Many people love the unique
look of cacti and succulents. These cute, lumpy plants are
seen on people's desks and in their homes. For those that
live in warm and dry climates, they can actually plant cacti
and succulents outdoors with other annual plants. However,
for many of us the cacti and succulent plants are container
and indoor plants to enjoy.
Cacti and succulents are
beautiful plants and one of their gifts is that they can be
quite easy to grow. There are several basic factors to keep
in mind. Once you know these factors about cacti and
succulents, you are ready to grow cacti and succulents with
confidence. This is quite unlike many other plants such as
the delicate orchid or African violets. Some plants are so
fragile; you literally need to memorize a manual of material
before trying to care for them. Cacti and succulents are
quite practical and can be grown by anyone, including young
children.
Caring for these plants
properly is important. Fortunately, both the cacti and
succulents and quite sturdy, so they will put up with a
certain amount of neglect without your losing the plant.
They do need water, but not as much as many other types of
plants. It is important not to over water your cacti and
succulents. When you over water your cacti and succulent,
you make them vulnerable to plant rot. Let your plants dry
completely between watering. This is counterproductive of
other plant watering instructions; most plants need to be
watered continuously. This is not so for the cacti and the
succulents. Let them dry completely before watering them
once more.
Cacti and succulents also
do very well when you turn their pots in the sun on a
regular basis. It always seems as if one side of the pot
gets more light than another. It is best if you can try to
turn the plant pots on a regular basis to make sure they get
enough sunlight on all sides. Try doing this on a daily
basis so it is less noticeable and the plant is most
comfortable.
One of the critical aspects
to growing cacti and succulents is good light. They
desperately need sunlight more than anything else. Do not
get more cacti and succulents than you have window place or
space in your home that gets strong sunlight. You'll lose
the plants and this will be a great disappointment. Look in
your home for the warmest spots. A great tip is to think
about places where your cat suns themselves, or perhaps
where your dog likes to rest in the sun. These are likely to
be very warm and sunny spots that hold the light and the
heat well.
The soil for cacti and
succulents needs to be lightened to help provide good
drainage. You can lighten the soil by using either Perlite,
sand or any other soil amendment you can find at your local
plant store.
Cacti and succulents and
wonderful plants to grow indoors. They look beautiful and
unique in any home. These plants can make a beautiful window
garden as you fill the area next to your window with tiny
cacti and succulents. Larger cacti or succulents are most
comfortable in pots on the floor in other locations where
they can be sure to get enough sun. Your experience growing
cacti and succulents will largely be determined by the
sunlight in your home and the sunny and dry climate in your
area if you are growing them outdoors.