What soil is needed for cacti: requirements and composition of the soil. How to make a substrate yourself?

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

The soil for cacti should be loose and rough. The soil includes in a certain proportion of river sand, gravel, vermiculite, etc. This allows you to make the soil coarse and loose. It will allow air and moisture to pass through. Every cactus grower should know the peculiarities of preparing such a mixture.

Choosing a container for transplant

Before you know which soil is suitable for a cactus, you need to choose the correct transplant container. In this matter, the plant is considered quite demanding. Even if the soil is selected correctly, but the cactus is transplanted into the wrong container, it will develop worse.

What soil is needed for cacti: requirements and composition of the soil. How to make a substrate yourself?

The pot can be made of any material other than metal. It is important to choose the right shape and size. Taking a plant out of an old container, the size and structure of its root system should be assessed. If it is more developed from above, it is better to give preference to a shallow but wide capacity. If the roots are long and have a pronounced main stem, it is better to choose a deep but narrow pot.

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

What soil should you plant?

What soil is needed for cacti: requirements and composition of the soil. How to make a substrate yourself?
The habitual understanding of inexperienced growers about high-quality soil in the case of growing zamiokulkas can cause the creation of conditions for its death, since this plant, due to the specifics of the soil in natural conditions, feels good in not very nutritious, air-permeable soil.

Loams enriched with soil humus are reluctant to part with moisture, which can lead to the beginning of the process of rhizome decay.

The most comfortable for the root system of zamiokulkas in the mixture turf and sandto which a good portion has been added expanded clay, small crushed stone or ordinary medium-sized stones from a dirt road.

Before planting, the soil obtained by self-mixing different soils and mixtures, you need sanitize by pouring boiling water or calcining in the oven.

IMPORTANT! The root system of the zamiokulkas reacts negatively to rough mechanical stress, so move the plant to a new flowerpot carefully, using the transshipment method. If it is necessary to transplant a plant due to overflow and root decay that has begun, the damaged underground parts are separated.

Pot features

When deciding which land 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 this purpose.

Clay or ceramic is also one of the best materials for a pot. They can be decorated in a variety of ways. Even ordinary coffee cups are suitable for this purpose. Some cacti growers grow plants in coconut shells. There are many options. It is not recommended to use metal dishes for such purposes. It can rust. This negatively affects the growth of the cactus.

If there are a lot of plants, containers can be placed on one tray tightly to each other. This facilitates the transfer of the collection, increases the stability of each cup. In plastic containers, moisture stays longer. Watering is done less frequently. The pot must have drainage holes.

Care

Cacti are very fond of bright sunlight. It is best to place the plant pot on the south window. With insufficient light, the cactus does not develop well. Growth retardation usually occurs in winter when daylight hours are too short. Some species require additional light. In warm weather, the plants are taken out into the fresh air (balcony or street).

Water the cacti regularly. Abundant watering is necessary for those individuals who grow in a dry room where the temperature is high. In summer, it is necessary to water the plants every day, preferably in the morning. Water for irrigation must be used boiled. In the fall, the frequency of watering is reduced. In winter, the plants are moistened in small doses so that the soil does not dry out completely.

Forbidden components

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

Resistance to disease and other external influences in this case becomes low. The cactus can be attacked by pests, fungal infections. With a high degree of probability, the plant will die. Therefore, it is forbidden to add bird droppings, manure or horn sawdust 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.

Features of care for zamioculcas

Zamioculcas is popular among lovers of home flowerpots because of its beautiful appearance. The advantage of this plant is the fact that caring for it does not bring much trouble to its owners.

When maintaining a flowerpot, you should pay attention to the following nuances:

  1. Lighting… The plant is light-loving. A temporary lack of bright light is acceptable, however, it is better to place the flowerpot in a well-lit place. Also, its condition will be negatively affected by exposure to direct sunlight.

    Zamioculcas at home

  2. Watering… When wetting the soil, it is best to avoid hard cold water. The soil must be irrigated with water at room temperature.
  3. Spraying… It is important to regularly spray the leaves with a spray bottle and wipe them off with a damp cloth.
  4. Additional fertilizing… Fertilizers are needed for zamiokulkas from mid-spring to late summer. Top dressing can be chosen universal for cacti and succulents. Funds must be added to the soil every 14 days, but you should not feed too much zamioculcas, as this can make it vulnerable to disease.
  5. Transfer… Once every 1 years, the flowerpot must be transplanted into a larger container due to the growth of the root system. It is better to carry out the procedure in the spring.
  6. Support… So that the shoots do not tilt the entire plant under their own weight downward, it is necessary to think over a support that will support the stem.

Learn also how to properly transplant zamiokulkas at home.

Soil characteristics

When studying which land to transplant a cactus, several possible options should be considered. You can prepare the mixture yourself. Universal primers are also on sale. However, when buying them, it is important to pay attention to which types of cactus they are intended for.

What soil is needed for cacti: requirements and composition of the soil. How to make a substrate yourself?

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

Also, the earth must be nutritious. For this, it is necessary to enrich the soil with certain components. Experienced flower growers argue that it is best to use clay-sod soil or leaf humus for these purposes, which include coarse river sand, crushed stone.

Required soil composition

Soil for orchids: soil requirements and options at home

As mentioned earlier, the composition of the land for cacti depends on the type and age of the succulent. Younger cacti need a more porous and nutritious environment. Therefore, a lot of deciduous soil should be present in the soil mixture for them. And old cacti can be safely planted in clay turf soil with a dense or lumpy texture. Basically, the ingredients are the same, only in different quantities, and some are added as needed.

So what kind of land is needed for the proper development of a cactus? Here is a detailed list of the required substances and their short characteristics:

  • leafy soil: nutritious, light, loose, with a slightly acidic reaction. It is air and moisture permeable, suitable for plants with thin, young roots;
  • sod land contains a large amount of useful trace elements and minerals. She has an average moisture permeability. For cactus, light-sod soil is more suitable, which consists of almost half of clay particles;
  • peat has a rich chemical composition, which is valuable for growing any kind of plant. The acidity of peat depends on the amount of calcium in it: the more calcium, the less acidity. However, peat does not absorb moisture well, so there should not be much of it. Unlike most indoor plants, cacti prefer the soil with high peat, and not with lowland or transitional. There are not so many fertilizers in it, which in excessive quantities will only harm the succulent, therefore the color of such soil is light brown;

What soil is needed for cacti: requirements and composition of the soil. How to make a substrate yourself?
The basic constituent components of the soil for cacti are river sand, sod land, leaf land, peat

  • river sand provides the soil with a porous, loose structure. It is vital for cactus plants, because the natural environment of many species of these plants is the driest places on Earth – deserts;
  • humus is an additional portion of useful elements. It is very important to know that humus with a high percentage of nitrogen should not be added to the soil for cacti. This element stimulates rapid growth, and many cacti naturally grow slowly, and if this process is artificially accelerated, then the plant will have cracks on the skin. In most cases, such feeding is necessary for large forest cacti;
  • fired clay (or zeolite granules) also serves for soil porosity. Thanks to her, water is better absorbed;
  • charcoal powder is an excellent substance for disinfecting the root system. It is added to pots when transplanting plants if the roots begin to rot due to excess moisture.

It is these ingredients that the earth should contain for cacti in order to create favorable conditions for their existence.

How to prepare the mixture yourself?

The land for a cactus at home is prepared in accordance with one of several methods. The first approach involves mixing in equal proportions of leafy soil, turf, peat and coarse sand.

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

Members of the Cereus family need a very nutritious soil. These cacti are known for their fast growth and large size. For such plants, the mixture is prepared from 1 part of leafy, sod land, peat, and ¼ part of humus.

The prepared soil mixture can be used to form a soil with improved characteristics. They are suitable for unpretentious cactus species. For them, take 2 parts of the ready-made potting mix. To it add 2 parts of coarse sand and 1 part of gravel.

Ideal soil for cactus

The closer it is in composition to the soil to which succulents are accustomed in their natural environment, the better. The land for cacti should be naturally grainy, arid, and poorly nutritious. It is important that it allows air and water to pass through well. As for acidity, for cactus soil this indicator should be pH = 4,5 – 6.

Only in such an environment will these plants feel comfortable, grow at their own slow pace and store moisture. They not only do not need abundant watering and greasy soil, like other flowers, but such conditions are destructive for succulents.

And in order to prepare such a soil mixture, one should focus on a number of factors, including the type of plant, its age, climatic conditions, and so on. Typically, mixtures are composed of the following components:

It contains the necessary nutrients, has a suitable friability, lightness, and absorbs moisture well. You can take such land in a birch grove or a park with deciduous trees, after removing the old foliage. It is advisable to do this in the middle of spring. When the snow starts to melt

The material retains moisture, but at the same time, nutrients are retained in it much longer, not being washed out immediately. They take it in the garden, choosing a site densely overgrown with grass. The layer with turf and earth is removed with a shovel, spilled with diluted manure. Then these layers are covered and left to rot for a year.

This method takes time, but if it is not, then you can take the soil, which is shaken off the roots of the dug up sod. It is less nutritious, but still has a suitable structure.

  • The old earth from the greenhouse

Not the best option, which is resorted to only if there is no leafy or clay-soddy soil. There is such land in any garden or dacha.

Well-rotted manure is useful for most plants, including indoor ones. However, it is added to the soil of succulents in very small quantities and only if the soil is very poor in nutrients. As a rule, a soil mixture of large specimens belonging to the group of forest cacti is fertilized with humus.

This component, which has large, 2-3 mm fractions, makes the substrate loose and porous. Therefore, he must be added to any soil mixture intended for cacti. You can bring such sand from a beach or river, and before use, rinse it from dust, or use a product from a pet store, where it is sold as material for aquariums.

Required to increase the porosity of the substrate, quickly absorb moisture, ensuring its rapid drying. This non-reactive mineral of natural origin does not float like vermiculite, it is neutral, but tends to accumulate useful substances. Zeolite contains the main essential trace elements.

The easiest way to find this material is in the pet department, as it is used to make cat litter. It should be non-clumping. Zeolite granules are sieved to leave larger, 4-5 mm fractions.

A universal component that is used to disinfect sections and is added to the soil, as it has an anti-rotting effect. Charcoal from deciduous trees works best.

This simple material is very useful for succulents – it makes the soil looser, more porous, and can retain excess water. To make it, it is enough to break a brick or an unnecessary clay bowl.

Instead of brick chips and zeolite, pumice can be added to the mixture – light, porous volcanic rock or perlite, vermiculite, agroperlite. The main functions of these inorganic substances are to pass moisture through the soil and give it airiness.

Most often, florists mix the components in the following proportions:

  • 1 part each of leafy land, turf and coarse sand;
  • 0,5 parts of drainage material – it can be brick chips, pumice, lava, small expanded clay or other;
  • 0,25 parts of peat.

Another modern material suitable for cactus soil is coconut coir. It consists of organic fibers that decompose very slowly. Coira helps to retain moisture and air, gives the mixture the required structure and retains it. It gets wet faster than peat and dries up in a short time.

What soil is needed for cacti: requirements and composition of the soil. How to make a substrate yourself?

Recommendations of specialists

The advice of experienced professionals will help you understand what kind of land is needed for cacti. Choosing the right mixture, you should also ensure the high quality of all components. Leaf humus, which is involved in the preparation of the soil, should not contain twigs, twigs and other debris.

Clay-sod land should also not contain grass or roots. It can be presented in the form of lumps. River sand should be well washed. It should be free of dust and other unnecessary components.

What soil is needed for cacti: requirements and composition of the soil. How to make a substrate yourself?

You can add charcoal and brick to the mixture. These components are mixed in equal proportions. They are well crushed, cleaned of dirt and dust. Crushed chalk and eggshells are added to the soil with a volume of 3,5 liters. You will need no more than 1 teaspoon of this supplement. You can also add one teaspoon of superphosphate and a handful of vermiculite.

Finished land

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

There is a huge number of ready-made soils, the most popular is the soil for cacti from, which includes biogomus, as well as the “Flower Happiness” mixture. Another good choice is such a soil as “Tropic for Cacti”.

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 chosen loose and breathable, so your plant will develop well.

What soil is needed for cacti: requirements and composition of the soil. How to make a substrate yourself?

Brick and peat

The composition of the soil for cacti can include crushed brick and peat as an additional component. This additive serves several functions in the mixture. First of all, bricks with peat make the soil porous. They also maintain the correct moisture level inside the pot.

What soil is needed for cacti: requirements and composition of the soil. How to make a substrate yourself?

Brick and peat are hygroscopic substances. They absorb excess water when watering. Then gradually they give this moisture to the soil. This is a kind of regulator of soil moisture.

The combination of brick chips, peat and river sand is particularly successful. When applied separately, the adverse effects of these substances on the plant can be observed. Over time, the brick disintegrates, forming dust. If there is too much sand in the soil, it will dry out. If you add too much peat to the mixture, it will adversely affect the roots of the plant. Therefore, all components must be in the soil in a certain proportion.

Peat

Peat is a combustible sedimentary mineral of plant origin that is formed by the incomplete decomposition of moss and marsh plants in swamps. Formed under conditions of lack of oxygen and high humidity. In horticulture, it is used as a fertilizer and an additive to the soil, improving the structure, that is, the looseness of the soil and its nutritional value. Used to stimulate plant growth and development. Peat is very fine structure, dusty, if there is a lot of peat in the soil, it becomes too light, it is difficult to water, water is not immediately absorbed.

Sand

River sand is often part of the soil for cacti. Its grain should be large. The larger the grains, the better for the mixture. The sand must first be rinsed under running water. Such a component will give the earth looseness and the required porosity.

What soil is needed for cacti: requirements and composition of the soil. How to make a substrate yourself?

If sea sand is used to create soil, it must be soaked in fresh water for a long time. Moreover, the liquid is periodically changed. Otherwise, the sea sand will negatively affect the growth of the cactus.

Alternatively, crushed expanded clay can be used for the mixture. It also needs to be rinsed thoroughly. The grain size of the stone fraction should be 3-4 mm. If the cactus will grow in the open air, you can use less additional components. It is recommended to use clean, and preferably sterile, components.

Vermiculite can also serve as a loosening agent. Its porous granules are presented in the form of flakes and grains. They are also capable of regulating humidity levels, just like broken brick.

Sheet soil

When studying which land to plant cacti, you should learn more about such a component of the mixture as leaf humus. It has certain properties that contribute to the harmonious development of cacti. It will be difficult to replace this component with something else.

Leafy soil contains many nutrients that the plant needs. Moreover, such components are already processed by bacteria. This makes it easier for the cactus to digest them.

This type of soil absorbs water well. It dries faster than alumina. This prevents stagnant moisture. The soil must be clean, free from traces of parasites and infections. If the land is taken from the garden or garden, it is better to prefer the soil on which the legumes grew. This soil should not be fertilized for 3 years before planting the cactus. If the deciduous soil is taken from the forest, it is better to collect it near the beech.

Primary soil cultivation with chemicals

What soil is needed for cacti: requirements and composition of the soil. How to make a substrate yourself?
Chemicals are usually not treated with soil, and the branches of the plant – if it is found that it is attacked by a spider mite, aphid, or a scabbard.

The first two types of pests are fought with tobacco infusion and soap-tobacco solution mixed with denatured alcohol, respectively.

Nicotine sulfate spraying is used against aphids. To prepare such a solution, use a gram of the drug per liter of soapy water.

Parts of plants especially infested with pests are wiped with a cloth or swab dipped in disinfectant solution… A day after disinfection, the bush is washed under a warm shower or the leaves are wiped with a damp cloth several times.

Feeding the plant can be skipped if there is no suitable fertilizer available – Zamioculcas is sensitive to an excess of fertilizing and can get sick from an overdose… The optimal amount of watering with the addition of microelements – not more often once a monthwhen the plant is actively developing.

Zamioculcas grows well in florists, rarely but abundantly watering it, periodically spraying it with clean water on especially hot days, using soils with a high air permeability rate for transplanting.

On our website, we have also prepared articles for you on the methods of propagation of a tropical plant and competent care for the unpretentious and decorative Zamioculcas.

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Land for cacti, which was taken in the forest or in your garden, may be too light. In this case, you need to add a little alumina to it. This soil will hold moisture and nutrients in the pot. Clay soils are especially often used as part of a mixture when planting large varieties of cacti. Their root system engages well with lumps of such soil, ensuring proper plant nutrition.

Dusty clay should not be used for such purposes. She will cement the soil. When choosing a soil additive, a simple experiment can be done.

If fresh soil is squeezed in your hand, it should turn into a lump. With stronger compression, the soil crumbles. If, even with slight compression, the soil immediately crumbled, a little clay is added to it. Sand, broken brick and peat should be added to the dense soil that remains in a lump.

Planting room culture rules

It is better to plant or transplant a cactus in April or May. A layer of drainage is placed in the container, and then a little prepared soil.

It is advisable to disinfect the soil mixture before planting.

You can spill the ground with boiling water two weeks before planting the plant. Steaming in the oven is also not excluded by placing the container for an hour in a slightly heated cabinet. A microwave oven is also used for this purpose. In any case, the procedure is carried out in advance so that the earth has time to be saturated with beneficial organisms.

The roots of the cactus are straightened, dipped in a pot and sprinkled with soil. After it is lightly tamped and poured, add earth and a drainage layer on top. Cacti are transplanted twice a year, picking up a new pot and substrate.

Other additives

Cactus soil can contain charcoal and sulfur. They prevent the formation of rot, infections. They also give looseness to the soil. For 1 liter of soil mixture, add a flat teaspoon of sulfur and a little coal powder. The latter should be crushed to a state of fine crumbs.

Superphosphate will enrich the mixture with phosphorus. When used, the acidity increases slightly. This is useful for cacti if the soil is alkaline.

For the formation of thorns, bristles and hairs, a cactus needs a certain amount of lime. It optimizes the plant’s metabolism. At the same time, the cactus assimilates the nutrients that are in the soil better. Astrophytum and white mamillaria require a lot of lime. It is added to the soil in the form of crushed eggshells, shells, chalk.

Fertilizers for zamokulkas

Even well-chosen soil requires periodic fertilization. In this matter, it is important not to overdo it.

No more than once a month in summer and spring, you need to apply mineral fertilizers to the soil (for example, a ready-made substrate for cacti). Agricola is also a good fertilizer, but when using it, you should avoid getting on the leaves.

During the dormant period, the plant does not need fertilizers.

Having created excellent living conditions for your emerald pet, taking care of it, you can enjoy its original beauty for many years.

Degree of acidity

To determine which land is preferable for cacti, you need to pay attention to the degree of its acidity. This indicator demonstrates the concentration of hydrogen ions in a substance. The neutral pH level is determined at 7 units. If the indicator exceeds this value, the soil is alkaline. A lower pH value indicates that the soil is acidic.

Almost all varieties of cactus grow well in a neutral to mildly acidic mixture. If you water them with hard water, the soil will become alkaline over time. Therefore, the land needs to be renewed.

If the pH is 7,5, the cactus may stop growing. When the pH is set at 8-8,5, the plant dies. The normal level of acidity is 5,5-6 units.

Soil acidity

Soil acidity is a measure of how much the soil’s properties approach those of acid. Measured in pH. The condition of plant roots depends on the pH value; at high acidity, the roots lose their ability to absorb water from the soil. They slow down in growth, thicken, coarse and, as a result, do poorly in their duties.

The acidity is variable, rain, top dressing can change the acidity. Most plants cannot tolerate acidic soil, so high pH soil is neutralized so that plants can grow normally. The acidity of the soil determines the amount of lime in the earth. When there is very little lime, the soil becomes acidic. Some plants, on the contrary, prefer acidic soil, for example, hydrangea needs acidification of the soil.

Universal primer

Land for many varieties of cactus can be purchased from a specialty store. Most often, gardeners buy “Soil” Cactus “. It has optimal acidity. The mixture’s hazard class is 4. It is safe for the environment and human health. You can add baking powder to it.

The package contains a list of the types of cacti for which the presented mixture is intended. This soil is suitable for 4/5 of all existing varieties of cacti. For 1/5 of the plants, you will have to prepare the soil yourself, taking into account their characteristics.

Having considered the features of preparing the soil and choosing all the necessary components for it, you can grow a healthy, beautiful cactus.

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Anna Evans

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