Diseases and pests of cactus and succulents: how to recognize them and how to prevent their attacks

As much care as we can give to our cacti and succulent plants, some drawbacks with parasites, pests, infections and fungi can always happen. Unfortunately, it must be considered, particularly if you have many plants. With proper cultivation, however, the problem can be significantly reduced and the number of losses caused by animal parasites and bacteria can be considerably reduced. It may seem obvious, but the first and most effective tool for the fight against pathogens and harmful insects is prevention. Prevention is done through a cultivation regime as natural as possible that respects the cycles and times of plants without forcing their growth. Just in this way cacti and succulents grow healthy and robust to the point of being able to cope with adversities on their own. In the last few years, thanks to natural cultivation and treatments based on pesticides reduced to a minimum, I have no longer observed any attack on my plants by animal parasites. Sometimes I may have some losses due to Fusarium, but they are single specimens, never large scale infestations.

In the following article, we will see in detail what consists of prevention; which are the pests and diseases that can affect cacti and succulents; such as the symptoms of their action on plants, and how to carry out treatment and care in case of problems. (…)

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Repotting cacti: a few tips on how best to do it without… donating blood!

Repotting is often one of the reasons why many people steer clear of cacti. Maybe they like the plant, but the idea that sooner or later it has to be repotted, with all those thorns, frightens those who are new to this kind of plant. Many people even decide to give up on cacti for getting leafy succulents, which are much easier to deal with when repotting. In fact, even particularly prickly plants like Echinocactus grusonii or Ferocactus are not so complicated to repot. A little experience and a few “tricks”, and you can get out of it without literally having to “give blood”.

Let’s see how to proceed and all there is to know about repotting,
especially the most challenging ones due to the plant’s size and the thorns on the stem. (…)

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How often and how much to water cactus (cacti) and succulent plants and which water to use

Watering is still one of the most debated themes among those who approach the cultivation of cacti and succulents in general. How much water do cacti want? When should succulent plants be watered? How often should succulents be watered? These above are just some of the most frequent questions – and I fly over, for obvious reasons, on another question that I have often heard asked: But should cacti be watered…?

Like any living thing, succulent plants need water. How, how much and when water depends on many factors, such as the time of the year, the place where you live (North or South Italy, for example?), temperatures, environmental humidity, the substrates you use, the size of the pots, and more… Before going into the details of watering, let us sure to definitively put aside false convictions legacy of who knows what experiences at the edge of the absurd. For example, let’s get the fact that cacti and succulent plants have to be watered with droppers or watered once in a blue moon.

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