The Best Way to Repot Your Cactus

The Best Way to Repot Your Cactus

When repotting an existing cactus, you may not need to use soil at all. In the case of those that have a root system that doesn’t need to be supported, such as some ficus and azalea, reporting can be done in the same manner as reporting the rest of your plants. The main difference is that the roots will be much closer to the ground than they are in the case of other plants.

Repotting Process

When repotting a cactus, it is important to follow a simple plan. First, remove the entire plant from the pot. The stem should be cut away at the base. Then, carefully lift the roots and remove the soil from underneath. Then, cut the roots back to about half the size they were before they were removed.

Place the plant in a shallow pot with plenty of drainage so that the roots don’t rot. Make sure the plant is at least two feet away from any other shrubs or trees. The roots should be about half an inch below the surface.

You may choose to add a second layer of soil as well if the first layer does not drain enough. In this case, the second layer of soil should also be made of a high-quality potting medium. For this purpose, you may choose to purchase a mix of vermiculite and perlite.

Nutrients

To keep your cactus healthy, you will also need to provide additional nutrients. Adding a layer of vermiculite is one way to add nutrients to the soil. A third solution that is beneficial is using vermiculite to provide additional drainage in the bottom of the soil layer. Be careful not to add too much vermiculite though, or the plant could end up with too many roots and not enough water.

Once the dirt has been removed, you are ready to put the soil back into the pot. Be sure the pot is tightly sealed to the sides and bottom. This way the roots do not have access to the outside air. Keep the pot in the sun during the first two weeks to help the soil begin draining.

Water the soil when it is about half full and more often if needed. When the roots are in the process of re-growing, this is the best time to water them again.

Final Steps

When you are sure the roots have begun to absorb moisture, take the plant out of the pot and water it again, but make sure you are only doing so until the water has completely soaked the soil. After it has soaked completely, you can remove the root ball and move the plant to a larger container. If the plant is in full sun, you can water it in the late afternoon or late evening.

When you get your cactus out of the pot and into the yard, you will need to make sure the plant is resting against sturdy support. This will keep the plant from twisting and damaging itself in the process of reporting.

Once the plant is in place, you can report it into the same pot that you had previously. You can also report the cactus into a larger container. and then repot into a smaller container before planting in the ground.

You should carefully repot the plant into the soil that has just been treated. When you do, you should make sure the roots are sitting right in their pot. Make sure the water has dried up completely before placing the plant back into the pot.

Repotting a cactus will take a few weeks and some time. However, you will reap the rewards of the hard work you have done if you can successfully repot a cactus and maintain the plant in your yard.