Cacti

It's hard to even believe that these plants, consisting of one bloated stem of water, are pretty close relatives. .. cloves! Yes, the family of cacti belongs to the order of cloves. The leaves of cacti are reduced to thorns, woolly hairs, papillae and the like( except - pereskya), they are usually collected in areoles( a kind of centers of rosettes of thorns), having central and radial spines, in many species very different from each othera friend of length, color and even build;it is not surprising that the stem had to involuntarily take on the physiological functions of the leaves: it is in it that photosynthesis and transpiration takes place.

Many types of cactus blossom very beautifully, however, for flowering, it is necessary to create special conditions for them during the rest period.

Different types of cacti in the wild live in different conditions, there are cacti desert( most of them), there are mountain cacti, there are forest cacti. Of course, the origin imposed its specificity on the requirements of these plants for living conditions in the rooms.

General recommendations for the contents of all cacti:

Moisture requirement: even for the most hygrophilous species there will be enough watering once a week, somewhat more frequent in the hot summer in the sun, it can be very abundant provided moisture outflow is possible. Do not allow the accumulation of moisture in the substrate. Cacti contained in plastic containers, watered less often than growing in clay pots. Water should be warm and soft, tap water - stand-by for at least a day. Volumes( increase or decrease) of watering can be changed only gradually, sharp changes are extremely undesirable.

Temperature regime: for a normal flowering, the overwhelming majority of cacti must be provided with a cold winter( about 10 ° C, for some - from 5 ° C).

Light mode: very photophilous, can be exposed to direct sunlight. Cacti need to provide maximum illumination.

Soil requirement: cacti require a slightly acidic reaction of the soil( pH 4.5-6), a typical mixture is prepared from coarse sand containing a large percentage of gravel( possibly blending of brick chips, not only providing the necessary porosity, but also absorbing moisture well), sheetand clay-sod land in equal shares with mandatory addition of charcoal as a preventive measure against decay of roots. Fertilizers are introduced in dry form. One of the main nutrients needed for cacti is phosphorus, so a separate supplement of superphosphate or other phosphate fertilizers will not be superfluous. It is also advisable to add lime, which not only contributes to the intake of nutrients, but also helps the normal growth of thorns, bristles and hairs, but it must be used cautiously: as a substance that strongly changes the acidity of the soil, only in combination with acidifying fertilizers.

Reproduction: cuttings, children, less often - vaccination( in this way you can create very interesting copies).

Features: for alpine and desert cacti in the summer it is desirable to keep outdoor air, for example, on a balcony or on a special shelf that is attached to a window sill, but it must be protected from rain and dust.