Just purchased 7 extremely healthy looking cacti from B and Q

Unfortunately each cacti doesnt look like it has much room for growth - they
are currently in 3 or 4 inch plastic pots.

How much room should cacti have in order to feel comfortable? Should some
compost be visible?

Also, shall I bother feeding the cacti plant food? Or just water them once a
week or so with normal water?


Cheers


Tom

On Sun, 10 Aug 2003 15:30:37 +0100, "g00se"
wrote:

How much room should cacti have in order to feel comfortable? Should some
compost be visible?

Also, shall I bother feeding the cacti plant food? Or just water them once a
week or so with normal water?

I prefer to put cacti in terracotta pots, partly for better drainage,
but also because they tend to become top-heavy as they grow, so need
the extra base weight to keep them stable. If I can get a suitable
size, I also like half-pots rather than the standard ones, for extra
stability. If they are quite small, I allow a little room for growth -
they are not my favourite potting on job (ouch)!

Try to water 'as needed' rather than rigidly sticking to a routine
'once a week'. Cacti grow better when the compost is kept about as
moist as ordinary pot plants in the growing season, but quite dry in
the winter (just enough not to start shrivelling). I like to put the
pots in a plastic saucer or tray, and water into the tray until they
don't soak up any more - I am not sure how well this would work with
plastic pots. Mine have definitely done better when I have remembered
to keep up the feeding (in the water).

Regards, VivienB

In article , g00se
writes
Just purchased 7 extremely healthy looking cacti from B and Q

Unfortunately each cacti doesnt look like it has much room for growth - they
are currently in 3 or 4 inch plastic pots.

They don't grow fast, and although it is good to allow the width of a
little finger between edge of cactus and edge of pot, it won't hurt them
if they are so pot bound that the pot becomes out of shape ;-)

How much room should cacti have in order to feel comfortable? Should some
compost be visible?

Also, shall I bother feeding the cacti plant food? Or just water them once a
week or so with normal water?

I water once a week, with tomato fertiliser every second week. Don't
water them if they're still damp from last week's watering, and tail off
the watering in Sept, keeping them dry until the weather warms up again
in spring. However, if they're on the windowsill of a centrally heated
room, they might need the occasional tinydrop of water over the winter.

Remember what they don't like is cold wet feet - being cold and wet at
the same time.


Cheers


Tom



--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

In article , g00se
writes
Just purchased 7 extremely healthy looking cacti from B and Q

Unfortunately each cacti doesnt look like it has much room for growth - they
are currently in 3 or 4 inch plastic pots.

They don't grow fast, and although it is good to allow the width of a
little finger between edge of cactus and edge of pot, it won't hurt them
if they are so pot bound that the pot becomes out of shape ;-)

How much room should cacti have in order to feel comfortable? Should some
compost be visible?

Also, shall I bother feeding the cacti plant food? Or just water them once a
week or so with normal water?

I water once a week, with tomato fertiliser every second week. Don't
water them if they're still damp from last week's watering, and tail off
the watering in Sept, keeping them dry until the weather warms up again
in spring. However, if they're on the windowsill of a centrally heated
room, they might need the occasional tinydrop of water over the winter.

Remember what they don't like is cold wet feet - being cold and wet at
the same time.


Cheers


Tom



--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

In article , g00se
writes
Just purchased 7 extremely healthy looking cacti from B and Q

Unfortunately each cacti doesnt look like it has much room for growth - they
are currently in 3 or 4 inch plastic pots.

They don't grow fast, and although it is good to allow the width of a
little finger between edge of cactus and edge of pot, it won't hurt them
if they are so pot bound that the pot becomes out of shape ;-)

How much room should cacti have in order to feel comfortable? Should some
compost be visible?

Also, shall I bother feeding the cacti plant food? Or just water them once a
week or so with normal water?

I water once a week, with tomato fertiliser every second week. Don't
water them if they're still damp from last week's watering, and tail off
the watering in Sept, keeping them dry until the weather warms up again
in spring. However, if they're on the windowsill of a centrally heated
room, they might need the occasional tinydrop of water over the winter.

Remember what they don't like is cold wet feet - being cold and wet at
the same time.


Cheers


Tom



--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

In article , g00se
writes
Just purchased 7 extremely healthy looking cacti from B and Q

Unfortunately each cacti doesnt look like it has much room for growth - they
are currently in 3 or 4 inch plastic pots.

They don't grow fast, and although it is good to allow the width of a
little finger between edge of cactus and edge of pot, it won't hurt them
if they are so pot bound that the pot becomes out of shape ;-)

How much room should cacti have in order to feel comfortable? Should some
compost be visible?

Also, shall I bother feeding the cacti plant food? Or just water them once a
week or so with normal water?

I water once a week, with tomato fertiliser every second week. Don't
water them if they're still damp from last week's watering, and tail off
the watering in Sept, keeping them dry until the weather warms up again
in spring. However, if they're on the windowsill of a centrally heated
room, they might need the occasional tinydrop of water over the winter.

Remember what they don't like is cold wet feet - being cold and wet at
the same time.


Cheers


Tom



--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

In article , g00se
writes
Just purchased 7 extremely healthy looking cacti from B and Q

Unfortunately each cacti doesnt look like it has much room for growth - they
are currently in 3 or 4 inch plastic pots.

They don't grow fast, and although it is good to allow the width of a
little finger between edge of cactus and edge of pot, it won't hurt them
if they are so pot bound that the pot becomes out of shape ;-)

How much room should cacti have in order to feel comfortable? Should some
compost be visible?

Also, shall I bother feeding the cacti plant food? Or just water them once a
week or so with normal water?

I water once a week, with tomato fertiliser every second week. Don't
water them if they're still damp from last week's watering, and tail off
the watering in Sept, keeping them dry until the weather warms up again
in spring. However, if they're on the windowsill of a centrally heated
room, they might need the occasional tinydrop of water over the winter.

Remember what they don't like is cold wet feet - being cold and wet at
the same time.


Cheers


Tom



--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

In message , g00se
writes
Just purchased 7 extremely healthy looking cacti from B and Q

Now that is unusual. But I guess even B&Q find it hard to underwater
cacti.

Unfortunately each cacti doesnt look like it has much room for growth - they
are currently in 3 or 4 inch plastic pots.

How much room should cacti have in order to feel comfortable? Should some
compost be visible?

Depending on what they are 1cm round the edge would probably be OK for
4" pots. They are most easily repotted early in the year unless
extremely pot bound. Overpotting tends to cause rot via wet roots. A
hint that it needs repotting is when roots start coming out the bottom
of the pot.

Also, shall I bother feeding the cacti plant food? Or just water them once a
week or so with normal water?

Don't waste money on specialist cacti plant food, anything with high
potash low nitrate like tomato feed is ideal. And don't over feed.

Perhaps less obviously let the compost dry out between waterings and
give generous amounts of water but never leave them standing in water.
This is a lot easier with very open grit based compost on staging.

In mid summer and active growth they can need almost as much water as
normal houseplants (but will survive with much much less). Succulents
can be a bit more touchy about watering especially in the recent
heatwave.

Regards,
--
Martin Brown

In article , Martin Brown
writes

Depending on what they are 1cm round the edge would probably be OK for 4" pots.
They are most easily repotted early in the year unless extremely pot bound.
Overpotting tends to cause rot via wet roots. A hint that it needs repotting is
when roots start coming out the bottom of the pot.

You are sensitive to your plants needs! ;-)
For me, the hints are
1) the pot starts falling over because of the semispherical bundle of
roots through the bottom
2) square pots begin to look circular and circular pots begin to look
square.

I suspect your way is better for the cacti!
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

In article , Martin Brown
writes

Depending on what they are 1cm round the edge would probably be OK for 4" pots.
They are most easily repotted early in the year unless extremely pot bound.
Overpotting tends to cause rot via wet roots. A hint that it needs repotting is
when roots start coming out the bottom of the pot.

You are sensitive to your plants needs! ;-)
For me, the hints are
1) the pot starts falling over because of the semispherical bundle of
roots through the bottom
2) square pots begin to look circular and circular pots begin to look
square.

I suspect your way is better for the cacti!
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

Don't waste money on specialist cacti plant food, anything with high
potash low nitrate like tomato feed is ideal. And don't over feed.

Perhaps less obviously let the compost dry out between waterings and
give generous amounts of water but never leave them standing in water.
This is a lot easier with very open grit based compost on staging.

In mid summer and active growth they can need almost as much water as
normal houseplants (but will survive with much much less). Succulents
can be a bit more touchy about watering especially in the recent
heatwave.

Regards,
--
Martin Brown

I have a 100g pack of "Chempak" cacti food cost me £1.55. Been feeding my 20
cacti with it for over a year and there is still another 6 months of feed in
the tub.

I have mine in 80cm long plastic troughs, not the ideal thing to grow them
in, but they are a perfect fit in my windowsills.

Eanest Trawler

Don't waste money on specialist cacti plant food, anything with high
potash low nitrate like tomato feed is ideal. And don't over feed.

Perhaps less obviously let the compost dry out between waterings and
give generous amounts of water but never leave them standing in water.
This is a lot easier with very open grit based compost on staging.

In mid summer and active growth they can need almost as much water as
normal houseplants (but will survive with much much less). Succulents
can be a bit more touchy about watering especially in the recent
heatwave.

Regards,
--
Martin Brown

I have a 100g pack of "Chempak" cacti food cost me £1.55. Been feeding my 20
cacti with it for over a year and there is still another 6 months of feed in
the tub.

I have mine in 80cm long plastic troughs, not the ideal thing to grow them
in, but they are a perfect fit in my windowsills.

Eanest Trawler