In a glass bowl with sand, cacti set decorative accents on the windowsill. The exotic plants are beautiful to look at when they present their blossoms planted out in the sandy rock garden. You can find out here which types of cacti are suitable for sandy substrate and what you should pay attention to when planting.
Some cacti also do well in sand
These cacti feel at home in sand
Cacti thrive in the deserts, mountains, and rainforests of Central and South America. The dry and heat specialists within this diverse succulent family are at home in steppes and dry deserts, where the soil is mainly composed of mineral components. These genera and species are perfect for planting in sand:
- Bishop's Hat (Astrophytum myriostigma)
- Old Man's Head (Cephalocereus)
- Silver Cohosh (Clistocactus)
- Hedgehog pillar cactus (Echinocereus)
- Sea Urchin Cactus (Echinopsis)
In particular, the wonderful opuntias belong to this frugal and undemanding group of cacti. This genus contains more than 190 species that don't mind sand. In contrast, leaf cacti, such as the Christmas cactus, are not suitable for cultivation in sand.
Planting a cactus in sand - Here's how
By no means every sand is suitable as a substrate for cacti. Since the succulents do not tolerate lime, building sand, bird sand or play sand are taboo. Instead, please use lime-free quartz sand. (15.85€) How to plant correctly:
- Only use a bowl or pot with an opening in the bottom to drain water
- Fill in pumice gravel, lava granules (€13.99) or Stypropor balls as drainage
- Fill the planter with sand up to 1 cm below the edge
- Unpot the cactus and place it in the middle of the sand
If you have planned a place for your cactus in a sunny bed, drainage is not necessary as long as the soil is well structured and permeable. Please do not plant non-hardy cacti outdoors until after the ice saints and put them back in in September so that they can hibernate in a bright, frost-free place.
tips
If cacti thrive in pure sand, the water and nutrient supply comes into focus. Water the succulents regularly in the summer, as this is when they are stocking up on water for dry wintering. Since sandy substrate contains no nutrients, fertilize the plants from May to September with a liquid cactus fertilizer, which they add to the water with every second watering.