There are only three types of way of growing cacti: garden, indoor and hothouse. Each of them has its own system of methods for growing plants.
In general, cacti are not indoor plants, because so they need to create special conditions - to protect from very dry air and to illuminate them. However, lovers of these spiny plants still do not miss the opportunity to grow a cactus in the air, for example on balconies or on shelves outside the window.
Of course, the methods and methods of growing cacti are very diverse, but they are all built on the biological characteristics of succulents: slow growth and severely pronounced periodicity. Almost every kind of cacti slowly develops and grows.
Their tissues and root system can not take a large amount of water and nutrient material of the environment, as a result they can not quickly grow. Moreover, each species of cactus has pronounced periods of flowering, growth and dormancy.
How to choose a place?
In any room, the cactus always lacks space, and during the winter's rest they are very hot. Moreover, how much these plants are resistant to drought, but in the room the air for them is still inadequate.
It is from these motives that it is worth choosing for him somewhere on the windowsill closer to the glass, and choose the most sunny window. It is best to define the plant on the bottom of the window, because if you put it on the shelf, the cactus will start to develop incorrectly, and its stem will be transformed.
When cacti become large numbers, problems begin to arise, because there is not a place for everyone. In this case, you should proceed as follows: place the cacti on the balcony, in the hotbeds at the dacha in the spring-spring period or in the greenhouse. The winter, of course, the plant should be in the house. At this time they have a period of hibernation, so they do not need light very much, and you can put them even in the shade.
How to choose the dishes?
First of all, you should pay attention to the root system of the cactus, because the size of the dishes depends only on the size of the roots. The pot or any other utensils should be substantially larger than the roots in a directional form.
If the cactus has short roots, then a low pot is quite suitable for you, and, of course, if the plant has rod-shaped roots, then you will need to find a deep vessel.
The material can be completely different, although in the main cactuses are made in plastic pots.
Pottery is good because the soil dries faster and after watering it cools more. For winter watering it is good, especially if the cactus has sensitive roots.
Advantages of plastic cookware are that the earth dries more slowly, and in such pots well-established root plants take root.
Now it should be said about the shape of the pots. Of course, before long, cacti were bred only in square pots, because they are more compact and take up less space, unlike round ones. However, it is recommended to use pots of round shape, because they create a more favorable mode of air exchange and humidity for the plant, than dishes that are end-to-end with each other.
The most important condition for growing and breeding cacti is drainage. In the pots, there must be holes or any holes in order for the water to drain. Well, if you put a plastic plate or a shard on the bottom for better drainage.
Substrate
As a rule, earth mixtures are used for propagation and breeding of cacti. This is the most common and simple recipe: take in equal parts of washed river sand with the addition of the curtain and coal, and the leaf earth.
For the earth mix, the following characteristics are important:
- acidity - cacti need a weakly acid reaction;
- water and airtightness, looseness;
- chemical composition-all kinds of cacti need a certain proportion of mineral and organic components in a different way.
How to plant cacti?
If in the pot that you picked up for the cactus, there are holes at the bottom, then it is not necessary to put pebbles, but it is desirable. The soil should be poured a bit, so that you can then freely plant the spread out roots. Now you need to put the plant in such a way that its base is at the same level with the edges, with one hand and hold, and the other fall asleep. And remember that it is necessary to fall asleep neatly and evenly from all sides around the stem. The base does not need to be deepened in the soil. If the plant staggers, then pour stones on the ground, and if the cactus is very high, then it must be tied to any support.
A young cactus should be transplanted once a year, and the old cactus should be transplanted once every 3-5 years. The best time for transplantation is the beginning of the growing season.
After transplanting cacti should not be exposed to the sun and a few days not to water.
How to water a plant?
To care for cacti you need only the most mild and clean water. You can use ordinary boiled water, rain, snow or even simply settled water from the tap. You can water it both from the pallet and into the pot - it makes a special difference.
Cacti should be watered only during the vegetation period, and this means from May to September. If winter protect the plant from watering, then there will be more possibility that it will start to bloom. In general, in the winter forget about watering, unless unless you have epiphytic cacti. Do not be afraid that they will die without irrigation, in winter they are in a period of rest, so they do not need water!
You should know that often the period of growth and flowering in most cacti does not match. For cacti it is more important to drink water than to drink!
Temperature and light
For good development and growth of cacti, light is very important. Some of them can carry the shadow, but they do not like it. Also, these thorny plants need heat for good vegetation, although they are not afraid of temperature drop and small frosts.
If the cactus does not have enough light, then it does not need any moisture or heat. Many species can winter at a temperature of 5-15 degrees. In such conditions, you can place the cactus on hibernation. You can whitewash glass on the window or just cover it with paper.
How do the cactuses multiply?
Cacti can be propagated using the seed and vegetatively.
If you want to grow cacti from seeds, then it's best to buy them in the store. Because at home during cross-pollination, related plants cross, but in the future it will not do anything good, only the quality of the plant will become worse. To grow a cactus from the seed, it is good to work hard. To begin with, the seeds should be disinfected in a solution of potassium permanganate. At the beginning of its development the seeds require a qualitative substrate, because the seed will germinate due to its reserves. Pour a thin layer of earth into a centimeter and lay the seeds on it. Take care that the earth does not dry out, for this, cover it with film or glass, these are ideal conditions for the germination of seeds. Earth a couple of times vnedelju need to air. Different kinds of cacti and germinate in different ways, so the germination period ranges from one day to several months. When you notice that your "child" began to become covered with spines, know that it's time to transplant them into a pot where there will be more nutritious soil. In a few months they will be ready to enter the adult regime, but they will still need to be watered and protected from excessive temperature changes. It is best to plant the seeds so that they germinate in March or April.
Propagation of cacti by cuttings is much simpler and more reliable. Some species have lateral children, which are very easily separated. They already have rudimentary roots, it is enough just to put the nurturing ground on this cub and the roots will begin to develop. Cacti, which have no children, multiply much more difficult. It is necessary to pick a healthy part of the stem or shoot and cut it clean, pre-disinfected, tool. The place of the cut should be dried in a dry atmosphere and preferably in the sun a day 3-4. After this, the stalk must be planted in a nutritious and moist substrate. Also plant and plants that lost part of the stem.