by Hank Andresen, HCSS
• Growing in your home - a southern window with bright light is preferred.
• In a greenhouse - you have full control of the environment.
• Outside in pots - provide some form of cover, under eaves of your home, or a covered patio with bright light.
• Outside beds - you will need porous soil in raised beds and a lot of TLC.
• Growing all Cactus, all Succulents, or both?
• Note: All cacti are succulents but not all succulents are cacti.
• Clay - Clay dries out faster than plastic or ceramic pots. Use shallow azalea pots, or bulb pots.
• Plastic - Black, dark green, or gray if possible. White and bright colors have a tendency to degrade and break while being handled.
• Ceramic -? Expensive but dresses up your collection. Avoid highly decorated pots.
• 1/3 Easy GRO Premium potting soil or equivalent.
• 1/3 large per1ite or pumice.
• 1/3 coarse sand or fine gravel (like aquarium gravel). Captan or any good fungicide mixed in with your soil mixture.
• Water thoroughly and allow to dry out completely before watering again.
• During warmer months (March to October) water every 7 - 10 days.
• In cooler months (November to February) water carefully every 3 - 4 weeks. However, some cactus should be kept completely dry during this dormancy period.
• Any low nitrogen fertilizer 1/2 strength once a month. Be sure fertilizer has all the trace elements including boron.
• Ozmocote can also be used in lieu of the above.
• Use BR61 in the spring to promote "super" blooms.
• Plants can sun bum if put in direct sun without acclimating them first.
• Give plenty of air circulation such as fans in your greenhouse.
• Think in terms of quality - do not sacrifice this for quantity.
• Do not water during overcast days or rainy days.
• Temperature, amount of light and ventilation all affect the drying time of your soil.
• Fine gravel, crushed granite, marble, limestone and small rocks all make excellent top dressing.
• Most insects can be removed by hand or a strong stream of water. Use pesticides as a last resort; remember we do have beneficial insects, such as ladybugs, assassin bugs, praying mantis, green lacewings, Trichogramma wasp, etc. Ladybugs (many different species) feed on aphids, cinch bugs, whiteflies, mites and many other soft?bodied insects and eggs. We all need to get to know these friends of the gardener and of course us "CACTUS NUTS”