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What do u guys think about me keeping this cactus from my front yard… | The Cactus & Succulent Circle | Planta community

Http.rose

What do u guys think about me keeping this cactus from my front yard :) anytips lol and look the the lil new growth on the top

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4 comments

  1. Adrian

    Are you saying you took this cactus from a plant you found in your yard, or asking if you can keep the cactus outside? In either case, I would get some gardening gloves to protect yourself from the spikes of the cactus. It’ll make any repotting or care of this cactus much safer for you. As for soil, it looks like you’ve already got a cactus mix and some rocks set up. If you ever need a mix for repotting, I swear by Espoma’s Organic Cactus and Succulent mix for all of my cacti and succulents. Please avoid repotting this cactus with Miracle Grow’s cactus mix. If you did find this cactus outside, it might go through some shock from the recent repot and change in location. You could put some Bonide’s Rooting Hormone Powder on the roots to help prevent or treat shock. If you’re asking if you can move it outside, I would gradually adjust it to the brighter light conditions. You can do this by setting it outside for a few hours, then bringing it inside after those hours, gradually increasing the amount of time it’s out in the sun until it can be out in direct light. If this is a cactus from your yard, though, it’s already used to bright light, so place it in the brightest spot you’ve got inside; a spot that gets at least 6-8 hours of sun. If it’s from your yard, you could try placing it somewhere outside since it’s already used to that sun.

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    • Http.rose

      Its from my front yard that i decided to move inside :)) lol

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    • Adrian

      Just wanted to make sure I understood what kind of tips you were looking for 👍 got it. Cacti need to completely dry out between watering, so you can use a bamboo/barbecue skewer to test if the soil is dry enough to water. Stick it all the way into the bottom of the soil and pull it out. If the soil sticks to it, wait at least 2 days, then test again. If the skewer comes out clean and dry, with nothing sticking to it, it should be safe to water. A cactus grown out in the wild especially will want a very well-draining cactus mix and to be bone dry before watering, so use the skewer before watering it. You might want to try bottom-watering it to prevent any injury from pricking yourself from the spikes. That means placing the plant (while in its pot) into a bowl or container, fill the bowl with water, and leave it to soak the water through the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot for 10-20 minutes, then take it out to drain in a sink or dry over a terra cotta saucer. For anything regarding repotting, don’t pot it in anything more than 1-2 inches wider in diameter than the width of the cactus’s root ball. I would recommend a plastic pot with multiple drainage holes, or a terra cotta pot with at least one large drainage hole. Avoid glazed ceramic pots, as they’re meant to retain excess moisture, and better suited for tropical plants, not cacti. Other than that, I think you’re all set. Good luck with the new cactus!

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  2. Bonzoid

    Your location makes a big difference here-these guys love sun and lots of it. VERY PRICKLY so handle with oven mitts (then throw them away). If Zone 8b or lower better to leave it out. If north of Texas inside in full sun is best. Keep him dry, water once monthly or follow Planta’s advice-I’ve propagated several of them since I started using Planta. I’m in TX so out they go where other things cannot take the sun, heat (and cold even).

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