How often and how to water my cacti?

Cacti are beautiful plants that have a high ornamental value and that, in addition, require very little care.

The watering of the cactus is one of the issues that will give you the least worries because they need a very small amount of water throughout their lives.

Establishing an effective schedule and paying attention to the characteristics of the plant as time goes on will be the basics to keep it healthy.

And if you don’t know very well how to carry out this entire process, here we will give you the general guidelines that you will only have to adapt to your particular situation. Ahead.

Important points when watering a cactus:

• Irrigation frequency: when it is in the summer season, every 12 days. In the case of winter, watering is suppressed unless the plant is indoors, which can be done every 25 days.
• Watering method: with a watering can.
• Optimum time of day for irrigation: when there is shade. Watering in the sun can cause burns on the plant.
• Identify excess water: soft plant and rot.
• Identify lack of water: the plant begins to turn yellow and can even wrinkle.

What irrigation needs does the cactus have?

Originally the cactus is a kind of plant that grows in arid areas, so its water needs are minimal. Risks are part of the care that generates least concern because you have to let a large number of days pass between one and the other.

The main reason is because they are plants that store water inside as a survival technique. Larger cacti have more stored water and usually require less watering. The usual thing is to wait until the substrate where you have it dries completely before applying a new irrigation.

How can we detect the lack of irrigation in the cactus?

Although its water requirement is minimal, we cannot lose sight of the fact that it is a living organism and, as such, it does not know how to live without it.

When its roots are subjected to water stress, a dryness begins to occur towards the aerial parts that is evidenced by the presence of a yellow coloration.

If the lack of water continues for a while longer, the plant may begin to wrinkle and lose its characteristic vigor.This does not imply that you have to give it a water bath to recover it, you just have to apply a deep irrigation and continue with the normal schedule.

As the days go by, the cactus will recover from the bad moment it was going through.

How often should we water the cactus?

The irrigation of the cactus depends on several factors such as the place where it is planted and the season of the year that it is.In summer the heat is greater but it is more or less similar to its natural environment, so irrigation can be established every 12 days.

However, in winter these should be reduced to a minimum, perhaps even completely suppressed if the temperature is below 10º C when the cactus is outdoors. If you have it indoors, you could apply a watering every 20 or 25 days, depending on the state in which you see the land.

What is the best way to water the cactus?

Watering a cactus has to be done in a localized way, focusing on the substrate and not on the plant itself.The showers that have a narrow outlet are the most recommended because they make it easier to concentrate the water in specific points and the flow is low.

Both characteristics benefit the irrigation of the cactus, since they do not provide them with much water (to avoid waterlogging) and help not to wet the plant itself. Plant the cacti in pots with holes in the base that will help you observe when the water comes out so you can finish watering.

This point is very important to minimize the chances of waterlogging, as its roots are very delicate with this and can easily drown.

How do we detect excess water in the cactus?

The cactus is delicate with excess water and will end up rotting quickly if it is subjected to it. However, before that dreaded moment arrives, you will notice that your plant will be soft in its structure.

The cactus is one of those species that is better to maintain with a lack of irrigation than with excess because the first can be corrected but the second cannot. Also take into account that the use of adequate water will have an impact on the health of your specimen, so avoid using very hard water.

The main sign that something is wrong with the chosen type of water is white spots. With all this information you are more than ready to pamper your cactus professionally. Take advantage of each one and adapt it according to your reality.

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