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The main process that we need to consider, while caring for cacti and
succulents, is to recreate their natural habitat at our homes. They are easy to
care for as long as we don’t complicate the process. They both fall in the same
group of plants, drought tolerant plants living in warm arid regions of the
world. They come in a range of sizes, from miniature succulents to giant cacti.
Follow the following tips, while caring for your cactus and succulent.
1. Light
Majority of the large species love the sun, while the small ones don’t. Check,
while buying, how much of light your plant can tolerant. Most small and
medium cacti and succulents are fine with bright filtered light in our home.
Avoid midday sunlight, as the leaves can get scorched. Many varieties will
benefit, if placed outdoors during the growing season.
2. Humidity
Now, this is less spoken of subject in caring for these types of plants.
Succulents love humidity, but too high could be challenging. These plants are
grown in arid regions, where the humidity is far less. Ideal humidity for these
plants is around 50 per cent. Some succulent plants don’t do well in high
humidity areas. Please check with the seller before buying. In high humidity
places, cross ventilation and mild air movement would be welcome. Never
place your succulents in a place where they are kept closed with no fresh air
for too long a period, e.g. work places during weekends. These plants tend to
shrink and become leggy.
3. Potting soil
The ideal pot mixes for succulents are those which do not get compacted over
time. The soil should be loose, so it does not retain moisture, even over time.
The best mix should be one part loose soil, one part course sand and one part
leaf mould compost. You can add perlite, if available. We can also add 2-3
teaspoon of neem mix powder. This mix will not retain water, there will be
enough fertilizer for one whole growing season, and the neem mix will keep
the roots clean of fungal infection. Please always use shallow pots for your
cacti and succulents and not deep ones. Make sure, there is a lot of drain holes
in the pot.
4. Fertilizing
Cacti and succulents don’t depend on too many fertilizers to survive. They have
relatively low fertilizer needs. We can fertilize these plants, during active
growing season with half strength liquid fertilizers. Make sure your fertilizers
have higher phosphorus than nitrogen. Never fertilize your succulents during
the dormant or the winter period.
5. Pests
Pests are rare concerns on cacti and succulents. If, you are worried, it should
be of mealy bugs or scale. Use organic pesticide on cotton wool; wipe them off
the leaf surface. You can also use alcohol swasps. Maintain bright light and
proper watering schedule to avoid bacterial and fungal issues.