- Water properly at any time of the year - that's how your cacti like it
- Only soft water goes into the watering can
Cacti thrive in regions of the world where water is a rare and precious commodity. As a survival strategy, plants have acquired the ability to store every drop in their leaves, shoots or stems. Watering succulents properly therefore requires a rethink. This guide sheds light on all the details.
Although cacti store a lot of water, they should still be watered regularly
Water properly at any time of the year - that's how your cacti like it
When cacti leave their winter quarters at the beginning of March, the watering can is used for the first time after the dry hibernation. Parallel to the growth and flowering period, water the succulents until September according to the following premises:
- In the first week of March the plants shower with soft water
- Water thoroughly a week later
- Water small cacti again after a break of 5 to 8 days
- For large cacti, water at four-week intervals
- Pour out the coaster promptly to avoid waterlogging
- Gradually shut down the water supply from September/October
This watering plan is for guidance only. The local conditions at the site, such as solar radiation, temperature or humidity influence the degree of evaporation. Therefore, before each watering, please check whether the substrate is actually almost dry.
Only soft water goes into the watering can
Hard water is taboo for caring for cacti. Please only use collected rainwater or decalcified tap water for watering. As long as you enjoy the privilege of having water with a hardness below 14° dH flowing out of your tap, no quality improvements are necessary.
tips
In order to prepare hard tap water for the care of cacti, you can save yourself the use of chemical descaling agents. With peat, even the most calcareous water becomes soft. To do this, hang a cotton bag with 1 liter of peat in a filled watering can for 2 to 3 days.