Cacti: Tips & Care

Have you always wanted a garden, but don't have the time to spend watering and weeding a flowerbed? Well, then a cacti garden may be just the right alternative for you. Cacti require little to no water or almost no fertilizer at all.

For the gardener who has only a few minutes to spare for plant cultivation, growing cacti or cactus or cactuses (however you want to call them) will give you a great amount of satisfaction. Those who live in apartments can easily accommodate two or three dozen cacti where there would hardly be space for one good sized fern or a couple geraniums.

The main difference compared to any other plant is that cacti do not greatly resent if you don’t water them on a regular basis. They have no tender foliage to get damaged or that will fall off if conditions become unfavorable. They require less attention as far as repotting into larger containers as well. Their grow really slowly and that  is another advantage for the gardener, as a large assortment of plants can be kept in the same small area for a number of years without becoming overcrowded. They will also survive accidents and some degree of poor treatment. But, at the same time they will give you amazing returns with good treatment.

One of the most important aspects of a cactus garden, is the container you are going to put them in. Do some search for the right sized pot. Do not go to deep, as shallow containers work best. Try to find something large enough for the cacti, and not leave much extra room. Terra cotta or clay pots, simulate a natural environment and they are pretty cheap too.

Once you have your pot, place a small amount of soil (about an inch or two) at the bottom of the pot. Be sure to use porous soil, which can be purchased at a gardening or home improvement store. Porous soil is simply a potting mix that contains gritty material that aids in water drainage. The cactus plant does not respond well to sitting in water, which is why it's important to use the porous soil for good drainage.

Always wear your heavy gardening gloves when working with cacti (for obvious reasons), lift the tallest cactus out of it's container and place it inside the new pot. Dig you finger into the soil to make room for the plant. Put the cactus in the hole, and press the soil around the bottom to hold it in place. Make another hole beside it, and plant the next tallest cactus in place.

Continue this process until all the cacti are in their desired position.

And in a blink of your eyes, you are going to have a tiny, pretty, perfect, easy, “desert” like garden, right in your balcony.