Let’s go against the trend, since the period is more suitable for talking about suspending watering than about how, how much, when a cactus or succulent plant is watered. The topic, however, is of primary importance and although already covered in a specific article published in the “early days” of this site, it deserves further study. And it deserves it, perhaps even more so, now that we are approaching the moment when (at least in Northern Italy and in Europe) it is appropriate to suspend irrigation. Knowing when to say stop wetting cacti and succulent plants in general is essential to avoid rot during the winter. Knowing in which ways it is possible to water our plants (from above, like rain, or from below, or wetting only the soil, etc.), knowing how many times to water them during the growing season, how to adjust with the various genres, how to relate watering to the substrates used and much more is equally fundamental.

This is therefore the reason for this article, which also answers the many questions on this topic – how are succulent watered, how often are they watered, in which way? etc. – placed at any time of the year by novice growers (and not only novice). Not to mention that, if we want to go into detail, there are cacti and succulents that really appreciate some winter watering. Didn’t you know? More and more this article will be for you.

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L'articolo From above, from below, only the soil: how cacti and succulents get wet and how long we can do it proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

We see them in detail in the following article (…).

Premise

By the time of June, two first dangers for succulent plants should have passed by now, if we have done everything correctly (and regardless of the fact that this spring has been quite anomalous). I am referring to the danger of cracks on the cacti stems and that of burns following a late or “hasty” exposure. Once the cacti have resumed vegetating after the winter stasis, in fact, it may happen that following the first waterings (if too abundant or too close together) the stem “splits”. In this period of the year, even in the case of a wet and cold spring like the latter, cacti and succulents should have already received at least two or three waterings and the stems of the plants should have swollen. If the recovery has taken place gradually and the plants have returned swollen, the risk of stem splitting for this year can be said to have been archived.

In some ways similar speech in terms of exposure: to date all the plants should have been in their ideal location for some time now, where they will remain until autumn. In other words, those who kept cacti and succulents in the basement, entrance halls or garages should have moved the plants to full light (or half light depending on the genre) by now, under penalty of etiolation. Abruptly moving the plants now, with the June sun starting to get stronger, can expose the plants to the risk of severe burns on the stems. Whether the spring is cool or not, whether it is humid or not, the plants must be gradually accustomed to intense sun or direct sun and this must be done between the end of March and the beginning of April. In this way cacti and succulents are able to get used to direct sunlight very gradually, strengthening the epidermis well before the summer sun hits them. If you haven’t moved your plants yet, do it immediately but repair them with shading nets (especially during the hottest hours of the day), otherwise the first burns will begin to appear in the coming weeks!

Maximum air

Having exhausted the necessary premises, which are nothing if not common practices in the correct cultivation of cacti and succulents in general, we recall that the main element of cultivation, at this point, is trivially… the air. Trivially, because this element is often underestimated, or even not considered at all, taking it for granted. The air, on the other hand, is the main factor for the healthy growth of any plant and in this season, with temperatures starting to rise significantly (on sunny days in a completely open greenhouse it can easily exceed 40 degrees Celsius already in June, let alone August), the plants need as much air circulation as possible.

Anyone who cultivates in a very large professional greenhouse will have to open the structure as much as possible, raising the side curtains and possibly leaving the front and rear doors open. Those who cultivate on balconies and terraces should have no problems whatsoever, while those who cultivate in those small greenhouses covered with a transparent cloth must do nothing but… get rid of the greenhouses, remove all the plants from there and disassemble the greenhouses, which can return comfortable, at best, in winter (although they are still not the best due to the limited air circulation they allow). In this period, if we keep the plants in this type of structure, even by raising the openings in the transparent sheet to the maximum, we will still not be able to ensure the plants the air they need, and with high temperatures and humidity the risk of “boiling” plants or creating the ideal environment for the formation of molds and fungi is very high. Therefore, if you haven’t already done so, remove the greenhouses (which can be simply used as shelves) and, since the plants will not be sufficiently accustomed to the intense sun, shield them with a not too light shading net.

The importance of air and light for succulents plants.

Watering and aestivation

In this period, even if the temperatures are not yet very high this year, it is advisable to increase the frequency of irrigation. If the days are sunny and the weather does not predict rain for the following days, it can be watered once a week. The pace can also be increased to two waterings per week for some species or succulent leafy plants if slight wrinkling is noted. As always, the basic rule is to water only when the substrate appears dry and, if in doubt, postpone it. Beware of the hot months, i.e. July and August, when the difference between the maximum and minimum night-time temperatures is minimal: in conditions of persistent heat, many cacti and many succulents can go into aestivation, slowing down or blocking their growth. In these periods it is better not to water at all, since the plants do not absorb water and the soil would remain moist for too long, with the risk of root rot being triggered.
A few more waterings will have to be reserved for very young plants and seedlings, which are not yet able to tolerate long periods of drought in hot conditions and, at the same time, “push” more than adult specimens.

On the phenomenon of aestivation you will find a specific article at this link.

Fertilization and treatments

In June it is still possible to fertilize succulents. A fertilization is enough, assuming that a first fertilization was given in May or April. If the plants have been repotted a few months ago it will not be necessary to add fertilizer to the water, but if we are dealing with specimens that have lived in the same soil for years, an extra fertilization can be useful to replenish the nutrients once present in the substrate. Pay attention to the product (whether it is in powder or liquid form, it matters little), which must be specific for succulent plants and therefore low in nitrogen and rich in phosphorus and potassium, in addition to microelements. During the real summer, that is in the months of July and August, the fertilizations must instead be suspended.

As for treatments, for years I have minimized the use of pesticides and I only use copper oxychloride and Neem oil. The first is a fungicide which should be administered by nebulization only in the months in which the plants are not in vegetation (in this period it should therefore be avoided). The second is a natural product, with low environmental impact, against parasites, mites and with a modest fungicidal function. Neem oil can be administered, always by nebulization, even in this period, with the foresight to act only when the sun has gone down or early in the morning, before direct light reaches the plants. Targeted fungicides and insecticides can be used in specific cases, for example in the event of an attack by the cochineal or rot that affects several plants. In these cases it is always important to isolate sick specimens from healthy ones and carry out targeted treatments every two weeks.

Here you will find a detailed article on the main adversities of succulents, with general indications on how to intervene.

Always remember that the best weapon against pests and diseases of succulents is correct cultivation, in particular a spartan cultivation, with lots of light, lots of air, little fertilization and little fertilizing.

To repot or not to repot?

In this case there is no definitive answer: during the summer it is possible to repot. Personally I prefer to avoid – except in cases in which the intervention cannot be deferred as the plant is in evident state of suffering and has probably lost its roots – and to postpone repotting until the end of winter and spring. With new purchases, especially if the plants are in peat, repotting is instead recommended at any time of the year: it is better to stress the plant a little rather than leave it in an unsuitable substrate, running the risk of triggering rot. As always, if you repot and clean or shorten the roots, it is important to leave the flared plant in a shady place for at least ten days before repotting. After repotting, wait another week or two before watering, so as to give the roots time to heal effectively. This precaution is especially important in spring and summer, when the plants are growing and are watered regularly: obviously in winter the problem does not arise, since many succulents and almost all cacti must be kept in dry soil.

Other practices

Otherwise, summer is a relatively quiet time for the cactus and succulent grower. It is sufficient to observe the specimens and understand whether they are slowing down their growth (aestivation) or not and adjust accordingly with watering. Finally, a little maintenance certainly doesn’t hurt: you can cut the now dry floral stems in the case of plants such as Aloe, Echeveria, Crassulaceae, etc., just as it is a good thing to remove the dried flowers of the cacti, which with watering they soak in water and can feed molds and fungi.

Seasonal cures in detail

If you want a complete picture of seasonal care, with everything you need to do in spring, summer, autumn and winter to take care of cacti and succulents in the best possible way, you can consult this summary article.

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Correlated articles

Watering cacti and succulents: when and how
How to repot cacti and succulent plants
Substrates for cacti and succulents
The correct soil: the materials you can use

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L'articolo Towards summer: useful tips for taking care of cacti and succulents and avoiding nasty surprises proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

A spring that is struggling to establish itself, temperatures that fluctuate continuously with sunny and very hot days and gloomy days with the thermometer plummeting. Above all, heavy rain almost every day for at least a week, at least here in the North Italy. Many of us have already moved their cacti and succulents outside, or have removed the winter protections (non-woven fabric or transparent sheets). Many are worried, some run for cover by bringing the plants indoors, others are undecided about what to do… Is it really the case to worry about the combination of low temperatures and persistent rain?

In this article, here are some reflections and the answer to the question that many of you are asking me these days, as always based on what I have learned in years of cultivation (…).

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L'articolo The cacti, the spring that doesn’t come and the rain that doesn’t stop: should we be worried? proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

The topic is a classic and the question is among the most frequently asked among cactus and succulent growers: until when can I water my plants? In other words, given that – as even less expert growers know – it is advisable to keep cacti cold and dry during the winter months until they can be watered, when exactly should we stop watering? And again: should watering be suspended completely or will it just have to be reduced? Are there cacti that can or should also be watered in autumn and winter? Are there any non-cacti succulent plants, especially those with leaves, which need to be watered even in the winter months, otherwise the branches and leaves will wither? It is clear that part of the answer to these questions can vary according to the place where we grow plants (there is a big difference, just to give an example in the Northern hemisphere, between Sicily and Great Britain, Spain or Germany), but in principle it can be said that there are many fixed points that every grower must know and respect in order for his succulents to grow healthy and robust and to flower profusely. Above all, there are some fixed points that must be respected to avoid, quite simply, rotting our cacti and succulent plants during the winter or early spring.

And since the period in which most of the cacti and succulents will go into vegetative stasis is approaching, it is advisable to deepen these fixed points and learn to at least distinguish the macro-water needs of the various families of succulents. This is exactly what we will do in the following article (…)

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L'articolo Summer is at the end of the line: until when can we water cacti and succulent plants? proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Now let’s see everything we can do at this time of the year, especially if we don’t have a greenhouse and we grow on the windowsill, on the balcony, on a terrace or in the garden. With a warning: whatever you have to do, with succulents and cacti, you must not be in a hurry: hurry to water, hurry to treat, hurry to move the plants… Getting caught up in the rush, the anxiety, the fear of doing something wrong, is the best way to run into mistakes. So let’s see how to avoid them. (…)

Check the plants

The first fundamental action in spring is to check the plant carefully for detecting any traces of bacterial diseases (dark spots caused by fungi) or parasites (particularly the mealybug/cochineal). In the first half of mid-March, even with healthy plants, it’s however advisable to carry out some preventive treatment by spraying stems and leaves with a specific pesticide (against mealybug and spider mite) and, about ten days later, with a broad-spectrum fungicide (attention: copper oxychloride should be used only when the plants are in stasis, so from March should be suspended). Both treatments – pesticide and antibacterial – must be repeated a fortnight after to ensure complete coverage of the plants.

Give as much air as possible

When the minimum temperatures have settled at 10/12 degrees, it’s essential to give succulents as much air as possible. Plants that have overwintered indoors (except for some species, a thing to avoid!) or in cold but closed environments such as a basement, a garage or a veranda should be moved outdoors and placed on windowsills, terraces, balconies. If plants have been overwintered outdoors, protected by sheets or layers of non-woven fabric, they should simply be uncovered so they can benefit from all the possible air. In these cases, it’s necessary to pay attention to the weather because prolonged rains in a period characterized by not yet high temperatures can be dangerous for succulents, which do not tolerate water stagnation in the soil and excessive humidity. The plants must be placed on a balcony or terrace protected from the rain or covered by a roof.

The sudden changes in temperature that characterize spring, with daytime highs above twenty degrees and nighttime lows that can drop sharply below ten degrees, should not worry: in nature, almost all succulents are exposed to similar conditions and indeed greatly benefit in terms of growth and flowering. Exceptions are succulents coming from areas close to the Equator, such as those from Madagascar (Adenium obesa, but also Uncarina, Alluaudia and Pachypodium) or some cacti coming from tropical regions of South America, such as Melocactus, Discocactus, Epiphyllum, Schlumbergera, Rhipsalis: these species need minimum temperatures not lower than 15-16 degrees and to be moved outside only later, in late spring.

Air is of fundamental importance for any plant, even more so for succulents, which do not tolerate environmental humidity nor water stagnation in the substrate. In open-air, the soil dries faster, the stems can transpire effectively, and the risk of bacterial attack is significantly lowered. Tight, closed environments without air exchange are to be avoided, especially in spring and summer, when succulents are in full vegetation, and their tissues are swollen with the water that constitutes their water reserve, and it is, therefore, necessary that the soil dries quickly after the plant has absorbed the liquids it needs.

Exposure: getting plants used to it

Closely related to air is exposure to the sun. In spring (in march), it’s necessary to provide succulents with more light to encourage proper development of tissues, leaves and thorns and at the same time encourage flowering. Be careful, though: as with all plants, succulents (including Cactaceae) need to be grown gradually. Moving a plant that has spent the winter indoors outdoors and immediately placing it in full sun can be dangerous even for the most “fierce” and thorny cactus, which will suffer sunburn and stem discolouration. We will have to gradually accustom the succulents to the light, which becomes more and more intense in spring, exposing them to direct sun a little at a time. From the middle of March, it will be sufficient to place succulents on a windowsill exposed to the South or Southeast (exposure to the North is to be avoided because it does not provide enough light), or on a balcony, a terrace or directly in the garden, taking care, however, to place them in the shade of outdoor plants that will act as a screen to sunlight. Alternatively, it is possible to protect succulents with a simple gardening net or with a piece of mosquito net properly fixed to braces or supports and able to screen at least 30-40% of sun rays.

In the shade of other plants or screened by shade netting, succulents will gradually get used to direct sunlight, and within a month to a month and a half, you can bring them to the foreground or remove the shade netting. As far as exposure is concerned, it’s still important to know the needs of our succulents since there are genera that tolerate intense sun and others that prefer a little shade (like many species of Euphorbia or Haworthia, for example). When in doubt, it is good to provide succulents with bright light all day long, exposing them to direct sun rays only during the morning, not later than midday. In this way, it’s possible to avoid sunburns and to guarantee the necessary light for the best growth. Particularly for cacti, which will continue producing “important” and not stunted thorns and at the same time keep compact and harmonious stems. When we have a better knowledge of our plants and have learned their needs, we can be more “targeted” when they come to exposure and give the various specimens the right amount of direct sun (for example, in the case of almost all cacti).

To learn how to distinguish succulent plants and know their needs, you can read this article dedicated to classification.

Resume watering

As the exposure to light, which should be gradual, watering should be increased little by little. During the winter, watering should be suspended for almost all succulents, while in spring it’s necessary to accompany the resumption with initially moderate and then more sustained watering. As spring approcaches, in March (weather permitting) a couple of waterings will be enough, while in April, it will be possible to go up to one watering every ten days, making sure to wet well all the soil. From May, you can further increase the watering, reaching one per week. Be sure that between one watering and the other, the loam can dry completely. As always, the advice with succulents is not to overdo it: it’s easier for a succulent plant to die from too much water than from thirst. Consider that these plants are xerophytes, evolved to deal with long periods of drought: when in doubt, it’s a good idea to postpone watering. For regulating the frequency of watering, it’s fundamental also the composition of the soil: here, you will find the “recipes” of various substrates that I have tested over the years.

Fertilize: which products to use

With the arrival of spring and the increase in watering, it’s beneficial to fertilize (or “manure”) succulent plants to promote balanced growth and encourage flowering. As for any other plant, fertilizing is essential to replenish the soil with nutrients that are lost. However, you have to use a specific fertilizer for succulents and not rely on universal products or, worse, calibrated for other plants, such as orchids or horticultural. Wrong fertilization, both in terms of the type of product and frequency, can cause severe damage to the plant and compromise its growth, arriving, paradoxically, to weaken it, as well as deform the stem. Therefore, it’s necessary to limit fertilization (I am very stingy in this regard: two or three fertilizations per year, at most), to be administered by simple watering diluting the product in water, to a maximum of once a month from April until mid-June at the latest, with a further pass in September, before the plants slow down the vegetation.

As for the product, on the market, there are specific fertilizers for succulent plants, and generally, high-quality products have correct ratios between the various macroelements. Knowing how to interpret the label, however, is the first step. Basically, it is sufficient to verify that the level of Nitrogen (indicated with the initials “N”) is considerably lower than that of the other two macro-elements that make up all fertilizers for plants, namely Phosphorus (indicated with the letter “P”) and Potassium (“K”). As an indication, a good fertilizer for cacti and succulents should have 1 part Nitrogen, 2 or 3 parts Phosphorus and 4 or 6 parts Potassium. The dosages indicated by the various manufacturers are variable, but it will be enough to keep these proportions in mind to choose the correct product. According to the most commonly used formulations, we can have a ratio of 6-18-36, or 5-15-30, where 5 stands for the Nitrogen dosage, 15 for the Phosphorus one and 30 for the Potassium one. Balanced fertilizers are to be avoided, those with equivalent dosages of the three macroelements (for example, 10-10-10). In addition to the three macroelements, a good fertilizer for succulents should not lack the so-called mesoelements and microelements, such as calcium, magnesium, sulfur, manganese, boron, copper, zinc, iron, which contribute to a balanced development of the plant in various aspects: root system, stems, thorns, flowering, disease resistance.

For the dosage, it will be sufficient to refer to the indications on the package, taking care to halve the quantities in order not to overdo the fertilization, since succulents are extremely adaptable plants with few needs in terms of nutrients, many of which are already present in the growing medium.

If you want to learn more about fertilization, you can read this specific article.

Don’t be in a hurry

In closing, by my experience and the constant contacts I have with readers and enthusiasts who ask me for advice, I would like to reiterate the concept expressed at the beginning of this article: with cacti and succulents, don’t be in a hurry, never anxious. Our plants are more robust and tolerant than we think: let’s make their time our own and not let ourselves be led by the frenzy of wanting to give them excessive attention. Let’s limit ourselves to the correct care and respect their times, which are decidedly less hectic and anxious than ours, remembering that the border between passion and obsession can be thin…

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Here is a video of me moving some of my plants outside my greenhouse:

Correlated articles

How to repot cacti and succulent plants
Substrates for cacti and succulents
The correct soil: the materials you can use

© The texts, videos, photos and graphic elaborations of the site “Il fiore tra le spine” are original material and are covered by copyright. It’s forbidden to reproduce them in any way.

L'articolo Preparing cacti and succulents for spring: exposure, fertilizing, here’s what to do proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Succulent plants, and cacti in particular, have evolved to accumulate water reserves and thus be able to deal with long periods of drought. In their natural habitats, cacti are subject to sudden changes in temperature between night and day, but also to an alternation between periods of total drought and periods of great water availability. In the sub-desert regions of the southern United States (California, Arizona, Texas, Nevada, etc.), as well as in Mexico, Central America and Latin America (Chile and Argentina, for example), during the growing season, corresponding to spring and summer, the hot, dry days are often abruptly interrupted by heavy downpours. If in nature the plants know how to manage these conditions without particular problems, in cultivation it can happen that the transition from the stasis season to the growth season, if accompanied by an overly “decisive” resumption of irrigation, gives rise to the phenomenon of splitting of the stems.

In this article we see how and why this phenomenon can occur, how to remedy it to prevent the plant from contracting rot and above all how to avoid splits. (…)

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L'articolo When the cactus “explodes” from too much water: how to avoid cracks on the stem proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

In the following article we look in detail at what we have to do in the run-up to summer to best prepare cacti and succulents and avoid problems. (…)

Aestivation

The slowing down of vegetation in cacti is called “aestivation“: basically in the middle months of summer many plants slow down or stop their activity, just “waiting” for the great heat to pass. It will therefore be a good idea to observe them well and try to tell from both the new spines and the stem whether they are in full growth or not, and adjust watering accordingly. Many succulent plants and many cacti, such as Agave and Euphorbias, Gymnocalycium and Echinopsis, have limited aestivation. For these, therefore, a watering regime appropriate to the rate at which the soil dries out can be maintained, watering as often as once every 7 to 10 days. The area in which you are growing succulents is also decisive: in North Euorpe, let’s say, you still should not overdo the watering, given the high ambient humidity rates, while in the South of Europe you can even go so far as to water almost every day if necessary.

A more in-depth discussion on watering can be found here.

Wanting to make an initial broad distinction, it is important consider that Chilean plants, such as Neoporteria (Eriosyce) and Copiapoa, from mid-June to the end of August stop or slow down their vegetation considerably. For these genera we can’t really talk about aestivation, but watering should be suspended altogether during this period, because there is a risk that, with the plant stopped and unable to absorb water, the soil will remain wet for a long time, triggering rot. Plants such as Echinocactus polycephalus, Sclerocactus and Pediocactus also slow down their vegetation significantly in summer and, like Copiapoa and Neopoerteria, should be kept dry and, if possible, in slightly shaded areas so as to contain the heat. Most cacti, on the other hand, simply go into aestivation in August, a month during which I use to suspend watering altogether. A special attention should be paid to the leafy succulents, such as Echeveria, Crassula, etc.: for these species it will be enough to adjust based on direct observation. If the leaves begin to shrivel and lose turgidity, you will be able to water. Otherwise, better to wait.

Fertilization

Also during the warm months, it’s better to avoid fertilization: plants “work” less and absorb less water, and fertilization may prove unnecessary or even harmful.

When and how fertilize cacti and succulent plants.

Pests and adversities

In July and August, with the great heat, conditions are created for the proliferation of the red spider mite, one of the main pests of succulents. Hot and dry weather are the factors that favor the presence of this pest, which attacks the tender parts of the plants’ stems. You can then resort to some spraying (which does not go to wet the soil, but only the aerial part of the plant) and a few of preventive treatments with specific products.

An article on pests and diseases of succulents can be found here.

Without a doubt, the best thing to do during the warm months is to encourage maximum air circulation. This obviously applies to those growing in greenhouses or partially sheltered areas: outside, plants enjoy normal air recirculation and are therefore able to tolerate the intense July and August sun and high temperatures. On the contrary, plants grown in greenhouses (even if open) have less air available and are exposed to temperatures that can easily exceed 40 degrees. There are many solutions: a shade can be placed on the roof of the greenhouse to contain the insolation, or all moving parts of the structure can be opened to the maximum. Finally, thermostat-controlled fans (or a timer) can be used for improving indoor air recirculation.

Seedlings

A separate discussion must be reserved for sowings: seedlings born in spring are not yet able to withstand long periods of drought, but they should be sufficiently developed by now to tolerate the wet/dry alternation. They can therefore also be watered during the summer, but allow the soil to dry out almost completely between waterings. Leaving seedlings completely dry for a month can drastically slow their vegetation or even lead to their death. Seedlings one or more years old, on the other hand, are better able to withstand dryness. For these, as for adult plants, the golden rule is observation: if the plants are swollen and turgid, they can be left to dry out during the hottest weeks. If they tend to deflate excessively you can provide for a focused watering. Remember that aestivation can also affect young plants!

Seasonal care in detail

If you want the complete picture of seasonal care, with what needs to be done in spring and autumn to best care for cacti and succulents, you can check out this article or this one.

 SUBSCRIBE TO THE SITE  – If you liked this article, subscribe to the site to have access to all the contents for one year or three months depending on the formula you choose. Here you will find terms and conditions.

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Correlated articles

Watering cacti and succulents
How to repot cacti and succulent plants
Substrates for cacti and succulents
The correct soil: the materials you can use

© The texts, videos, photos and graphic elaborations of the site “Il fiore tra le spine” are original material and are covered by copyright. It’s forbidden to reproduce them in any way.

L'articolo Summer is coming: seasonal care for cacti and succulents, watering and aestivation proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

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.

General introduction

In nature, in the sub-desertic areas where these plants live, it often rains torrentially and for whole days. Or it rains every afternoon with the clouds discharge impressive quantities of water if compared to those we are used to seeing in Europe. For one thing, in many areas of Mexico (Baja California, for example, as I was able to experience during one of my trips), between September and October is time for extreme rains often accompanied by cyclones and hurricanes. From June to September, always in many sub-Saharan areas of Mexico, there are intense showers with daily frequency, especially in the afternoon. Moreover, in nature, the differences between night and day temperatures can be such as to produce abundant dew in the early morning hours: also this is water that many cacti can absorb to quench their thirst (not unlike the fog that surrounds, in Chile, the Copiapoa).

So it makes no sense to say tout court that cacti should be scarcely wet and at long intervals. In vegetative season, between the end of March and September/October, cacti drink well. Some species of genera like Sclerocactus, Pediocactus, Escobaria, Opuntia, also drink in winter. Other succulent plants – Africans, for example – can have inverted the cycle of the seasons, since while we are in summer at their latitudes in winter, therefore should be wet during our winter months and left dry in our summer months.

This is to say that, in addition to the factors of cultivation, we must first consider the basic conditions that plants have in their habitat. That said, some limits should be set. Just for a convention or because the times are mainly dictated by the temperatures, we can therefore say that basically the Cactaceae and the succulents of the Northern hemisphere must be watered in the period between the end of March and the beginning of October (better still, at least in Northern Italy, stop in mid-September to give time to the plants to prepare for winter).

What kind of water to use

If the question were: What is the best water for cacti? the answer would be clear: the rainy one. For those who cultivate in greenhouses and have the opportunity to collect rain in large tanks the problem would not even arise. Rainwater is definitely the best: it has an acidic pH and does not contain limestone or chemicals such as chlorine, to name one. In general, for plants, so not only succulents, it is the ideal solution (as well as the most natural, in all senses). It is not only its intrinsic characteristics that make rainwater the best: it is also the type of watering determined by rain that contributes to the final result. Exposed to rain, the plants receive water in variable but constant quantity, drop by drop for a time that can go from a few minutes (in the case of summer showers) to a few hours. Not only that: the water is enriched with oxygen and also this has a beneficial effect on the plants. To focuses it is enough to keep two identical plants and leave one to the rain, keeping the other to shelter and wetting it with tap-water. After a few weeks, the differences between the two plants will be evident: the one quenched by the rain will be more luxuriant, cleaner, more vital. More healthy, in short.

For those who have a greenhouse but can not collect rainwater, because it needs a peculiar system, or for those who grow on balconies or terraces, the alternative to rain is water for domestic use. In the countryside, as in my case, there is well water, generally quite calcareous and therefore, in the long run, less good for plants. One solution, in these cases, is to fill cans or barrels with well or tank water and let it decant for at least 24 hours, adding citric acid or specific products (available on the market) capable of acidifying it and bringing its pH between 6 and 6,5. Then, leaving the water decant for a day, the chlorine can evaporate almost completely, as well as any impurities or heavy elements can settle on the bottom of the container.

Generally, for my plants in the greenhouse, I do this: the day before watering, I prepare the water to use, leaving it in two tanks of 80 litres. Therefore, since in the countryside the water is ordinarily calcareous, I add the right amount of acidifier to sweeten it. After 24 hours, I water the plants using a pump connected to the pipe that draws water from the vessels.

I keep outdoor a very lot of plants (from three-year-old cacti obtained by seedling to adult Cactaceae, but also Agave and Aloe) from the end of March to the end of October. Needless to say, these get all the water the sky sends down. If, as happened during the last summers, it does not rain for weeks, I use the well water left to decant. On more than one occasion, however, the outdoor plants have been raining for several days. None plants died because, thank the air and the wind, the soil dries very quickly.

How to water

I water from above, wetting the plants and the soil. Since I use meagre or peat-free substrates, in many cases mainly mineral, I bathe abundantly and in more coats, until I submerge the smaller plants creating a layer of water on the surface. Not only that: usually I do at least two or three coats with the reed of water on each pallet until I see the water dripping abundantly from the drain holes of the vessels. With the soil I use, within a day (if the temperature is hot) the surface of each pot will be dry; in four or five days all the soil will be dry to the depth (also because succulents, in the vegetative season, drink quickly and with greed).

If clay field soil is used in the substrates, the watering must be abundant. It is necessary to revise several times on the plant because the clay, when dry, tends to be waterproof. It is crucial to insist, in short, that water can penetrate deep and well wet the bread of the earth. It is not by chance that this is how it happens in nature, with the rain insistently falling for hours until it penetrates the surface of the fields. In the past, at the first watering after the dry winter, I used to see that some plants did not swell, despite watering that I thought abundant. They were mostly plants in clay and inerts. After having realized that the clay was too dry and compact, I started to wet more frequently, but above all insisting more on each plant, I submerged the plants with water. Result? After a couple of days, they had fully recovered and had regained volume: the water had managed to penetrate in deep, and the Cactaceae had finally drunk enough.

Beware of other false myths, such as that about the delicate Ariocarpus, that people say it is almost resistant to water. Nothing is more wrong: in the vegetative season the Ariocarpus drink a lot, and it is only this mistaken belief that has led to thinking that these plants never grow. With abundant watering, the Ariocarpus speed up the growth (even if being Cactaceae, they are relatively slow in the development).

When to wet and how often

The answers to questions like when to wet and how often to water could be endless. As stated above, we must consider first the plants and their origin (for example, an Echinopsis and a Lithops have very different needs), then the factors of cultivation, starting from the area where we grow. About this topic, some conventions can be assumed. For most of the Cactaceae and of the non-caudiciform succulents (for instance, the Crassulas), the watering period matches the vegetative season. In North Italy, this is from the end of March to the end of September; in South Italy even October and part of November. I start watering at the end of March, if the days are hot enough, otherwise I wait for the beginning of April. I stop the watering in mid-September, even if it is still hot, to allow the plants to begin to lose fluids and to prepare for the winter.

Between the end of March and mid-September, I water with varying frequencies, approximately every 15 days, intensifying if necessary in the warmer months, when I can bathe every 8-10 days. Very important, after the dry winter, during which the plants tend to deflate (in some cases also remarkably) is to start gradually watering again. The first two or three waterings must be light, not as abundant as in June or July. In fact, the plants must start to drink little at a time because if they find water immediately available in large quantity they absorb it quickly with the risk of swelling so fast to break. It happened to me a few times. I had a Frailea, a Thelocactus and some Ferocactus that after the first two waterings have swollen immediately, with the result that the stem has split. The plants are not dead but taking a risk because the internal tissue if exposed, can be easily attacked by bacteria that then go to trigger rottenness (not to mention the aesthetic damage of a plant with a literally pierced coast).

As for the frequency of wetting, the old rule can be useful: in doubt, water only if the soil is well dry. We see it from the superficial layer: if pressing with the finger, we feel humid, better to wait. This is a basic rule based on common sense – it is difficult for a cactus to die of thirst, but it is easier that it can rot for an excess of water, especially if in very organic soil. Then the experience will tell us when to give water to our plants. To me, for example, it is enough to touch the stem or weigh the pot to understand if the plant is thirsty and if the soil is still wet or not.

I reserve special treatment for my Cactaceae seedlings of at least one year and for the few succulent plants that I have (Crassula, Echeveria etc.): for these, the frequency of watering is greater than the Cactaceae in general. Leaf plants obviously tend to disperse water more than cacti, while the seedlings have the desire to grow and to support them are wetted more frequently than adult plants.

In August, usually, I suspend watering for cacti (not for seedlings and not for succulents in general). The Cactaceae, in the hotter months, tend to go in estivation, that is slow the growth and in some cases block it to restart as soon as the temperatures return to tolerable levels (in August in my open greenhouse the temperature can exceed 40 degrees). For the plants I keep outside in the vegetative season, as I wrote above, I leave it to nature. They can take water for days and days or stay whole weeks in the dry. If the drought extends, I provide with extra watering.

Regarding the times in which it is better to wet the plants, it is better to do it early in the morning, before the sun begins to raise the temperatures, or in the late afternoon. Even better in the evening, so the plants will have all the night – basically with lower temperatures than the day – for absorbing the water before it can evaporate on the surface of the pot.

It is essential do not water immediately after a repotting: the roots may have been damaged during the operation; it is good to wait at least ten days before wetting the soil, to allow the rooting apparatus to heal its wounds and avoid the risk of rot that wet soil could trigger.

Nebulization

Some recommend spraying the succulents often. I do not find it useful. I did it for years, at first, then I saw that the plants had no benefit at all. Even to nebulize them abundantly, in a few minutes they completely dry and I do not see the point in wasting time to wet the cactus and succulent stem. The only useful nebulizing, in my opinion, is that with water added with fungicides or acaricides. Over the years, since I have strengthened the plants with the cultivation regime and the soil I use, I have reduced these treatments a lot. Usually, I give the copper once in spring and once in autumn, before dry, and an acaricide a few times during the growing season.

Fertilization (or “manuring”)

I discuss fertilization (also written “fertilisation”) in a specific post, at this specific link. Here it is enough to recall that cacti and succulents must be fertilized with specific products with low nitrogen content and not generic, for example for ornamental plants or for the vegetable garden. The fertilizers for succulents are based on nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), to which various micro-nutrients are added. For succulents, in general, it is good that the ratio between the three main elements, N-P-K, is in the order of 5-15-30 (another basic formulation used is 1 of nitrogen, 2 of phosphorus and 4 of potassium). Fertilizers, in good substance, little nitrogenous and with high percentages of phosphorus and potassium.

Watering and repotting

Caution: freshly repotted succulents should never be watered. It is good to wait at least ten days from repotting before wetting the soil. The repotted plants may be nebulized so that the topsoil can get settled the surface, especially in the cases of habitat reconstruction, but for wetting the earth in-depth is better not to hurry.

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