At a Glance
If you ’re looking to add an exotic and lowly - sustentation industrial plant to your garden , the prickly pear cactus is anexcellent choice . With its vibrant pads , stunning blossom , and delightful fruit , this succulent can transubstantiate youroutdoor blank . But how do you plant a spiny pear cactus in the soil and ensure its winner ? Thiscomprehensive guidewill take you through the full appendage , from choose the correct locating to providing proper tutelage .
1. Selecting the Right Location
The cay to athriving prickly pear cactus liesin choose the veracious touch . These plants prefer :
2. Preparing the Soil
To prepare the stain for planting , mix in plenty ofcoarse sandor perlite toimprove drainage . Theideal soil pHfor prickly pear cacti is between 5.5 and 6.5 . If your soil is too acidic or alkaline , ameliorate it consequently .
3. Choosing the Right Cactus
When selecting aprickly pear cactusfor planting , look forhealthy padswith no signs of damage or disease . Choose plants that are well - rooted and have a firm groundwork .
4. Digging the Hole
dig up a kettle of fish that is twice as wide as theroot ballof the cactus and just as mysterious . The hole should beslightly conicalin shape , with the sides sloping outwards .
5. Planting the Cactus
6. Mulching and Watering
Spread a layer of mulch around the home of the cactus toretain moistureandsuppress weeds . Water the cactus on a regular basis , especially during hot anddry weather . Allow the grunge to dry out out slightly between waterings .
7. Fertilizing
fertilise theprickly pear cactus monthlyduring thegrowing season(spring and summer ) with abalanced fertilizer . fend off over - fertilizing , as this can damage the plant .
8. Harvesting the Fruit
Prickly pear cactus typically produces yield in belated summer orearly fall . When the yield is advanced , it will reverse a recondite red oryellow colorandfeel softto the touch . Use a duo of tongs or boxing glove to harvest the yield , as the spines can be sharp .
9. Troubleshooting Common Problems
Wrapping Up
implant a waspish pear cactus in the ground is arewarding experiencethat can add beauty and pastime to your garden . By espouse thesesimple stepsandproviding proper concern , you could see that your cactus thrive and bring out delicious fruits for yr to come .
Popular Questions
1 . Can Igrow prickly pear cactusfrom seed?Yes , but it is aslow process . Seeds can take several weeks to germinate , and theresulting plantsmay not be as vigorous as those grown from cuttings.2 . How often should I water my setose pear cactus?Water thecactus deeplywhen the territory is teetotal to the signature . permit the grease to dry out slightly between watering , especially during the wintertime months.3 . Can I spring up prickly pear cactus indoors?Yes , but it demand asunny locationand well - drained dirt . The cactus will also ask to be irrigate more frequently than if grown outdoors .