Cactus

CACTI NEWS

by Jenn Tomanek

Facts on Cacti Plants:

* they are considered succulent plants

* they belong to the Cactaceae family

* there are over 2500 varieties of cacti

* they are considered angiosperms (seeds are in a closed ovary)

* they are perennials (live year after year)

* they are decotyledons (have two seed leaves)

Tips for Growing Cacti:

*cacti can be planted in clay or plastic pots

* soil should contain between 30% and 70% grit to make the mixture porous

* cacti require a good light source (a South or Southeast light source is best)

* watering tips:

1. during the summer------------------water once a week

2. during cool temps-------------------water a little less than once a week

3. during the winter--------------------give cacti little to no water

4. rain water is preferable to tap water when watering cacti

5. never leave cacti plants in just water

When Repotting a Cacti Plant:

* to avoid getting spines in your hands, wrap a newspaper or paper towel around the cacti plant

* if spines get caught in newspaper or paper towel, try wetting the paper, then remove excess paper from plant with tweezers

* new pot should be at least 1 cm bigger than old pot all around

* add more soil mixture to the new pot

* go without watering the new cactus plant for 2 weeks to allow the broken roots to heal

* after cactus is firmly set in new pot, go back to the original watering and care cycle

Resources and additional information:

http://www.eisa.net.au/~cactus/