Cactus is very easy to grow and doesn't require much time to take care or occupy much space in your house. Therefore, this plant is very suitable for modern homes. Collecting cacti has become a popular hobby. Although cactus is an easy-to-grow kind of plant, it doesn't mean that you don't have to take any care of it at all! There are some basic things you should know when growing cacti:

Tubs: You should choose tubs which don't retain too much water and the underneath holes should be big enough so that your cacti will not be waterlogged. Moreover, you shouldn't put too much soil into the tubs because substances which are needed for your cacti can flow out when you water.

Water: Cacti don't require much water. However, water helps cacti clean, healthy and strong to cope with insects. A good schedule of watering will help a cactus grow well in all its life. You can notice when your cacti need water by observing the dryness of soil in your cacti's tubs. When the it looks very dry, it's the time you should water the cacti. In different seasons, the cacti require different amount sof water. In winter, you should water once a week and in summer, twice a week. However if it rains or the humidity level is high, you don't have to water them.

Temperature and light: Cacti need to be in a place which is full of air and light. The most suitable places to put your cacti tubs are on balconies or by windows. In addition, cacti grow the best in temperatures of 15-28oC.

You may want to put your cacti in your living room or bedroom for decoration. However, you should bring them back to the sunlight after 2 or 3 days because your they won't grow very well without the help of sunlight. In addition to that, they are flowering, you shouldn't bring them into an air-conditioned room as the flowers will die very quickly.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Gardening