CACTUS SELECTION

ORIGIN AND CHARACTERISTICS

Most cacti have fleshy stems, spines, and no leaves. They have been able to adapt to the driest and most inhospitable climates on earth, becoming the only plants capable of withstanding the extreme conditions of the deserts. The great family of Cacti are native to the American continent, in addition to occupying the desert habitats of North America, they have also managed to adapt to the dark and humid forests of South America, such as "Zygocactus truncatus", from Brazil, also they have adapted to mountainous regions up to 2000 m above sea level, like some species such as “Parodia” native to Argentina.

Most cactus flowers are hermaphrodites, there are many varieties of colors and shapes, some of them also have colored spines, such as yellow or red, some are woolly, with or without ribs. They need a very simple care that makes them a wonder of a species.

DECORATION OF ... EXTERIOR OR INTERIOR?

These cacti are perfect for interior decoration due to their small size, their different shapes and their various bright colors. Its thorns make it a striking and very aesthetic species to give a touch of color to the home.

It is the perfect plant for those beginners who do not have much treatment with the care of plants.

CARE FOR CACTUS AND SUCCULENTS

They are showy plants, very pretty and that practically do not need much maintenance.

- They prefer places with direct light or that have good lighting, preferably next to a window, on a balcony, a terrace or in your Garden.

- They can withstand low temperatures, around 0 degrees.

- It is essential that they have good drainage, both in the soil and in a pot.

- The ideal substrate for cacti has to be combined with sand and gravel, so that they have good drainage, humidity and excess water are not good.

- Irrigation does not have to be excessive. From spring to autumn, which would be its growth period, water every 15 days, abundant watering and wait for the soil to be very dry again. In winter do not water or give one watering per month.

- Fertilizer. During the growing season (spring - autumn) you can fertilize them with worm humus. Eggshells are a good homemade fertilizer, they contain (Calcium, Iron, Potassium, magnesium and Phosphorus) these nutrients are very important and favor their growth, you must crush and mix them with the substrate, administer them a couple of times a year.

- Treatment against fungi due to excess humidity, disinfect the area with a copper-based fungicide.

- If you want to transplant them from the pot or the ground, the best time would be from spring.

And don't forget that to work with cacti you have to wear good gloves.