Cactus watering can be a daunting task...am I watering too much? Too little? Will I kill it? Well with as many questions as you may have, we have the answers. We’re here to make watering your cactus an easy, simple part of your plant care routine...don’t stress it!

Common Watering Questions:

• How often should I water?

• What are the best watering methods?

• What are the signs of overwatering?

When to Water

Watering too much is much worse for your cactus than watering too little. These plants are very hardy and can handle a lack of water, but they absolutely despise too much water. It’s very hard to come back from root rot, so be sure to keep a watering schedule.

During the spring and summertime, you should water your cactus once per week. This is its growing period so it needs the extra fuel to grow big and strong. Remember that your cactus doesn’t like sitting water, so you’ll need to make sure you have good soil drainage and aren’t watering it too too much. It’s best to water in the early morning or late evening because your cactus friend will scorch if it’s sitting wet in the sun. During fall and wintertime, water very occasionally because they are in their dormant season. You should try to allow the soil to completely dry out before watering again.

Best Watering Methods

Now for how exactly to water your cactus! Our first tip is to not mist desert cacti. This type of cactus does better when the watering mimics its natural environment: reaching deep into the soil to get leftover rainwater. It’s really quite simple to replicate this. First, put your cactus pot into a shallow container of water. Let the pot sit in the water until the surface of the soil appears slightly moist. Wipe away any excess water on the pot and there you have it! It’s really that easy.

Warning Signs of Overwatering

Sometimes plant care doesn’t always go as planned...it’s okay, we get it. Not sure if you’ve overwatered? You’ll know if any or all of these things are happening to your cactus leaves, stems, and/or base:

• Wrinkling

• Splitting

• Browning/blackening

• Mushiness

• Any other sign of rot

Don’t fret if this happens, though! There are usually easy remedies for these issues, including decreasing the amount you’re watering. We’ll talk more about ways to save your dear cactus if it gets into an overwatering bind in a future blog post!

If you want to become even more of a cactus expert, head on over to our blog page to read more of our content and, as always, don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any pressing questions about your cactus friends...we’re here to help!