Spring is on its way and Barry’s Cactus Club is starting to stir. From mid-March, your cactus will wake from its beauty sleep, start growing again and prepare to flower. While cacti are easy to look after, over or underwatering can make them appear sad. So it’s super important to get your water technique down!

Cacti and succulents store water in their roots, stems and leaves, they are like camels of the plant world and they can go for weeks or even months without water. Cacti hate to sit in water for too long and if you water them too often they will absorb too much and become mushy and susceptible to fungal infections. When they are underwatered they can look shriveled but after a good drench they plump back up again!

Drenches between droughts

A common mistake people make is giving their cacti small amounts of water frequently or misting them. Instead, you want to recreate the natural environment of the desert, where there are long stretches of time between rains, and when it does rain it pours.

Photograph by Terry Stevenson @stevensonterry

Check that the soil is completely dry by sticking your finger into the soil to check. Be careful not to disturb the roots. If you feel the soil is still a bit moist, wait another week. If you feel your soil is not drying out for weeks at a time, it may be suffering from root rot, and you should repot your plant immediately.
Drench (we mean really drench!) Water until that it drips out of the drainage hole in the bottom of the pot. This ensures that the soil is completely soaked. If you’re not using a pot with drainage holes then fill the pot with water, let it soak in for a minute and then pour all of the water out.
Repeat.

It’s as simple as that! To learn more about how to look after your cactus during the growing season, take a look at Barry’s latest cactus care blog.

Not yet part of the club? Join by visiting barryscactusclub.com

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