Indoor Container Gardening – Cacti arrangements

Cacti are probably one of the easiest plants to grow if you don’t water them too much and take care in handling them if they have thorns or barbs.

May of the Cacti arrangements at garden centers just aren’t quite right so make your own. This will let you select the colors you want in plants and emphasis your personality.

You will need cacti soil, a wide shallow pot, newspaper, scissors, and several cacti and succulents.

When you shop for cacti and succulents chose a variety of textures, colors, sizes and shapes. Make sure they are healthy and not starting to shrink at the stem or have soft looking places on the plants. I always look at the soil they are in too. It should be clean looking and not have a smell.

Clean you container and fill it with moistened cactus soil. You can purchase this at a local garden center.  Moisten the soil to the point where it clumps slightly. The soil should not drip water when squeezed between your hands. This is too wet for cacti.

You need to be careful when handling cacti so I use newspaper and wrap several layers of the paper around the top of the plant leaving the roots and stem bare. This will protect you from getting poked by thorns

Transplant each cacti and succulent plant into your container. Once you are happy with your arrangement, remove the newspaper. I usually add decorative stones or a part of a wood root.

Place the cacti dish garden in a sunny spot. A southern, western or eastern window is the best location.

You should usually water your cacti dish garden about once a week. Test the soil by poking your finger down into the soil. If it feels completely dry it’s time to water. Do not water more often or keep the cacti dish garden constantly moist. Too much water will weaken the cacti stem and it will darken then get weak. They will even fall over if they are too wet.

I often set my Cacti out on the patio in the summer. Protect them from direct sun at first because they are not used to direct sun in the house. You will also nee to watch that they do not get too much water.

Always use cacti soil. They need more of a sand mix than regular potting soil will give them and they will not do well.

I also repot my plants every year or two. It gives you a chance to clean the container well and even to change the arrangement for a fresh new look!