"Jason Scott" wrote in message
...
I have just bought 3 cacti. They seem quite large for the tiny pots they
are
in. Is it OK to put them in bigger pots or do they like to stay confined
and
quite potbound?

Complete gardening novice so treat me with gardening gloves please lol

Thanks

Jay

Some cacti seem to thrive on abuse.

We have one variety which is a a ?barrel? shape - think of half a short fat
spiky ridged cucumber - which propogates by budding near the base. I have
potted this on in normal multi-purpose compost, and then taken cuttings and
potted them on into normal multi-purpose compost covered by a thin layer of
grit.

I leave them out on the patio in the sun, wind and rain for most of the
year.
Last year I just remembered to bring them in before the frost.
They flower every few weeks with lovely trumpet shaped flowers which only
last a day or so.
I overwinter them in a shed, near the window.
They tolerate being very dry and extremely wet.

Two other varieties, Christma/Easter cactus and a strange branching huge
thing, live obscure lives of their own in large old terracotta plant pots.
On has been out all winter and still seems to be alive, although not growing
strongly at the moment.

I always thought that cacti were delicate desert things which needed
dryness, special compost, and special care.

I suspect that these would thrive in a sunny south facing border for most of
the year, and might even overwinter if covered against frost. I may yet try
this :-)

So experiment and have fun - my cacti seem to grow like crazy when treated
like normal pot plants i.e. regular feed and water, normal compost.

Cheers
Dave R

Which reminds me - it must be about time they came out of the shed for some
fresh air!