In what soil does the cactus grow? What kind of soil is needed for cacti?

Store-bought soil is not suitable for cacti and succulents. Succulents growing in the desert, where the soil is dry dust, clay, stones and sand. Look at the photo in the article on the native habitats of cacti: we need to repeat this at home. And don’t try to give them “more nutritious” soil, as you will only ruin the plants.

Store-bought mixtures, even special ones for succulents, are all based on peat. It is not suitable for these plants absolutely. Even “Soil for desert cacti” is still peat-based.

Cacti will collect moisture immediately, store it in their bodies, and excess water must be evaporated or drained to prevent fungal diseases and rot. Actually cheaper (and better for plants) make your own mixture.

Why is purchased soil unsuitable?

Succulents have too weak immunity to soil microorganisms. Ordinary plants are resistant to them, but not succulents! In succulents, normal soil microflora can cause rotting of the roots and then the entire plant.

To prevent microflora from growing in pots, for succulents never use peat organic substrates and water the plants only after completely drying the soil. Microbes with this method of cultivation constantly die and do not have time to reproduce.

This is exactly how succulents live in nature: their soils are mineral, not organic, sandy, clay or rocky, content organic matter extremely little, and little moisture. The soil is usually dry, the number of soil microorganisms is at a very low level.

What is the ideal cactus mixture?

This is an environment that promotes optimal health for your cactus and mimics the naturally grainy, arid, low-nutrient soils in which they grow naturally.

The cactus family are succulents that store moisture in their trunks, stems, for use during dry and dry periods. They are typically found in desert environments, although some are tropical and subtropical. These plants prefer sunny places with plenty of warmth, areas where there is little rainfall and the soil is harsh. Most plants are ideal for the home due to their minimal care requirements. These hardy plants require water, but not to the extent that other plants require. They are unique in shape and bloom beautifully.

What is soil microflora?

Soil microflora - microscopic fungi, bacteria and algae. For life, they need organic components of the substrate. In addition to organic matter, they require stable conditions so that the soil does not dry out completely.

When growing ordinary plants, microorganisms receive exactly these conditions: the soil remains constantly moist.

Plant roots can also serve as a substrate for soil microbes, but ordinary plants know how to protect themselves from this. Not succulents. For them the best prevention from rotting is the use of mineral soils, small pots, and watering only after the soil has completely dried and been in a dry state for some time.

Purchased soils

The plant store sells only soils for peat basis, which is completely unsuitable for succulents. This also applies to soils with names “for cacti, for succulents.” Plus, fertilizer is also added to the peat.

Peat is inherently a natural substrate for soil microflora, to which succulents are not resistant.

Peat mixtures have a high water-holding capacity: they dry out slowly, which is beneficial for microbes, but not for succulents. It is extremely difficult to wet dried peat in a pot.

In general, if you want to become a real cactus grower, you will have to make the soil yourself. Fortunately, this is not difficult. And even very interesting!

Commercial potting mixes claim that they can "provide all the necessary conditions for the growth of cacti and other succulents." Experienced growers will assure you that this mixture is ideal for all types of cacti. In addition to being inadequate for some cacti, commercially available mixtures do not work for most cacti. These mixtures are primarily a combination of sand and peat. But, as we said above, the soil for cacti should not be constantly wet, otherwise the roots will rot, followed by the entire plant.

Worst part in store-bought mixtures is that once a commercial mixture dries out, it becomes very difficult to re-moisten it due to the nature of the main ingredient - peat. As a result, the water will stand at the top and mainly flow down from the inner wall, leaving most dry soil mass.

DIY soils for cacti and succulents

We will create a loose mineral substrate that dries very quickly. The usual one will suit us street land from the forest or from the garden, mixed with coarse sand.

The main components of the substrate for succulent plants:

• clay base: forest, garden, street soil
• mineral leavening agent: coarse sand, small pebbles, perlite, vermiculite, lava, pumice

Required good drainage to prevent roots from rotting.

Avoid large pieces of bark and wood chips.

Pumice- relatively light volcanic rock, porous. More affordable substitutes include perlite, insoluble cat litter, soil for aquatic plants, sandstone or other similar substance ( agroperlite, and vermiculite). The goal is to provide an inorganic substance that allows water to move quickly through the mixture while still making the mixture somewhat "airy."

Can be added to soil coir (coconut fiber), it's for sale as soil for terrariums. It's rough fibrous material, which is technically organic but decomposes very slowly. The purpose of adding coir to your cactus mixture is to help retain moisture and air while providing structure to the mixture. Unlike peat, coir is easy to moisten after drying. Coconut fiber is sold in very tightly compressed briquettes. Before use, it must be torn apart by hand: the coir expands to at least three times its original volume in the briquette, and even more.

Coconut coir and other soil components for succulents.

Clay minerals They form the main basis of soil fertility due to their ability to retain nutrient salts.

The disadvantage of clay is its caking and poor penetration of air into the soil, so clay in its pure form is not used for planting.

It is necessary to add a significant amount of mineral disintegrant: any material with a particle diameter of 1-4 mm, ideally 2-3 mm. This is coarse sand: exactly large, small ones can be sifted out through a sieve.

Coarse sand can easily be found in any pet store in the aquarium supply department; they also sell small pebbles that can also be added to the soil.

If this desert type cactus, use a simple mixture of clean fine sand, larger grains of sand and a little soil. If you have tropical look, add some peat. A plant like milkweed is remarkably adaptable to almost any soil and can even thrive in dry soil.

There is no need to calcinate or steam the soil. The main thing is not to flood it, let it dry properly.

You should also not spill potassium permanganate, it is a strong oxidizing agent that deteriorates Chemical properties soil.

Some people add a little bone meal to the soil, sometimes fertilizer. And remember that cacti love to be watered with slightly sweetened water (water with regular sugar).

Use only small pots because larger ones allow the soil to dry out too long between waterings, which is bad for succulents, especially in winter. You need small plastic or clay pots; for small cacti, a 100 ml pot is more than enough. The main thing is not to flood the plant!

Keep in mind that besides soil, there are many other factors such as light, humidity and temperature that affect the growth of cacti. This should all be considered along with the composition of your soil. Don't be afraid to experiment, it's very interesting!

Dishes

What hurts me most now is that in my early cactus-growing youth no one told me what the best dishes for cacti. I tried everything: plastic, ceramic, metal dishes.
Of course, I prefer plastic pots, and here's why. The surface of the metal dish gets very hot during the day, which causes the delicate suction roots of the cacti to dry out and die (they literally “fry”, like in a frying pan). Ceramic dishes absorb water, which then quickly evaporates through the walls - and the roots of cacti, reaching out to the ceramics for water, die painfully.
The situation is aggravated by the situation when cacti are given little space to grow: the pots are tiny, the bowls are small - the roots cannot develop in such conditions.

In the literature about cacti, some authors write that a pot for a cactus should be selected according to the size of its roots, while others believe that cacti should grow in small, cramped pots. Where should the roots grow? After all, even if the plant itself is compact, its roots are usually many times larger than the size of the above-ground part.
It is wrong to think that if we do not see the roots, then we can not pay attention to them (as if the cactus grows on its own, and its roots live their own lives). But it is the thin roots of the cactus that collect moisture and nutrition and allow it to grow.

How often can you see unkempt cacti on the windows, huddled for years in small cramped pots, not watered on time and dusty - and yet not giving up, persistent, like tin soldiers... living cacti!
I had an “epiphany” when I arrived in Israel and saw magnificent huge cacti growing near houses with virtually no care. That's when I realized what a normal, healthy cactus should look like!
For cacti, I choose dishes 2-3-4 times larger than the size of the plant along with the roots - so that there is a place for full-fledged roots to grow, and not “mouse tails” in tiny pots. Out of 30 years of growing cacti, a quarter of a century passed before I realized this. For 25 years I tried in vain to grow large, beautiful cacti in small pots, and no one told me about this important point.
Now I always plant several plants at once in a deep and spacious plastic container. In this “dormitory”, the roots of one cactus develop vigorously, while the roots of the other grow weaker; So it’s convenient for them to be nearby, and they get less hypothermic.

The soil

“Terra incognita” is an uncharted land... Among cactus growers there is a belief that there is either some kind of “magic cactus” soil mixture, or “amazing cactus” soil, or “unusually miraculous cactus” substrate. And whatever people come up with, and wherever they look for this “cactus” soil! As many cactus growers as there are in the world, there are as many recipes for soil for cacti (even more :)).

I myself, sinfully, spent a lot of time of my life searching for such land (I looked for it both in the forest and in the field), but now I know which land is completely unsuitable for cacti.
Do not listen if you are told to plant cacti in sand, gravel, gypsum, loose-looking clay soil and, especially, clay (this is death for cacti). Their tender roots cannot breathe in such soil. Clay retains moisture for a long time, so the roots rot and the cacti die; and when the clay soil dries out, it cracks and tears off the roots. Dry clay soil may look crumbly, but when wet it sticks together like cement. The same goes for small river sand, which quickly sticks together, compacts and becomes like a crust of concrete. If plants live in such, so to speak, “earth,” then they are probably well fed with all kinds of fertilizers.
Although there are both helmoculture and hydroponics, this is not for beginners.

What kind of soil is needed for cacti?
Remember three main rules about soil for cacti:
1) The soil should be as loose as possible, but it should not be as loose as sand.
2) Black nutrient soil is desirable (this is my opinion based on the experience of growing cacti in the south), but without strong organic fertilizers.
3) There must be a lot of soil so that the roots can grow at least 2.3 times.
So, what kind of soil do cacti need?
This soil should not be very sandy or clayey, but should always be loose and fertile: deciduous soil, black fertile soil and peat for looseness (also used as an acidifier) ​​are taken in equal parts.
deciduous ground for cacti, you cannot take it from under an oak tree; The soil from under coniferous and resinous trees is also not suitable. Look for black fertile soil in the field; soil from molehills is good. There is no need to add sand and gravel to the soil.

After 30 years of caring for cacti, I found an excellent substrate in the store - this is ordinary Dutch soil for flowers; Now I use exactly this, the lightest and in a practical way acquiring soil for cacti.

Transfer

So, the soil is prepared: a mixture of deciduous, field black soil and peat - equal parts of everything. You can add a little coarse sand and charcoal to it; We also add pieces of foam rubber. A drainage tray of several pebbles is placed at the bottom of the pot.

Young cacti need to be replanted in the spring every year; adults can be replanted with a clod of soil after two to three years. Having deep and spacious pots for all cacti means you can replant less often. Old plants are very sensitive to transplantation, so if they grow in a large container, they may not need to be transplanted for five or more years.
I move the cactus along with the clod of earth, and even if it is blooming at this time, it will continue to bloom. Although there is an opinion that “you need to shake off the soil from the roots”, or “wash and trim the roots”, or do other manipulations - I never do that and never will! Why injure the plant once again if it is juicy, healthy and growing?

After transplanting the cactus, do not water it, wait 3-4 days (and in temperate climates - even 5-10 days). If possible, choose the east or southeast side as the location for the transplanted plant, place it on a windowsill, in a window greenhouse or on a balcony and shade it well. After watering, when the plant begins to grow, gradually reduce the shading.

Watering

Water is a symbol of life; nothing can do without it. Living being. Cacti also love water very much, it’s just that in the process of evolution they were able to adapt to hardships: to unbearable heat and hot stones, to a huge blazing sun (to conditions where many plants cannot live).

Yes, adult cacti can survive without water. for a long time. This is why many people believe that cacti need to be watered very rarely, or not at all. This is fundamentally wrong: in nature, droughts are replaced by torrential rains, when the soil reaches its maximum degree of moisture - then the plants begin to grow and bloom rapidly.
About 30 years ago, when buying my first cacti, I heard that “it’s better to underwater them than to overfill them.” Therefore, in my cactus-growing youth, I was afraid to overfill the water when watering cacti - “I dripped as if from a pipette,” I watered my cacti less and less often than I should have watered them in the warm south of Ukraine. And what’s surprising: at the same time, my cacti somehow lived, grew slowly and even sometimes bloomed (especially Chilean astrophytums).
And only in Israel did I begin to water the cacti abundantly (as soon as the soil dried out on top), water, water! I made the soil for the cacti more fertile, did not “dilute” it with sand, clay and other additives, placed the cacti in a greenhouse outside the window, increased watering... and the results exceeded all my expectations.

...And then I created the earth, and gave it moisture and warmth,
so that she can grow cacti and other succulents :-)
My cacti began to grow 2-3 times faster; those that had not bloomed before began to bloom. Gymnocalyciums, Notocacti and Lobivia were especially pleased with the good soil and moisture. Astrophytums Ferocactus, Oreocereus, Espostoa and Cleistocactus grew powerfully. And in general, all the plants liked it: my cacti began to grow quickly and bloom wildly all summer, and some even into the winter.

I believe that each cactus grower must determine the question of the necessary watering of cacti for his own area. The main thing is that the clod of soil in cacti should not dry out, and the old layer of substrate should dry out between waterings. Therefore, I do not fill the root collars of my cacti with gravel or coarse sand.
In Israel in the summer it is so hot that you can’t go outside without a bottle (I mean a bottle of water). I water my cacti in winter too, they don’t stop growing. But in a moderate, humid, cold climate, cacti cannot be watered in winter!

Especially in hot weather, cacti, like all living things, are thirsty; you need to spray them (in the form of a “fog”) boiled water. It is not advisable to spray the cacti with a stream of water in the form of thin long “hairs”. When spraying cacti, the sun should not fall on their stems - a burn may occur.

Often the cause of death of cacti is an attack by insect pests: microscopic wounds appear in places where the skin of the cactus is most tender (on the roots, root collar or at the growing point). Through these “gates” rot penetrates into the cactus tissue, virtually instantly killing the plant. Many dangerous pests cacti such as mealybug and the tick (red spider), are terribly afraid of water. Since I live in a hot country, I don’t overwinter my cacti and continue to water them, so they don’t get pests.
Moreover, I water my cacti directly on the stem (except for Oreocereus espostoa and cephalocereus, whose hairs turn yellow and stick together from water), but in cold climates this is unsafe!

I have lived and live in areas where there is a lot of calcium in the water, so I periodically boil the water for watering cacti, let it sit for a day and acidify it. For the next watering, I no longer boil or acidify the water, but take only settled water for better absorption of microelements by the roots (since in boiled water almost all substances precipitate).
DURING COLD WEATHER, YOU DO NOT NEED TO WATER CACTi.

When preparing cacti for winter, you need to reduce watering, proportioning it to your climate (weather and temperature). At the end of October-November, if there are no sunny days, watering the cacti should be stopped completely. Start gradually watering cacti in March (if it’s warm), awakening the plants with warm mist spraying - then in the spring there will be fewer unpleasant surprises with cacti.

Always look closely and try to predict what your cactus wants and loves: it will be pleasant for him and useful for you!

Cacti are evergreen plants that can often be found on the windowsills of many gardeners. Caring for cacti at home is quite simple; they are not picky about their living conditions. But one feature still exists - cacti are very demanding on the composition of the soil. For good growth It is necessary to choose the right soil for cacti.

Soil composition

How to choose required composition land for cacti? Plants prefer the soil to be saturated nutrients. Each type of cacti has its own soil requirements. Therefore, the soil for such plants should be selected as close as possible to the natural one. But most flower growers, to grow such plants, purchase soil in specialized stores, to which they then add the missing components or prepare it at home with their own hands.

For desert cacti, clay soil is best suited, but forest species need loose soil. But still, the soil must allow air and water to pass through it well, and also contain low level acidity (no more than 6.5). Should not also be present in the soil various fertilizers, because fertilizing contains nitrogen, which stimulates rapid growth, but this is not necessary for cacti.

Varieties of cacti such as Strombocactus, Ariocarpus, Blossfeldia have a predisposition to rotting; they are grown in moist soil, where they are laid a large number of stones.

Spiny varieties require more calcium than other species. In this case, crushed eggshells are added to the soil.

To retain moisture well, you need to use turf soil; chernozem is not very suitable for this. Leaf soil contains a significant amount of nutrients; charcoal is an excellent antiseptic, thanks to which rotting can be prevented.

The acidity level of the earth is reduced using wood ash or dolomite flour.

Lime should be added to the soil only if it is necessary, for example, for astrophytums and other varieties that have long spines.

In order to make the soil more loose and breathable, you need to add coarse sand, fine expanded clay, small pebbles, vermiculite or pebbles to the soil composition. All of the above ingredients, except sand, must be added depending on the age and size of the plant. For example, a small fraction is good for young cacti, a large fraction is good for adults. Before preparing the required soil composition, it is recommended to disinfect all ingredients.

Soil preparation

What kind of soil is needed for cacti? For desert varieties, you should use a soil composition consisting of the following components:

1. Leaf and turf soil;
2. Peat;
3. Coarse sand.

All ingredients must be taken in equal proportions and mixed well.

For plain cacti, soil made from the following elements is optimally suited:

1. Turf land - 2;
2. Leaf soil - 1;
3. Peat - 1;
4. Coarse sand and humus - 1.

Soil mixture for cacti of the Cereus family, you need a fertile one:

1. Leaf and turf soil - 1;
2. Humus - 1/4;
3. Peat - 1.

The following soil is perfect for low-demanding plants:

1. It is necessary to take ready-made land - 2;
2. Coarse sand - 1;
3. Gravel - 1.

Before planting, you need to take care of the drainage layer. You can use crushed stone or expanded clay as drainage. After laying the drainage layer, you need to pour soil, and then lay another layer of expanded clay or small pebbles on top, thanks to such actions you can prevent rotting of the root collar. However, a top drainage layer is not always used because it makes it difficult to control soil moisture levels.

Ready land

When choosing a universal ready-made soil for cacti, it is recommended to study in detail the composition, which should include leaf soil, turf soil, high peat, sand, as well as other ingredients - charcoal, dolomite flour. The composition may also contain vermicompost, but it must be added to such a soil mixture in small quantities.

Exists great amount ready-made soils, the most popular is the soil for cacti from the manufacturer “Vermion”, which includes biohomus, as well as the “Flower Happiness” mixture. A soil such as “Tropic for Cacti” is also a good choice.

Professionals advise adding certain necessary components to the purchased mixture, depending on the type of plant. It should be remembered that the soil for cacti must be loose and breathable, so your plant will develop well.

Care

Cacti love bright colors sunlight. It is optimal to place a pot with a plant on a south window. At insufficient quantities light cactus develops poorly. Growth slowdown usually occurs in winter when daylight hours are too short. Some species require additional light. In warm weather, plants are taken out into the fresh air (balcony or street).

Cacti should be watered regularly. Abundant watering is necessary for those individuals who grow in a dry room, where heat. In summer, plants need to be watered every day, preferably in the morning. Boiled water should be used for irrigation. In autumn, the frequency of watering is reduced. In winter, plants are moistened in small doses so that the soil does not dry out completely.

The natural habitat of succulents, which are cacti, is not very favorable. However, this does not mean that when growing these plants you do not need to pay attention to the choice of soil. It is important to choose correct composition soil, and also give it a structure optimal for the development of the root system. Succulents are very demanding regarding these parameters.

The soil for cacti should be loose and rough. The soil contains river vermiculite, etc., in a certain proportion. This makes the soil coarse-grained and loose. It will allow air and moisture to pass through. Every cactus grower should know the peculiarities of preparing such a mixture.

Selecting a container for transplantation

Before you know what kind of soil is suitable for a cactus, you need to choose the right container for replanting. In this matter, the plant is considered quite demanding. Even if the soil is selected correctly, if the cactus is transplanted into an unsuitable container, it will develop worse.

The pot can be made of any materials except metal. It is important to choose the right shape and size. Having taken the plant out of the old container, you should evaluate the size and structure of its root system. If it is more developed at the top, it is better to give preference to a shallow but wide container. If the roots are long and have a pronounced main stem, it is better to choose a deep but narrow pot.

The container size should not be large. It should be slightly larger than the cactus root system. You should also take into account that drainage will take up some space in the pot. If the plant is sick, it is better to transplant it completely small pot. When choosing a container, the type of cactus is also taken into account. For example, many babies appear on mammillaria. At the same time, many individual plants can grow in a pot.

Features of the pot

When deciding what soil to plant a cactus in, you should also choose the right type of container. The material for the pot can be almost anything. Most often, cacti are grown in small plastic containers. Even yogurt cups are suitable for these purposes.

Also one of the best materials for the pot is clay or ceramics. They can be decorated different ways. Even ordinary coffee cups are suitable for these purposes. Some cactus growers grow plants in coconut shells. There are many options. It is not recommended to use metal utensils for such purposes. It may rust. This negatively affects the growth of the cactus.

If there are a lot of plants, the containers can be placed on one tray close to each other. This makes it easier to carry the collection and increases the stability of each cup. IN plastic containers moisture lasts longer. Watering is done less frequently. The pot must have drainage holes.

Forbidden components

The soil for planting cacti should not contain organic fertilizers. Such additives are rich in nitrogen. This component negatively affects the development of the plant. Cacti, consuming nitrogen, become loose. Their stem extends. The spines and hairs become weak, the skin will not have time to grow at the same speed as the stem. Wounds, cracks and scars will form on the surface. This is a life-threatening condition for the plant.

Resistance to diseases and others external influences in this case it becomes low. The cactus may be attacked by pests and fungal infections. With a high degree of probability the plant will die. Therefore, it is prohibited to add bird droppings, manure or horn shavings to the soil.

The soil should not contain pests and their larvae, undecomposed organic waste. It is important that it remains loose throughout the entire period of growth of the cactus.

Soil Features

When studying which soil to transplant a cactus into, you should consider several possible options. You can prepare the mixture yourself. Universal primers are also on sale. However, when purchasing them, it is important to pay attention to what types of cactus they are intended for.

The main requirement for the soil is its high granularity. Cacti do not tolerate digging up the soil. Therefore, the soil must be loose due to its special composition.

Also, the soil must be nutritious. To do this, it is necessary to enrich the soil with certain components. Experienced flower growers They claim that it is best for these purposes to use clay-turf soil or leaf humus, which contains coarse river sand and crushed stone.

How to prepare the mixture yourself?

The soil for cactus at home is prepared according to one of several methods. The first approach involves mixing leaf soil, turf, peat and coarse sand in equal proportions.

If the cactus is of the plain type (for example, Echinopsis), the soil for it should be more nutritious and porous. In this case, mix 2 parts of turf soil with 1 part of leaf humus, peat, and coarse sand.

Representatives of the Cereus family need very nutritious soil. These cacti are known for their fast growth and large sizes. For such plants, the mixture is prepared from 1 part of leaf, turf soil, peat, and ¼ part of humus.

From the finished soil mixture you can create soil with improved characteristics. They are suitable for unpretentious species cacti. For them, take 2 parts of the prepared soil mixture. Add 2 parts and 1 part gravel to it.

Advice from experienced specialists will help you understand what kind of soil is needed for cacti. When choosing the correct mixture composition, you should also ensure high quality all components. Leaf humus, which is involved in preparing the soil, should not contain twigs, twigs or other debris.

Cacti – original plants, discovered and brought to Europe by the first American colonists. Like many succulents, these unusual plants are able to live with a small amount of water and are very unpretentious. Therefore, they began to spread quite quickly in Europe - at first as exotic plants botanical gardens, and then in the collections of amateur flower growers.

Cacti differ from other succulents in their special structure - the result of long evolution. They have practically no leaves. Although scientists have described several species in which fully formed leaves can be seen on young shoots, this organ is absolutely atypical for cacti. All functions characteristic of leaves - photosynthesis and accumulation of water reserves - were taken over by the overgrown fleshy stem.

Cacti are distributed very widely in the tropical zone and arid regions of the temperate zone of both Americas. Some have mastered the highlands well, constantly experiencing the effects of temperature changes. Some species of cacti have been successfully acclimatized in Africa, Madagascar and other islands, on the shores of Mediterranean Sea. They even penetrated the shores of the Caspian Sea and the lower Volga. The main limiting factor for these unusual plants increased air humidity and, as a consequence, soil moisture. Capable of surviving the most extreme conditions, cacti can die from overwatering.

Primary requirements

The soil prepared for cacti should be light. The basis of such land is sand, and its fraction is better coarse. The soil may contain gravel and rounded stones; brick chips are allowed. One of the most important requirements– drainage. Under no circumstances should the soil contain ingredients that can accumulate and retain moisture. This is exactly the kind of soil that other succulents need.

It is believed that for such undemanding plants, like cacti, any pot will do. However, when choosing it, you must remember that in a narrow pot moisture is retained longer - the surface area through which evaporation occurs is small. The least suitable would be plastic pot, it does not absorb moisture at all.

Properly selected soil and, accordingly, a container for it can bring the growing conditions of your prickly pet as close as possible to the optimal conditions in which its wild-growing counterparts live.

Soil composition

The natural soil that cacti love is a mixture various kinds clastic material: sand and gravel of various fractions, dust particles blown by the wind, as well as silt deposited by rainfall streams. That is, there may not be any strict structure in such soil. The most suitable for cacti different soil. Village pensioners - lovers of exotic flowers - have been planting cacti in a pot with soil collected from the garden for decades. And it should be noted that their cacti grew quite well and even bloomed regularly. For the sake of truth, it must be said that, as a rule, the most undemanding species were distributed among such gardeners.

For a houseplant that was destined to become our pet, of course, we must try to create the most comfortable conditions. To do this, before planting it, it is still better to try to get acquainted with the conditions in which it grows in its historical homeland.

Different types of cacti can be inhabitants of not only different natural areas or altitudinal zones, but also different hemispheres. Their diversity is enormous, and if you add breeding forms and many other succulents, you can imagine how wide the range of their requirements for the composition and structure of the soil is.

The soil for cacti at home can be made up of a variety of elements.

• Soddy clay soil. Can be obtained in areas with undisturbed or restored herbaceous vegetation.
• Garden (greenhouse) soil. Can be collected from any garden bed or garden.
• Forest or garden soil, formed by rotting leaves.
• Humus, soil richly fertilized with organic matter from fields or gardens.
• River sand. Can be collected from the river bank or any sand quarry.
• Brick chips. Helps remove and accumulate excess moisture from the soil.
• Charcoal in ground powder form. Inhibits the development of putrefactive bacteria.
• Pebbles, fine gravel. All this is necessary to make the soil more porous and permeable.
• Zeolite (processed clay). This is the main filler element cat litter. The element promotes absorption and retention of moisture.

Thus, artificial soil for cacti must contain natural springs minerals in the form of a certain amount of garden, turf or garden soil, elements that actively absorb and retain moisture, reducing the negative effect of overflow, elements that structure the soil (sand, pebbles, gravel), and a natural antiseptic in the form charcoal.

For different cacti, the proportions of these basic elements can vary greatly.

Selection of ready-made substrate

You don’t have to think too hard when choosing ingredients for planting cacti. Ready-made soil for these plants can be purchased at most stores that specialize in selling indoor plants.

The advantages of this choice are obvious. It is not always possible to find ingredients suitable for creating a mixture. The origin of gravel is not always known, and there may even be doubts about its composition. Therefore, sometimes it is better to purchase a ready-made substrate compiled by specialists. However, we must remember that the basis of most ready-made soils is peat, and its high content is undesirable for cacti. When choosing a ready-made substrate, it is this ingredient that you should pay special attention to.

The best soil composition for cacti can be considered:

• based on lowland peat;
• classified as “fertilized”.

Often, bags of soil suitable for cacti are labeled “For cacti and succulents.”

How to make the mixture yourself?

Some professional gardeners prefer to make a soil mixture for their pets with their own hands. The arguments in favor of such a choice are no less obvious than against it. When making a mixture at home, the gardener is always sure what and in what proportions he added to it. Some lovers indoor plants make up a universal soil from the ingredients they have on hand, for example, on their summer cottage in summer time. This mixture can be successfully stored in a city apartment. When planting a new cactus, preparing the soil for it is not difficult. Knowing what the prepared soil contains and in what proportions, you can always add what is required in each specific case.

Such a universal composition can be represented as follows:

• 2 parts leaf humus;
• 2 parts of turf land;
• 2 parts coarse sand;
• 0.5 parts each of crushed charcoal and brick chips.

Pebbles and gravel can be mixed in the same volume with sand. Such a mixture can become a substrate for those cacti whose origin could not be determined.

Cacti have successfully mastered various biocenoses of the New World, but they can still be divided into several main ecological groups - each such group needs its own composition of soil ingredients. Ideally, of course, it would be great to select for each plant exactly the soil that has become its native substrate. But this is completely unfeasible.

Cacti that have mastered ecological niche deserts, can successfully grow in soil prepared from equal parts turf and leaf soil, peat and coarse river sand with pebbles.

Plain cacti can grow in soil made up of two parts of turf soil and one part each: forest soil, garden soil, peat, coarse sand with pebbles or gravel.

Large cacti of the Cereus genus grow and develop well in soil containing equal amount sand, forest and turf soil and half of the peat.

All cacti need drainage system, which can be created using expanded clay and gravel. The first is located at the bottom of the pot, and the second can be used as top drainage.

Soil care

Like any cultivated soil, soil for cacti requires care. Before planting plants, it must be calcined or steamed. To do this, you need to place some part of it in a metal container in an oven preheated to 100°C.

Watering – necessary condition normal growth and development of plants. Cacti, like many other indoor plants, require different levels of watering depending on the season. On hot summer days, you can water at least every day, but so that the soil does not accumulate moisture, but remains crumbly. When sunlight decreases and in winter, soil moisture should be reduced. In winter, when plants practically do not grow (insufficient lighting), watering can be reduced to 1-2 times a month.

Fertilizer must be added to the soil for cacti regularly, for example, before intensive growth begins in the spring. Cacti need the presence of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and calcium salts.

For normal plant development, it is necessary to carry out measures aimed at combating soil organisms that pose a danger to indoor plants. The most widespread insect is the mealy root bug. As the name suggests, this creature spoils root system, which affects plant growth. The scale insect can crawl from one pot to another, expanding the infestation. It can be very difficult to detect and exterminate it. Flower growers recommend periodically, for example, once a week, spraying your pet with a special insecticidal composition for prevention.