Do you want to add cactus flowers to your garden? If yes, then you should choose a cactus that is relatively easy to grow. Some cacti take over 50 years to mature, but there are a few options that are easy to care for and bloom indoors. Gymnocalycium, Parodia, Mamillaria, and Notocactus cacti are great choices for beginners.
However, to bring cactus flowers, you have to strive!! Flowering in cactus generally depends on its age, media, sun and water.
Here are some tips on how to take care of the cactus to bloom :
Step 1
Select a medium-sized pot with a drainage hole for your cactus. Then make sure to use a well-draining soil. Because like other succulents, cacti don’t tolerate overwatering.
Step 2
It is recommended to plant cacti in high-quality cactus media. Chemical fertilizers like NPK/DAP/Osmocote can be applied sparingly to the plants every 2 weeks.
Step 3
During the active growing season, water your cactus regularly, usually from spring to fall, and wait until the soil is completely dry. Reduce watering in freezing cold weather.
Step 4
Cacti need a period of dormancy, which usually lasts between two to four months, during which the temperature should be below 15°C. It is important to stop watering or fertilizing the plant during this time, and move the pot to a cool place with abundant sunlight.
Step 5
To ensure optimal growth of your cactus, it is important to place them in a bright location where they can receive plenty of sunlight. Most cacti require at least five hours of bright light per day for healthy growth. In case you are keeping your cacti indoors, and if it is too dark, it’s advisable to use artificial lighting to supplement the sunlight. Succulents that do not receive sufficient light will pale and may fail to bloom.
Step 6
It’s best not to repot cacti too often as they don’t like to be moved around frequently. Instead, it’s recommended to prepare a large pot before transplanting the cactus. In case you have to move it from one pot to another, refrain from watering the cactus right after the trip.
Even after the bud has come, due to a lack of care, it can dry up and fall off without blooming. Therefore, it is crucial to take care of the plant even after the flower buds appears.
- Ensure that the cactus gets plenty of sun.
- Increase watering. If the cactus is in normal sun, water it twice a week. In March/April, when the weather is very hot, water the cactus two to three times a week if it is in direct sunlight.
- As the plant grows, increase watering to four times a week if you have been watering it twice a week.
If you follow these tips, you will hopefully be able to see beautiful flowers blooming in your cactus.
