Planta
Torna a The Cactus & Succulent Circle

Fiancé and I are loving this app. We used the diagnosed feature and… | The Cactus & Succulent Circle | Comunità di Planta

ShaylaFae

Fiancé and I are loving this app. We used the diagnosed feature and discovered we overwatered the poor thing but it’s still pretty. It’s hanging on lol

Allegato 1 di 1
21 Mi piace 3 commenti

3 commenti

  1. Adrian

    Would you like some care tips for this type of cactus? I’ve got two that I take care of and would be happy to share what I’ve learned from caring for them, if you’re new to this plant.

    0 Mi piace
    • Paula

      I do please!

      0 Mi piace
    • Adrian

      Got it! So for starters, unlike other cacti, this is an epiphytic plant, which means it’s used to growing on trees in jungles and rainforests, unlike the average cactus that’s used to dry soil and rocks, so similar to other epiphytic plants, it needs a very well-draining mix in order to survive living in soil. I keep mine in Espoma’s Organic Cactus and Succulent mix. If you ever need to repot this plant, I’d recommend repotting it with that, and avoid Miracle Grow’s soil, even their Cactus mix, cause it’s just not well-draining enough for this type of plant, especially if you live in a more humid climate. Because it’s a jungle cactus, it can handle more humid climates that desert cacti wouldn’t like, but it doesn’t like the cold. They can flower once or twice a year, but yours is called an Easter cactus because it tends to bloom in the spring. The Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti related to this one are named because of the seasons they bloom closest to as well, and you can tell them apart by the shape of their leaves and look of their flowers. I currently water mine every 12-14 days, and bottom-water it to prevent overwatering it and promote a stronger root system. If you’re new to bottom-watering, you can look up “how to bottom-water a plant” on YouTube and should find plenty of easy tutorials on how to do it. It isn’t necessary for this type of cactus, but that watering technique really comes in handy for other cacti and succulents more at risk of overwatering. Mine like to mostly dry out between waterings, but you can use a bamboo or barbecue skewer to stick all the way down into the soil to check if the soil is dry enough to water it again. If the stick has a fair amount of soil and feels wet when you pull it out, you can probably hold off for a day or two before watering. But if it comes out clean, without much sticking to it, then it’s probably safe to water. Once this cactus gets big enough, it’ll start to tip over the sides and likely try to become a trailing plant, so you could move it into a hanging basket once that happens. If you prefer to keep it from trailing over the sides, you can gently twist newer leaf segments off to prune it, and even stick the removed leaves back into the soil after the plant’s been watered to propagate the leaves and make the plant bushier over time. I’d recommend reading up on how to prepare these for blooming season, but essentially specific lighting and temperature changes are what helps tell the plant to enter a period of flowering by mimicking the outdoor conditions that would tell it to flower. These can handle lower light conditions, but you can gradually expose it to more light if you want to move it to a bright window that gets lots of sun, and it’ll likely grow faster in a brighter spot in the warmer months. That’s about it. They’re lovely plants, and make for great gifts for the holidays, but with proper care they can last decades. I love the color on the flowers on yours, and thought I’ve already got two in my care, I’m definitely tempted to buy another one.

      0 Mi piace