Cacti & succulents are known for their hardiness and water wise habits, but they still need a little love and attention. Here are the simple rules to keep them looking their best.
Planting cacti & succulents
aphids and mealybugs. Their leaves and succulent branches can become pale-skinned with elongated stems or stunted leaves on spindly stems. Choose a sunny position for best results.
Watering cacti & succulents
Both cacti and succulents like embedding their roots in an open texture, free draining mix allowing optimal aeration. Most varieties are not fertiliser hungry, although they do require some nutrition for healthy growth and better blooms. Searles Cacti & Succulent Specialty Mix is a specifically designed soil mix which provides excellent drainage and is boosted with long term 12 month fertiliser. This mix can be used in pots or in garden beds where cacti & succulent are planted.
Many cacti & some succulents positively flourish on minimal moisture, due to their internal mechanisms for water storage. Although many succulents will perform better and produce more flowers with regular watering. Check the plant label of your succulent for watering guidelines. If starved of water, leafy succulents shed their leaves. If they still don’t receive any water, they will slowly die, starting from leaf tip. Water starved cacti will shrink into dormancy. Both will rejuvenate quickly once watered.
Light requirements
Fertilising cacti & succulents
Cacti & Succulents love light and need about six hours of sun per day, depending on the variety of plant. Poor exposure to sunlight will reduce its flowering ability and make a better home for pests and disease, especially page 08 | About the garden magazine
Fertilising is simple and should not be overdone. Applying Searles Flourish Cacti & Succulent Soluble Plant Food during Spring and Autumn should provide them with all the food they need.
