How to grow a cactus quickly and thickly (how to make a cactus grow into the desired shape)

Cactus is very tenacious and can grow in water-scarce deserts. If we want it to grow fast, we must meet its growth habits and water and fertilize it properly .

So how do you make a cactus grow into the desired shape? How can you make a cactus grow quickly? Below we will introduce it from different dimensions of maintenance.

Cactus' environmental requirements

Cactus likes a light-rich growing environment, and it also tolerates shade to a certain extent. It can be maintained indoors or outdoors as long as the light is not too bad.

Plants convert nutrients through photosynthesis. The better the light, the better they grow. So the placement is very important. Plants that can get sunlight grow better than those that get scattered light, and those that get enough scattered light grow better than those that get poor light.

In addition, if you want the cactus to bloom, you must let it get sunlight. It will not bloom if there is insufficient light.

Cactus is resistant to high temperatures, but still likes warmth. The suitable growth temperature is 20-30 degrees, and the wintering temperature should be above 5 degrees. In the hot summer weather, you can shade it appropriately to cool it down, and bring it indoors to keep warm in winter.

How to water a cactus

Cactus is very drought-resistant and will not have any problems even if it is not watered for a long time. The disadvantage is that it is not waterlogged, and excessive watering can easily cause root rot.

When watering, you can follow the principle of not watering unless the soil is dry, and watering thoroughly when you do. Thoroughly dry means that not only the surface of the soil is dry, but the inside of the soil must also be dry. The standard for dry does not mean that it does not contain any water. A water content below 20% is dry.

In winter, you must water less. Keeping the soil in the pot dry is conducive to wintering. Pay attention to timely drainage during the rainy season.

How to fertilize cactus

Cactus does not require much fertilizer. Generally, it only needs to be applied with a thin liquid fertilizer every 10-15 days during the growing season. Stop fertilizing after October as the new tissue has poor frost resistance and is not conducive to wintering.

In winter, the temperature is low and the cactus is in a dormant state, so do not fertilize it.

Why do cacti need to be repotted?

Cactus is tolerant to poor soil, so many people think that it is okay to not repot cacti. My suggestion is that it is best to repot 1-2 times a year. In addition to supplementing nutrition, there is another more important reason for repotting.

Cacti like weakly alkaline soil, but the roots of cacti will release an organic acid during their growth, which will acidify the soil. This is the main reason why cacti need to be repotted.