Comments on: Transplanting Cactus

Question: Transplanting Cactus

kc0dxh — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 13:25:31 -0800

Can I transplant cacti from a 1" clay pot to a 4" successfully? Is this too big of a size jump?

By: Alison

Alison — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 13:27:48 -0800

The cactus will be fine if you use the right soil. Plants don't mind extra space and aren't overwhemed by it. It might look a lot smaller, though.

By: clarkstonian

clarkstonian — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 13:34:05 -0800

I did this two years ago. The cactus was tiny. It has since grown to fill much of the pot. They're slow growers, but this one wasn't. Good luck!

By: nprigoda

nprigoda — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 13:53:53 -0800

The problem with big size jumps in pot size is that often the soil won't dry out enough between waterings. What I mean is, the roots don't reach enough of the pot, so there's this "dead space" where water can sit for a while. Too much dead water in an organic environment means fungus and rot.
So, as long as you're careful about how you water your cactus, it should be okay.

By: kc0dxh

kc0dxh — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 14:02:35 -0800

Is it hijacking if I do it to my own question?

Now that I've got them in these 4" pots, how do I best water them? Up till now, I've set the cute little 1" terra cotta in 1/2" of water for 20 minutes, then set them in the sun. Will that still work?

By: bh

bh — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 15:08:18 -0800

I have about 10 cacti, all in terra cotta, some in store-bought 'cactus soil', some in rock mixes. FWIW, I leave them outside in the summer, and they get a lot of rain, and a lot of sun. No problems with root rot yet.

During the winter, I give them a nice watering every 3-4 weeks. Sometimes a little more frequently for the smaller ones if they look like they need it.

I've never had a problem transplanting to a larger pot, just don't bury them too deep.

By: pomegranate

pomegranate — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 17:25:26 -0800

bh is right, but water at a MAXIMUM of every three to four weeks. "Look like they need it" is a weird rule of thumb for cacti, that means Totally Dessicated and Actually Shrinking Substantially, not " the sand was dry."

Repot in clean, non-clay sand, but after you repot, just leave them alone. Do not water once you repot, wait about two weeks.

When I was 18 and 19 I worked at a cactus nursery. It was the most boring job I ever had: a little like being the Maytag Repairman.

By: polyglot

polyglot — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 20:28:30 -0800

Ever planted something in the ground (y'know, where plants normally grow?) That's a damn big pot :)

Sorry.

By: kc0dxh

kc0dxh — Thu, 23 Mar 2006 06:27:12 -0800

Cactus nursery?!? Who knew such a thing existed?