Most commercial cactus mixes work well, but you can easily make your own superior quality mix. A good general purpose formula combines equal parts organic material, coarse river sand (don’t use beach sand), and porous organic material. For the organic material you can use any number of components such peat moss, a quality potting mix, coconut coir, etc. We’ve found a mixture made from equal parts peat moss, leaf mold (well decayed leaves) or compost, ground fir bark and healthy garden soil works very well. The porous organic material can be perlite or agricultural pumice. Another alternate formula combines 2 parts perlite or pumice to one part organic material. Remember, these are just general recipes, and you can improvise your own mix depending upon locally available materials. What’s most important is that your mixture provides excellent drainage.

CONTAINER

Always use a pot with a drain hole. Be conservative when sizing your pot; a larger pot is not necessarily better when it comes to cacti. A general rule of thumb is to choose a pot sized approximately 1” larger in diameter than the cactus it will contain. Unglazed clay pots are recommended for those inexperienced with cacti. Their inherent porosity provides some extra insurance against overwatering. Plastic pots are fine, but require more careful attention to watering. After planting your cactus , it’s a good idea to top the mix with 1/4” to 1/2” of fine gravel. This topdressing will help prevent stem rot and it discourages algae growth.

WATERING

Overwatering is probably the single most popular way to smother your cactus to death. A few simple rules will help ensure your relationship with your plant is long lived. Don’t water a cactus if the potting mixture is damp. Always allow the soil to dry out completely before you even think of watering again. Water early in the day so the top of the soil has a chance to dry a bit before evening. It’s best to water when you know you’re in store for a sunny day. During peak growing season you’ll be watering about once a week. When the days shorten and temperatures get cooler, you should begin to restrict watering. During winter, you should barely ever even water, once a month should suffice.

LIGHTING & LOCATION

While most people understand that cacti require strong light, what most folks don’t know is that they do not necessarily appreciate intense, direct sunlight all day long (especially during hot weather). Most species will be happiest with about 4 to 6 hours of direct sun. If at all possible, we recommend you locate your cactus in the great outdoors during the active growing season. There seems to be no real substitute for fresh air and sunshine. Ideal spots are any areas which receive a few hours of direct sun, especially morning sunshine, and are partially shaded during the mid to late afternoon. During winter months when most of us will have to bring our plants indoors, a location on the sill of a south facing window will be best. If you can supply some supplemental lighting such as from a Special Grow Lamp , your plants will appreciate it. Cacti grown exclusively indoors under conventional lighting (even bright fluorescents) will rarely grow into healthy , mature specimens. Indoors, good ventilation is very important. Some air movement will help keep your plants disease and pest free. Don’t, however place specimens in front of heating and air conditioning ducts.

FEEDING

Only fertilize plants which are actively growing and receiving adequate light. Use a fertilizer formula intended for blooming plants and mix up 1/4 to 1/2 strength solution. Feed about once every 3 or 4 weeks. We use Earth Juice brand bloom formula with excellent results. This is an organic, biologically active fertilizer. Avoid fertilizers high in nitrogen, and don’t use fish emulsions, bat guano, manures or other nitrogen-rich organic materials. During cooler weather and short days, your plant will be dormant and you should refrain from feeding.

MANAGING PESTS

Common pest you may encounter are scale, spider mites, and mealy bugs. Most insects are best managed by physically removing them from your cacti. A focused stream of water from your garden hose will remove many unwanted critters. More stubborn residents can be removed with a cotton swab or soft bristle brush soaked in rubbing alcohol. Neem oil preparations or non-toxic, fatty acid soaps known as insecticidal soaps can provide additional help for more troublesome infestations., but be sure to test an area before spraying an entire specimen . Insecticidal soaps can cause tissue burn in some species. If you’re growing T. pachanoi or T. peruvianus, avoid pyrethrins. They will cause severe tissue burns! Never apply any treatments in direct sun or during high heat and humidity. Sprays are best applied in early morning with good ventilation to ensure rapid drying.

TEMPERATURE

T. pachanoi , T. peruvianus and E. triglochidiatus are fairly cold hardy and can briefly withstand temps to about 20 degrees F. if kept dry. In most cases however, you should bring your specimens indoors if you expect freezing weather.

During the active growing season both Trichocereus pachanoi & Trichocereus peruvianus can benefit from more aggressive watering and feeding schedules, and will reward you with amazingly rapid growth. As long as they’re getting a few hours of direct sun and good ventilation, they really respond to the extra food and water. They also respond well to some nitrogen in their diet, and you can use 1/4 to 1/2 strength solutions of fertilizer intended for vegetative growth such as Earth Juice Grow. If you aren’t experienced, however, stick with a conservative routine.

TISSUE SCARS

Many of the live cactus specimens we offer were grown in semi-wild conditions. Natural environmental factors and growth habits will often result in tissue damage visible as areas of gray or buff colored scars. Under such conditions it’s virtually impossible to produce cosmetically perfect specimens. Take a walk in the desert and you’ll quickly find blemishes are a part of the natural process. While not aesthetically pleasing, scarring does not compromise the health of cacti. The long-spined species such as T. bridgesii usually suffer the most. Their natural growth habit is to form dense, candelabra formations. Adjacent columns frequently pierce each other with their stout spines, resulting in large mottled areas of tissue damage. Once isolated and grown under more controlled conditions, you’ll usually find that new growth will look more pristine and visually-pleasing.

ROOTING CACTUS CUTTINGS