Vegetable Garden

Now that you have your cactus planted in proper soil, in a proper pot, and in the right spot for good lighting. Let’s talk water. 

First things first,

Improper watering, specifically overwatering, is the number one killer of cacti, hands down.

You can mess up a lot of things with cacti, and they will bounce back okay, (or at the very least, still live on) but if you overwater and your cactus starts to rot, it’s game over. There is no cure for rot, and the only way to stop the spread of it is to cut away the infected areas to uninfected flesh, and let it heal into a scar. 

So how do we avoid this beast? By being conservative with our water, and knowing our cacti’s watering habits. 

Signs Your Plant Needs Water: 

When does your cactus need water? Luckily for you it will tell you! Signs that your cactus needs a drink are: 

- Wrinkles in the plant, take care not to confuse wrinkles of needing water and wrinkles of a cactus not being in proper soil. Too much bark and peat in a soil can hold way too much water and lead to root rot because there’s not enough air flow. This causes the plant to wrinkle because it cannot take up any water with rotten roots.

- Discoloration (turning brown most of the time) Important: Do not confuse turning brown from lack of water for rotting. They look very similar, so it’s best to look at the actual soil itself and watering pattern to determine the cause of discoloration. 

- Shrinking of the plant, meaning the body of the plant becomes smaller, or the spines move closer together because the limbs of the cacti lack water. 

- Root desiccation, when the plant topples over because it’s roots have dried up into nothing. This is in cases of extreme underwatering, and should be avoided. 

How To Water: 

In deserts, though they are dry, rain isn’t just a light sprinkling of water. It’s a torrential downpour when it does happen. Cacti have adapted to this type of watering, so that’s exactly what they need. If you just mist your plant, it will warp its growth. 

So water deeply! You should see water coming out of the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot. Completely soak the soil. 

Disclaimer: Though you should be watering deeply, you probably shouldn’t wet the body of the cactus. Water can get trapped in different crevasses of the plant, or even worse, the crown of certain species. Trapped water can lead to rot, so water around the body of the plant and don’t soak the actual plant itself.

If water does get on your cactus, take a tissue and twist it until it turns into a “unicorn horn” and use it to gently wick the water off the body. 

Do not water a newly repotted cactus for at least a week after repotting. I usually wait ten days. The damaged roots and general shock of repotting can cause even a healthy plant to rot. Let the roots heal and the cactus get settled for a bit before you water. 

Types Of Watering:

There are two main types of watering used for cacti, and either method is fine for almost all species. Which one you use really depends on your preference. 

- Top Down - taking a watering can or cup and pouring water around the cactus and letting it soak through the soil until water runs out of the bottom of the pot. If your pot has a tray to catch water, empty it out after you’re done watering. Do not let any cactus sit in water! 

- Bottom Up - Taking the pot of the plant and submerging it in water up to the dirt line around the cactus, and waiting for all the air bubbles to stop coming out of the dirt. DO NOT submerge the whole plant underwater. This watering method is good for cacti with wool that growers want to keep as aesthetically natural as possible. It also assures you that the root ball has been soaked thoroughly. 

Watering Schedule: Some people want to have a time schedule for watering. I don’t really like doing this, because the plant really only should be watered when it’s showing signs of thirst. But if you want to ballpark it, every 2-3 weeks during the active growing season is usually fine for a watering schedule. 

As an additional tip, try to water on a sunny day! It will help the plant absorb the water faster, and will dry out the soil faster as well. 

Dormancy:

Cacti do not need to be watered during their dormancy period, (late October until early March in the northern hemisphere). In fact, watering them too much during this time can kill them very quickly. Cold and wet cacti do not mix. 

If you’re paranoid about root desiccation, or the cactus is very young, you can water once a month, but I’ve successfully left my entire collection without water for six months and every single one of them bounced back correctly.

Disclaimer: Dormancy for most cacti is in the winter, but some species of cacti go dormant in the summer. Do your research on your plant to make sure you know which! 

I hope this helps you guys conquer the dreaded fear of watering issues! Once you get the hang of it, keeping your cactus watered correctly is a piece of cake! 

- ☀️ Solarian ☀️