering, slowly pour water into the pot so that the earth is saturated gradually. But at the same time, it is advisable not to wet the plant itself, because due to moisture, its stem may begin to rot. Remove excess moisture from the pan so that the roots do not rot. Bottom irrigation involves pouring water not into the soil, but into the pan. Wait until the top layer of soil gets wet, and then drain off excess moisture. You can also put the cactus pot in a bowl of water for 20 minutes. And then let the excess moisture drain.
  How to water a cactus / Photo: pixabay

• Watering frequency.
  The cactus feels good in dry and hot areas. The need for watering directly depends on the temperature and time of year.
  With proper care, the cactus blooms / Photo: pixabay

1. March-April
   , when growth appears and the top of the plant turns green, it is enough to water about once every 10-15 days, 1 tbsp. tablespoon of water, gradually increase the dosage.
2. Summer
   Water the cactus about once a week in the evenings. In extreme heat, it is better to reduce the intervals between watering by 1-2 days, and in cool weather, on the contrary, increase it.
3. autumn
   you can gradually reduce the frequency of watering so that the earth becomes dry before the cold weather. If you plan to leave the cactus for the winter in a cool place, you should not water it abundantly, otherwise its trunk may become deformed.
4. November to March
   In cold weather, it is better not to water the plant at all. If the cactus remained warm, one watering every 2-3 weeks is enough.

• Fertilizer.
  Feed the cactus during active growth, but no more than 2-3 times a season. For this, only special fertilizers should be used, because the proportions of products for other plants can harm the cactus. It is also important to observe the dosage of fertilizers, because from their excess the cactus increases in size, swells and may even burst.

Earlier we talked about how to deal with powdery mildew on houseplants. Also read our tips on how to grow exotic at home from a seed: TOP-7 interesting plants with photos.