Guide for Growing Indoor Cacti

By Egan Lundgren

Cacti

cactus

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Cacti are very hardy succulents But because of their reputation for growing in harsh climates many cacti owners tend to neglect them. They need the same basic things as all other plants water, sunlight, and carbon dioxide.

Soil:

Despite what many would think cacti do not grow the best in sand. They need a nutrient rich soil with good drainage. A good test for proper water drainage through the soil is how long it takes water to go from the top of the soil to the bottom out drain holes in the pot. If water sits on top of the soil for more than a few seconds you probably need a better mix, something a little more rocky might help.

Water:

A common misconception is that cacti need very little water or that they even need to avoid water to live. This is not true. Cacti just make the best of the little or infrequent water that they do get. Generally it is best to water your plant any time that the soil at the bottom of the pot is dry, feel through the drain holes. Another way to tell when to water is by squeezing the plant near the top. If it feels spongy or pushes together more easier than normal it probably needs water.

Light:

Most cacti will take as much light as they can get. This is not true of all of them so make sure and check if your plant likes a lot of sun or not. Indoor cacti will generally not get too much light, but they can suffer if the pot is a dark color and heats the roots to too high of a temperature. Find a place where it can get half a day of sunlight or you can use artificially lighting as long as it is full spectrum lighting, mimicking natural sunlight.