Your cactus sits on the windowsill looking exactly the same as it did last month, and you can’t tell if it is thriving or quietly thirsty. If you keep asking yourself how often should I water my cactus, you are already ahead of most growers, because guessing is how most indoor cacti get into trouble. … Read more >>
A bright red, orange, or yellow ball perched on a green stem sits on your windowsill, and you are wondering whether it needs more water, more sun, or nothing at all. The short version: Give your moon cactus bright, indirect light, water only when the soil is completely dry, and keep it above 50°F. The … Read more >>
Your spring cactus sits on a windowsill, its flat, scalloped segments arching over the pot edge, with no buds in sight. The short version: Give a spring cactus bright, indirect light, water when the top inch of soil is dry, and keep it in a fast-draining, slightly acidic mix. For flowers, it needs 6 to … Read more >>
Your round, ribbed cactus sits on the sunny windowsill looking firm and full, and you start wondering whether all that stored moisture could actually be tapped. Learning how to get water from a cactus starts with one surprise: the water is there, but it is not in a form you can safely drink. The short … Read more >>
Your Christmas cactus sits on the windowsill with the same few drooping stems it had last year, healthy enough but stubbornly small. If you want to know how to grow a bigger Christmas cactus, the answer lies in a handful of changes to light, water, feeding, pruning and potting that work together during the growing … Read more >>
You are looking at a packet of tiny black cactus seeds on your windowsill, wondering how something so small turns into a spiny little globe. Learning how to grow a cactus from seed is easier than it looks, and it mostly comes down to warmth, moisture, and light at the right time. The short version: … Read more >>
A tall green column studded with pointed, leaf-like spikes sits in your window, and you want to keep it looking that sturdy. Learning how to grow and care for Eve’s needle cactus indoors mostly comes down to bright light, gritty soil, and careful watering. The short version: Give Eve’s needle cactus the sunniest window you … Read more >>
Your bunny ear cactus sits on the windowsill with a crowd of fuzzy pads, and a few of them look ready to become plants of their own. Learning how to propagate bunny ear cactus is mostly about patience, because the pads root easily once you let the cut end dry. The short version: Twist off … Read more >>
You are looking at a healthy green Christmas cactus on the windowsill, full of arching segments and not a single flower bud in sight. The plant seems content, but it is clearly not getting the signal to bloom. The short version: A Christmas cactus sets buds when it gets long, uninterrupted nights and cool temperatures … Read more >>
You glance at your Christmas cactus on the windowsill and notice the flat, green segments have picked up a purple or reddish-purple cast, often darkest along the edges. If you are asking why is my Christmas cactus turning purple, the color is almost always a stress response, not a disease. The short version: Purple segments … Read more >>