How to Plant a Cactus Garden

Cactus plants are easy to grow. This segment demonstrates step-by-step how to plant a beautiful cactus garden that would look great in your home or office.

Produced by the Department of Communications at Kansas State University. For more information, visit our website at: http://www.kansasgreenyards.org

Transcript:
How to Plant a Cactus Garden

Today we’re going to do a cactus garden. They’re very easy plants. With cactus and succulents, they need very bright light, and they can definitely go outside during the summer months.

Cactus have very shallow, but wide roots. So, a bowl or other shallow containers work great. They also need very good drainage. I always choose pots with a hole in the middle. This pot also comes with a matching saucer. And, I always cover the hole with something. A piece of broken clay works very well, and it goes right over the hole.

It’s very important with cactus and succulents to use the right kind of soil. I like to use something loose and gritty such as crushed lava rock. When transplanting, you should squeeze the root ball to loosen the soil and roots from the pot. Hold the plant in place while you tip it over, and then remove the excess soil from the root ball.

Because cactus have such small roots, you can pack the plants in tightly. That’s all the plants I’m going to fit in there. The dried moss is just for a decorative touch. It adds another element and texture. And to finish, I’m going to use some crushed lava rock. You can use colored rock or aquarium gravel. I’m choosing a dark red rock to go with the colors I’ve chosen today.

Next, I’ll water the container to help the plants settle in. I’ll carefully and evenly distribute the water.

(Gregg Eyestone)
Cacti are ideal houseplants. They take lots of sunshine and very little water. For more information, visit your county extension office or visit our website at KansasGreenYards.org

This feature story prepared with Joe Zarda, Family Tree Nursery of Overland Park, and closing statement with Gregg Eyestone, Kansas State University Research and Extension Horticulture Agent, Riley County.