Key points for raising golden echinops

Soil selection for golden echinops

  The soil must be loose, moderately fertile, neutral or slightly acidic, and rich in organic matter. Bags of soil are sold in the market, or you can prepare it yourself: ① 3 parts of loam, 2 parts of leaf mold or peat soil, 1 part of sifted bone meal, and 4 parts of coarse sand; ② 3 parts of coarse sand, 3 parts of garden soil, 2 parts of leaf mold, 1 part of lime, and 1 part of broken bricks or tiles, add a little superphosphate, charcoal particles or bone meal.

Selection of golden echinops flower pots

Breathable clay pots are the best, followed by ceramic pots and porcelain pots. The size of the pot depends on the sphere of the golden barrel cactus, and the gap between the sphere and the pot wall is 3 to 4 cm. The sphere is large, so the gap can be appropriately larger.

Golden Echinops Planting Method

The best time is when they emerge from hibernation and have not yet started growing. This is followed by the summer dormancy period. Specific operation: Cover the hole at the bottom of the pot with tiles or broken pot pieces, fill in 1/4 to 1/3 of broken tiles, bricks, dead branches and other water-facilitating objects, and then fill in 1/4 to 1/3 of culture soil. Cut off part of the roots, place the golden barrel cactus in the center of the pot, cover the root neck of the golden barrel cactus with soil, gently shake the pot to make the soil and roots fully contact, compact the soil around the roots with your hands, and then spread a layer of coarse gravel to resist the erosion of watering. No need to water, keep it indoors until it grows and then water it.

Temperature requirements for golden echinops

Temperature plays an important role in the growth cycle of golden barrel cactus. The golden barrel cactus is dormant in winter. In April , the golden barrel cactus wakes up and begins to grow. In May and June , the temperature reaches the suitable growth temperature of golden barrel cactus, 25 to 30 ℃, and golden barrel cactus enters its peak growth period. When the temperature exceeds 35 ℃ from July to August , the golden barrel cactus goes into summer dormancy. When the temperature drops to 30 ℃ in September , the golden barrel cactus wakes up again and starts growing again. If managed well in autumn, its growth rate may exceed that in spring. The temperature drops in mid-to-late November and the golden barrel cactus gradually enters a dormant period. At this point, the annual growth of the golden barrel cactus comes to an end.

Light requirements for golden echinops

When cultivating golden barrel cactus, its need for sunlight should be met as much as possible. Except for keeping it indoors in winter, it must be placed in a sunny place all day long in spring, summer and autumn. If the golden barrel cactus is kept indoors for a long time, its body color and thorns will be affected, the ball will become deformed and it will lose its ornamental value. When the golden barrel cactus is brought indoors in winter, it should be placed on the windowsill in the sun. The pot should be rotated after a period of time to ensure that all parts of the sphere receive even light. When the sun is directly shining in midsummer, provide appropriate shade. What I do is to cover the upper half of the golden barrel cactus with a colored plastic bag to protect the hairs on the top of the ball from rain, then cover the ball and the pot with a large plastic bag and place it outdoors in a place where the sun shines the longest. When the temperature is high in midsummer, remove the large plastic bags to prevent moisture inside the bags from causing the balls to rot. After removing the bag, the potted ball is in a ventilated environment and the ball grows well.

Watering requirements for golden echinops

Although the golden barrel cactus is drought-resistant, it does not mean it does not need water. Some golden barrel cacti never grow bigger or even shrink in size, which is related to not being watered for a long time. The golden barrel cactus should be given sufficient water during the growing seasons in spring and autumn, and watered sparingly during the dormant seasons in winter and summer. In the early stage of growth, water once every 4 to 5 days or a week. Water should be poured from the edge of the pot, preferably at 9 to 10 am or 4 to 5 pm. It is best to leave tap water for 2 days before watering. From late April to June , the water requirement of the golden barrel cactus increases. Water it once in the morning and once in the evening, and make sure it is watered thoroughly. During the rainy season in June , be careful to prevent the soil in the pot from being too wet, which can cause root rot. In July and August , the golden barrel cactus enters summer dormancy, so watering should be controlled. From late September to October , the golden barrel cactus enters its growing period again and should be watered every 3 or 4 days. In November , the growth of golden barrel cactus tends to stagnate and watering can be done once every 10 days. In December , the golden barrel cactus goes dormant and does not need to be watered to enhance its cold resistance.  

Fertilization requirements for golden echinops

In spring, apply thin fertilizer frequently, once a week. May and June , once every 4 or 5 days, the concentration can be slightly higher. Do not apply fertilizer during the high temperatures of midsummer. Apply fertilizer once a week in September and October , and no fertilizer is required from November to the following spring. Fertilizer is made by diluting the decomposed poultry, fish residue or poultry manure with water and applying it between 9 and 10 in the morning or after 5 in the afternoon. Water the plants again after one day of fertilization.

How to repot golden cactus

The time for repotting is the same as that for planting, once a year or every other year. First prepare a larger pot and new culture soil, take the bulb out of the old pot, remove some of the old soil, and cut off some dead and rotten roots, etc., and then put it in the pot after drying. The operation is the same as planting. In addition, because the sphere is too large and it is difficult to repot it, you can remove some of the old soil and add new culture soil. After changing the soil, compact it and then cover it with a layer of coarse gravel. No need to water it.

Requirements for cold protection of golden echinops

Golden barrel cactus is not cold-resistant. When the temperature drops to around 5 ℃, you can move the golden barrel cactus indoors to a sunny place, keep the soil in the pot dry, and beware of cold winds.