Enjoy Relatively Low Maintenance With Large Cactus

Enjoy Relatively Low Maintenance With Large Cactus

The large diversity of large cactus is amazing and it doesn't have to be intimidating to grow them either! There are some beautiful ones which bloom at night, while others like the Golden Barrel and candelabra-shaped cacti add height and depth to any planting arrangement.

Location Counts

If you are planting a large cactus outside your home, be sure the placement leaves no chance that you could accidentally trip or fall over them. This will ensure that both you and even pets do not inadvertently hurt yourselves with any spiny needles. In addition, you need to make sure that the area has plenty of sunshine and good drainage.

Planting large cactus indoors requires similar attention in that you want the location of the potted cacti away from prying children, pets and accident-prone relatives. Ensure that the location of your potted cacti is in a draft-free location with plenty of sun and warmth.

Planting Issues

Large containers are needed to ensure that the cacti have enough room to grow and don't feel stifled or stunted. It is important to transplant your large cactus into new pots at least every two to three years to stimulate root growth. And if they are not root bound, the change of containers is helpful because the new soil is beneficial to the large cacti.

The basic rule of thumb for planting large cactus in containers is to choose a pot or planter that is at least one inch larger than the plant. Cacti are slow growers so there is no chance of them bursting out of them before a year or two. There must be good drainage for the large cactus container to prevent root rot and other diseases. If you have a good selection of pots to choose from, always choose a terra cotta unglazed clay pot as it traps moisture and heat better than other types of pots.

Transplant Issues

If you are planning to move a large cactus from its container to the ground, you must gently remove it from the container and brush away all of the dirt from the roots. If possible, allow the root system to almost completely dry before transferring to the ground to avoid root rot and other diseases like fungal and bacterial infection. When this scenario is not possible during the transplant process of a large cactus, treat the roots with both a bactericide and fungicide first and douse liberally with powdered sulfur.

Before placing the large cactus into the ground, ensure that the hole is as deep as the root system and then twice as wide. Once you have filled in the hole around it, you will need to stake the cactus for up to six months to allow the root system to take hold in the ground enough to support the entire plant.

Other than being careful during the transplanting process, large cactus are fairly hardy and take a bit of abuse, not that you will be doing anything harmful, right? Basically, little temperature fluctuations and light differences don't do much to harm it and all you really have to remember is to water your large cactus as needed.