Cactus Care

[DancingLady]

Some people say cactus is one of the easiest plants to have, but mine have died. I wonder if I gave it too much water. What is the general protocol for watering a cactus successfully?

 

[claudine]

My roses have to be watered once a week. I'm pretty sure that cacti need even less water. I had had one when I was a teenager, but it died It became very soft and started rotting.

 

[Chuck]

Some people say cactus is one of the easiest plants to have, but mine have died. I wonder if I gave it too much water. What is the general protocol for watering a cactus successfully?

If you water it at all regularly you are watering too much

 

[kevinkimers]

I killed every cactus I have ever had. You are not alone. Turns out, you only water them once every two to four weeks or you spritz them lightly once every 3 to 5 days or so I've been told. But then again I was also told to only water them when it rains, if they are indoor, and don't ever water them if they are outdoor.

 

[JessiFox]

Cactus is one of the few things I have tried indoors so far, partially because like you, I was under the impression that it could not get much simpler than that. Well I killed mine too, so you're certainly not alone. My understanding now is that you really don't water them very regularly at all- they only seem to need it every few weeks and actually do a lot better going without regular watering. Good to know, right?

 

[DancingLady]

Probably not such a good plant for a Portland girl. No wonder I watered it to much. Mine did get soft and rot too. Maybe if I get another one I will just water it once a month and see how that goes.

 

[Chuck]

Probably not such a good plant for a Portland girl. No wonder I watered it to much. Mine did get soft and rot too. Maybe if I get another one I will just water it once a month and see how that goes.

How often does it rain in the desert where cacti thrive?

 

[megankl]

I also have tried to grow cactus's numerous times with them all dying. I tried to give them good care but they still ended up dying. lol I have given up but would love to try again one day if I know the trick.

 

[Rosyrain]

Cacti are my favorite plants to grow as they take very little care to keep them alive. The soul should be pretty much bone dry when you water them. Remember that they are a desert plant and like a really dry climate.

 

[Cereus]

Cacti/succulents are what I like to call lazy care plants, because I can be lazy with them. (I feel horrible for saying that, but they're great decor with very little effort...) They really don't need much babying because they're used to harsh climate conditions where they go for months without seeing water. Lots of sun and the occasional watering is enough for them. In places like Arizona, New Mexico and parts of Utah, there's a rain season where lots of rain pours for about a week or two and that's usually when the cacti get most of their water for the year.

 

[SamClemensMT]

My roses have to be watered once a week. I'm pretty sure that cacti need even less water. I had had one when I was a teenager, but it died It became very soft and started rotting.

Some people say cactus is one of the easiest plants to have, but mine have died. I wonder if I gave it too much water. What is the general protocol for watering a cactus successfully?

I have a cactus plant and I water it about once a week. It seems happy with that amount of water. I never read up on the subject, but I would assume a cactus can survive on even less water than what I give mine.

 

[Pat]

Another thing to be aware of when watering a cacti plant is not only how often you water the plant but how much you water the plant are you pouring a drop or two into the planter or are you pouring a whole cup of water into the planter. I have one plant a pineapple that I started which is a cacti and I only give it a few drops of water every other week, this is my 3rd year with this plant. It has not grown as large as I would like but it is doing good.

 

[Mika]

I've found that keeping multiple cacti together works out well. I usually keep 3-4 plants together and water them about once a month. You also have to be careful not to water them too much, which is what I suspect you did. The majority of my plants are watered once a week. Cacti don't need nearly as much as a normal plant though. I'm not quite sure how much water I was giving them though since I recently gave them away. I'd say I probably gave them about a cup of water a month. 2 cups at most. They were a few years old though, I'm sure yours would need less. Did you have them in a well draining soil? Remember, cacti grow in the sand in deserts. Although I don't recommend using sand since it is a pain to deal with, I do recommend having a well draining soil with draining holes at the bottom.

 

[globulon]

I'm thinking of getting an indoor cactus as well and I'm worried because I don't have the greenest of thumbs! Other than worrying about the level of watering, is the level of sunlight a huge factor? In my region, it would get perhaps 3-4 hours of sunlight a day. I'm not sure whether this limited sunlight is a big deal for cacti.

 

[Rub]

I had different kind of cacti when I was younger. Don't take care of them, water them once in two or three months. It's full of water inside. And your cacti will grow up without any problems.