With good care, the columnar cactus grows quite quickly, so that the pot quickly becomes too small. You should repot it now at the latest. When is the best time to repot and what do you have to consider?

The cereus cactus likes sandy soil

The best time to repot the cereus

Ideally, repot a cereus in winter or very early spring. The roots of this type of cactus are very sensitive and should not be damaged if possible. In winter, the pillar cactus takes a break, so that any root damage is not quite as serious.

The right pot and plant substrate

The new pot for the columnar cactus must be at least as deep as the previous one. The diameter should be about an inch larger. Make sure there is a sufficiently large drainage hole in the ground.

Whether you choose a pot made of plastic or clay is a matter of opinion. Some experts recommend choosing only plastic pots because clay pots hold too much water.

Cactus soil is recommended as a substrate, which you also mix with quartz sand (15.85€). You can also use garden soil that you make more water-permeable with coconut fibre, sand and gravel.

Repot the pillar cactus

Carefully remove the cereus from the old pot. Gently shake off the used substrate. Check the roots for damage and disease. You can cut off old and diseased roots.

Place the columnar cactus in the prepared pot and fill in enough substrate. Press the soil down lightly. For larger specimens, stick thin wooden sticks to the edge of the planter to which you can tie the trunks. Then the columnar cactus stays upright.

Caring for cereus after transplanting

  • Do not water for the first week
  • then water carefully
  • do not fertilize in the first year
  • do not place in the blazing sun at first

After repotting, wait at least a week before watering the cereus again. Then the injured roots can recover in the meantime.

tips

It's best not to touch a cereus with your bare hands. Not only the very strong, sharp thorns depending on the species can severely injure the skin. The fine hairs of other types are also not harmless, as they pierce the skin with barbs.

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Vegetable garden