A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The House Plant Forum Cacti and Succulents Indoors My daughter wants a cactus collection.. We have one so far

I didn't get a picture of it, but I can.. it is very pretty. Green on the bottom part, with hot pink round top.. very cute. I have never had any cactuses (cacti?) and I have no idea why in the world she decided she wants a collection of them. She is only 11.. lol

Anyway, there are no care instructions on the thing.. so how do I take care of it? And what kind of light does it need? Thanks guys!

Ok, here is a picture.

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That is a very pretty plant Jennifer - love the color!
I've never had luck with grafted plants like that - hope someone can give you good advice. I do well with all other cacti, but not those for some reason.

Wow. Thank you! So this isn't a normal occurring cactus? It is 'created' that way.

Yes Jennifer - that's what I meant above by grafted. They take the pink part and "stick" it on top of another cactus that will keep the pink part growing.

Well, it is pretty and she likes it.. soooo I just watered it for the first time a couple days ago.. I would rather under water it I think.. than over water it.. am I correct in that way of thinking?

Yup, we had cacti here when DD was young and we only watered them once a month from November to February(rest period). Then just a little once a week for the rest of the year. I always just sat them in a little dish and watered them from the bottom, just what they could drink up in 3 minutes.

So far I've had good luck with my little cactus garden. I hardly watered it all during the winter months and have only given it a few small drinks since the first day of spring. They are growing and seem to be doing well. I potted mine in an unglazed terra cotta pot. It gets good drainage but I'm so paranoid of overwatering that I don't usually give it enough water for it to actually drain out the bottom. These are my first cactuses (sp? I don't know how to spell that correctly either). I would have loved to find one like yours, it's so pretty! Good luck with it!

Ok, we bought two more cacti last night at WalMart. They both have the dried flowers glued to the tops but they are neat looking and my daughter likes them. I am kind of disappointed with them.. that the flowers are fake. But anyway, here is a pic of them. Are the care instructions pretty much the same for these as well? And also, is it really necessary to re pot them? I mean I don't mind doing that, if it needs to be done.. and my daughter wanted to know why an unglazed clay pot?? She found some nice colorful pots that she thought about using, but I told her someone here had said unglazed clay would be best.. and she wanted me to ask.

hubby likes the cacti, I usually water when I can remember and they pretty much take care of their selves. Full sun, in summer I find a place to set them out side

Those are some very nice looking cacti!

I agree with Joclyn - you should take the fake flowers off - it looks like they are glued right onto the growing tips of both of them - not smart at all!

Once you are more experienced with growing cacti, you can actually use some of those decorative pots - I have some small ones in glass candle holders without drainage holes and I am very careful about how much water they receive. One of them was part of a cactus grouping that I gave my husband for his office a few years ago. It was totally neglected there and mostly dead when he brought it back home last summer. It was also the only thing in that pot that had a tiny bit of green left to it!!! I put it in this small votive glass holder and water it very rarely with only a few drops of water - it has more than doubled in size since then!

Here's a picture... the lighter areas are really healthy and green - the camera flash bleached it out!


Here is another one in a glass cat votive holder that I've had for many years now.
I need to repot it, as it's been growing towards the sun in the west window.


Here is a succulent that I got last summer and kept on the deck in full sun til I brought it inside last fall. It did get a bit sunburned outside turning a bit brownish, but greened right back up once inside. It must be happy in this glass votive with just drops of water every now and then, as it has sent up this very long flower stem!!!


And... a VERRRRRRRRRRRY tall and skinny cactus that a friend gave me a start of about 5 years ago -
she gave me about a 4 inch piece - this thing is NOT staked - it's really bazaare!
That is a full yard stick next to it for size!

I threw out my jaggy ones last year, got tired of pulling the tiny jaggers out of my skin.

I have the other types tho.. They are a bit crazy .

We got another cactus.. it has REAL flowers on it.. yellow ones.. The name of it is Indian something I think.. I don't have pics yet will do that soon.

Well get on your horse an get the pictures women......
We wait an wait an wait.............

I was going to take pics of it last night, but the flowers were closed.. today.. K? :wink:

Shame Shame.....