Nature

How to make a cactus bloom

Many cacti have beautiful flowers. The cactus family is very large: it contains more than 2,000 species, almost entirely native of America.

The first thing to do to help a cactus bloom is to buy a cactus in bloom! Seriously, you must first make sure that the cactus is old enough to bloom. So, if there are flowers or fruits at the time of purchase, you know it can bloom. Some cacti require 50 years and more before blooming, others bloom in their first year. Choose plants that are in the second group!

Another mistake many gardeners make is to pay too much attention to their cactus. They love full sun and can never have too much of it, but do not irrigate and fertilize them like you would for other houseplants. These plants live a tough life in nature: a little water and a poor soil. Too much water and fertilizer stimulates overgrowth without making it bloom.