There is absolutely no mystery to growing cacti and succulents, but there are some basic rules: where you grow them, what you grow them in, and how you treat them. Read on!
You don’t need a greenhouse but if you live in a cave, forget it! They all need light: some require lots of it, others less. Most will tolerate cold conditions, even down to just above freezing if kept dry, but very few succulents (and no cacti) are truly hardy in wet, temperate climates like the UK without a lot of care and attention.
With remarkably few exceptions cacti and succulents are easy to grow, but some are better suited to novices with windowsills while others are for more experienced growers with greenhouses.
You will see a vast amount of information on cultivation on numerous websites and in many books but they all say broadly the same thing:
- Lots of light
- Don’t be mean with the water (at the right time)
- Ensure good drainage
- Give them a bit of fertiliser every now and again
On the other hand, if you want to build a collection it does require a little appreciation of what species you actually have in order to match them with the most appropriate growing conditions. I try to cover these points in my social media postings where I highlight whether a species is particularly easy or is best left to the more experienced growers.
Common species are easy – that’s why they are common – whereas rarer species may be more difficult and are perhaps too much of a risk for the beginner. Don’t be put off – have a go and learn from your mistakes, as I have tried to do (but continue to make them).
Windowsill, Conservatory or Greenhouse?
Growing outdoors
Watering
Compost
Pots & containers
Top dressing
Potting up
Fertilizer
When things go wrong