How to Care for Cacti and Succulents: Watering, Sunlight, and More

7 days ago

Did you know? That all cacti are succulents but not all succulents are cacti. Their care is similar but not exactly the same.

Sunlight and Succulents

All succulents need lots of bright light. Mine are mostly in my sunny bay window facing southeast, and they flourish there. The rest are under led grow lights that provide a cool white light. I keep the lights about a foot (thirty centimetres) above the top of the plants, and they apparently appreciate that light. Beware though that a too-sunny window can lead to sunburn on those leaves, especially if the window faces west and the plants are close to the glass. If you see dark patches on the leaves, then they are being burnt.

How to water Cacti and Succulents

One of the most important things to do is plant up your succulents in pots with good-sized drainage holes. Do also amend any potting soil you use with coarse horticultural sand to improve drainage, as any growing medium that hogs the water will contribute to roots decaying and rotting in short order.

Succulents need more water than cacti as their thick, fleshy leaves transpire more than cacti. A sure sign that you are not watering enough is shrinking or shrivelling leaves. Overwatered cacti and succulents will have soft and squishy leaves and often the plant will drop them. What you shouldn’t do is give them a little water every so often. The key is to allow the soil to thoroughly dry out between waterings. Then water thoroughly, allowing the moisture to go through all of the soil profile and drain out the bottom. Tip out excess water from the saucer so that they are not in standing water. In the winter months, you can go up to four weeks between watering your cacti. My succulents on that sunny window still need a good watering every week to two weeks, but I always check the soil before going ahead. In the summer months, you may need to water weekly, depending on how hot it is where they are situated.

Fertilizing your plants

While cacti and succulents generally prefer a lean diet, it is important to fertilize them when they are actively growing. Do fertilize on a regular basis during the summer months with a weak solution of a balanced liquid fertilizer. Cacti may need fertilizing only once or twice at this time of year and not at all in the win-ter. Succulents require more, in the order of three or four times during a longer growing period, but it is not necessary during the winter months.

Pests to watch out for!

Our succulents and cacti are generally not bothered by pests. However, mealybugs and scale can be an issue. Monitor for signs of their presence, especially if you have an infestation on other plants. Do also wipe the leaves of your succulents to remove dust and debris. I skip this step for my cacti!