Gardening with Gary

Gardening Advice from an Expert

Cacti

Q. My cactus has produced a little plant off to the side of it. Now what?

A. Cacti can be a fun and rewarding experience indoors for a person who does not want to spend a whole lot of time gardening. They are fairly easy to grow.

The cactus has produced a side shoot, or baby. You need to let the new growth stay there until it makes its own independent root system. This is a fast way this plant does its reproduction. A lot faster than flowering and seeding and growing a new plant in desert conditions.

Once the plant has reached about 2" tall, gently tug on it and swivel to see if it is separate from the parent. Use a clean, sharp knife and go down into the soil in a line between the new and old plants. Gently prod it and get it separated from the other, making sure you get some good roots for it.

Plant it into a small pot, about 3" diameter, with a light sand mix. Water in and set next to the other, as that is the climate it is used to. Turn it so that all sides will get sun on it. They send out more roots quickly, and it will be fine as long as you let it dry out very well between waterings.

Q. I just receive a basket with a cactus plant in it, but I don't know anything about them. So, how many times should I water my cactus plant: once a day, once a week?

A. The answer depends upon a couple factors. How much light and heat is the plant getting? They are desert plants and love both. Place it where it gets direct sunlight for as long as you can provide. No protection is needed, as long as there are no other plant types in the basket with it.

Secondly, what does the soil look like? Would you say it is desert-like, being mainly sand with a little soil mixed in? I hope so. That would mean that the drainage will be very good. If it was potted in a regular house plant potting mix, it will retain water much longer, and you will have to water less accordingly.

Never water this plant unless the soil surface feels quite dry. No moisture should be felt by your fingers. If in doubt, wait another day. In any case, I do not envision you needing to water any more often than once a week, and probably less.

If the plant is overwatered, the roots and stem will start to turn brown, then black, then fall over or off. The plant may very well die unless you keep it very dry. Experiment, and the more you watch it and work with it, the better you will know when is the proper time to water.