Lovers of landscaping their homes for the most part prefer deciduous plants. Their appearance is more familiar to our eye, and the needs are similar to what the residents of private gardens expect from the owners. Those who would not mind having something scratchy on the windowsill are afraid of making irreparable mistakes. Or they go to the other extreme and believe that a cactus is a plant similar to a weed, therefore it does not need to be looked after at all. Both are mistaken. Oversights can very well be avoided with some knowledge. And not to make other mistakes, just remembering that the cacti are alive, have their own needs and are not able to satisfy them on their own.
Misconceptions of beginner cactus growers
Most often, "illiterate" gardeners believe that these plants do not need water at all. Say, they grow in the desert, they see rain every five years ... However, indoor cacti, especially at a young age, will die during rapid growth without water. And adults will stop developing and certainly will not bloom without watering.
The second mistake is caused by the habit of communicating with deciduous plants. In those cases, when roots begin to protrude through holes for drainage, this is a signal that it is time to transplant them. In contrast, cacti at home in this state only prepared for flowering. If transplanted, the plants will have to start preparation again.
The third myth: cacti can not only rearrange, but even rotate. If you believe this error, get crooked and deformed plants. After all, their shaded part will reach for the window.
And the fourth often-made mistake: adding clay to the soil. After watering, it does not dry for a long time, which can cause root decay. And after drying, it bursts, breaking all the same roots.
And the last one. Cacti have many varieties, and the care of each of them is very different from the brothers on the windowsill. Features of each type must be taken into account.
Types and specifics of care
It is most convenient to divide them by place of growth. After all, cacti (varieties) are not only “found” in the desert, and care must be consistent with their origin.
The first group: desert cacti. They need a very bright light, in the summer - street maintenance, and in winter - the temperature is not lower than six degrees. The soil for these cacti is advised to mix with garden soil.
The second group: mountain. For them, lighting and “walks” are similar, but the earth should not contain humus, it must be drained not only from below, but also from above, and they should be watered extremely rarely.
Third group: cacti from grassy plains. Not too bright lighting, rather heavy soil, generous summer watering and very rare - winter.
Fourth group: cacti from dry forests. These are almost shade-loving cacti - varieties, and care, first of all, consists in their some shading, a lot of water in the summer and dry content in the winter
Fifth group: descent from moist forests. In particular, the epiphyllum cactus (photo above) belongs to it. Heavy watering in the summer, moderate but regular in the winter, and fresh air in the shade in the warm months.
What to grow
Pot requirements for these plants are strict. Their volume must exactly match the root system. Those indoor cacti that have surface roots are planted in squat, narrow tanks. Plants whose roots go down are placed in deep, but narrow vessels. Ill or damaged cacti are planted in smaller pots. Material for containers is not particularly important. The only condition is to avoid rusting dishes. And everything else only affects the frequency of watering: in plastic, the soil gives off moisture worse than in a clay pot.
How to plant
These plants are additionally noteworthy in that cacti can be planted in one container, the varieties and care of which are similar in type, but they differ in appearance and growth. Thus, you can get very decorative mini-gardens. Small plants are located along the edge of a wide pot, higher ones are closer to the center. When planting, so as not to break off the thorns and not injure hands, plants are taken with forceps or put on leather soft gloves. The soil is either bought specialized, designed specifically for cacti, or is taken more nutritious and depleted in polystyrene crumbs or coarse-grained sand. Such additives also increase the water throughput of the soil.
Where to put
First of all, they make sure that the cactus flower is on the window with enough light, that is, on the south or east. It should be remembered that "multi-story" placement is unacceptable - plants will be deformed, even if the shelves for them are made of glass. If there is not enough space, the pots can be moved to small greenhouses equipped on the balcony for spring and summer (if fresh air is contraindicated for them). For the winter, cacti still return to the room - they have peace at this time, and they are supposed to have a little light, so you can put them in any free places.
How to water
To create the right climate, flower growers very often create home greenhouses-aquariums like the one shown in the photo. Home cactus under such conditions, firstly, receives the heat it produces, and secondly, the normal amount of water that evaporates and returns. However, more traditional methods of watering can be dispensed with. For most cacti, the time to pour some water is determined by the complete dryness of the soil, and in the winter months - even by cracking it. Naturally, this applies to those varieties that generally put water in the cold. The amount of liquid is measured with a measuring cup based on the volume of the pot. If after irrigation the water in the pan is not absorbed within half an hour - it is superfluous, it is drained, and the next time less is measured for the marked drain volume. If this excess is not removed, it will provoke rotting of the roots and death of the plant itself.
Lighting problems
Light is one of the main factors that cacti need. Varieties and care are different, but for the most part these plants require bright light. In summer there are no problems with it, if the windows face the “right” side, and in winter the need for lighting is reduced. However, with a lack of sun, fluorescent lamps will have to be fixed so that the window sill is lit continuously for several hours. When used as greenhouses for aquariums, the backlight is fixed around the perimeter. Since cacti will receive light evenly.
Correct transplant
An equally important action for the cactus flower to develop normally and have the ability to reproduce is to move it into a new pot. Capacity is taken only slightly larger than the previous one. A transplant is made annually, in the spring, before the start of active growth. The only exceptions are columnar specimens that have grown so much that there is a danger of their fracture. Such cacti remain in the container where they are, for several years, until signs of obvious crowding for their roots begin to appear. After the resettlement, the plant can not be watered for several days until it is precisely taken root.
How to propagate
The most convenient way is to deposit "children" growing up on an adult plant. That is how the most beautiful cactus , the epiphyllum, is most often propagated (photo in the article). The shoot is carefully cut off or broken off (the method depends on the type of cactus) from the mother plant and dried — at least a day and up to two weeks if the “baby” is large enough and the cut is wide. This is done in order to prevent the appearance of soft fungal rot, which very often occurs when planting. For the same purpose, it is important to use a clean and extremely sharp knife, so as not to damage the cut.
More rarely, flower growers grow cacti from scratch, that is, from seeds. This method has become less popular due to the fact that the seeds germinate for a very long time, and inexperienced gardeners begin to believe that the plantings are ruined. However, if you have patience, you can make sure that the germination of cactus seeds is not more difficult than any other. The main thing is to do everything on time. If you, like most compatriots, do not have a greenhouse in your house, the seeds should be sown no earlier than April. Otherwise, they will simply freeze even on the heating battery. If you are lucky and equipped a greenhouse, you can do sowing already in January.
So a little courage, a lot of care and patience - and a piece of tropical exotic will appear on your windowsill.