- How to plant the mother-in-law seat
- How to properly water and fertilize the mother-in-law seat
- The mother-in-law seat in winter
The mother-in-law or gold ball cactus from Mexico is just as popular as the Christmas cactus and can therefore often be found in living rooms at home. The care of this cactus is relatively easy, so the plant is also suitable for beginners.

How to plant the mother-in-law seat
The mother-in-law seat thrives best in special cactus soil or a mixture of earth, sand and clay granules in roughly equal parts. The granules should be permeable so that no waterlogging can occur. In order to get a nice spherical shape, the golden ball cactus needs a lot of light. Otherwise it tends to grow taller than wide.
In the summer, the golden ball cactus is welcome to move into the garden or onto the balcony. However, you should slowly get him used to the direct sun. At first, only put the cactus outside for a few hours. A place protected from rain is ideal.
How to properly water and fertilize the mother-in-law seat
During the growth phase in summer, the mother-in-law's seat needs quite a lot of water, but it should drain well. Therefore, a drainage layer in the pot is important. Just place some pottery shards over the drainage hole before pouring the soil into the pot.
Fertilizer is good for your mother-in-law's seat from April to September. It is best to use special cactus fertilizer. However, one dose per month is sufficient. Directly after repotting or replacing the soil, no fertilizing is necessary for a few weeks. The fresh soil contains enough nutrients.
The mother-in-law seat in winter
If you have given your mother-in-law a place in the garden in the summer, then think about bringing the cactus back into the house in good time in the fall. The changeover is necessary at the latest when the temperatures are permanently between 5 °C and 10 °C. In winter, water your mother-in-law's seat only moderately and avoid fertilizers altogether.
The essentials in brief:
- easy-care
- Location: as sunny as possible
- Soil: Cactus soil or a mixture of soil, clay granules and sand
- Water plentifully in summer, sparingly in winter
- Fertilizer: Cactus fertilizer monthly from April to September
tips
The mother-in-law likes to spend the summer in a garden area protected from the rain. However, he should slowly get used to direct sunlight.