Cacti need special care in winter. By providing them with appropriate conditions, we can prepare them for spring and make them bloom beautifully. However, we need to know how to do it and what mistakes not to make in winter so that our cacti can develop healthily.
Most cacti come from areas where winters are warmer and there is not much rainfall. However, during this period they require our special care and certain procedures. We are talking about wintering plants.
A period of rest is a natural thing for them. During it, they can prepare for the next cycle of growth and flowering. Therefore, it is worth taking care to recreate these conditions at home so that our plants can develop and function well. By providing them with wintering, we will take care of them for regeneration time, which will allow the cacti to produce impressive and beautiful cacti in the future .
Wintering cacti is not complicated. However, we must start with proper preparation of the plants. The first thing we should do is limit watering. The frequency of watering the plants should be reduced approximately 4-6 weeks before wintering. Thanks to this they will stop growing and begin to go dormant.
We also cannot forget to stop fertilizing cacti. We should stop using conditioner at the end of summer. Then, before we move our plants to a cooler place, make sure they are in good condition. Let’s check if they have any signs of disease or symptoms indicating the presence of pests. If we notice them, remove the damaged parts and use appropriate protective measures.
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When wintering cacti, we must: provide them with a temperature ranging from 5 to 15 degrees Celsius. Therefore, it is best to move the plants to cool, unheated rooms. A basement or garage will work well.
In addition, let’s remember to: provide cacti with access to daylight. If we don’t know how to do this, we should use illuminating lamps. However, when it comes to watering plants, it is practically completely unnecessary in winter. The only exceptions are species that require a minimum amount of water once every few weeks.
Let’s not make the same mistake popular which is storing cacti in a too warm place during wintering. In such conditions, they will not go into rest. Let’s also not forget to regularly check the health of plants, because diseases and pests may appear even in cool conditions.
When the days become longer and the temperatures rise, we can slowly wake the cacti from dormancy. To do this, move the plants to a place with more light and then start watering them gradually with small amounts of water.
