Cacti belong to unpretentious plants. Cultivate them is a pleasure. And how unusual they bloom! Anyone who has ever seen this miracle will never refuse to have it in his home. Care for cacti is not difficult even for a beginner florist. But you still need to know some features. For example, this plant has many varieties, but not all of them are suitable for growing at home. In this article, we'll look at the most popular species and tell you how to properly care for them. 
Types of home cactus
- Opuntia
These cacti are inhabitants of America, Canada and Mexico. Nevertheless, they feel great on the sills of flower growers. Not very capricious, but elegantly flowering plants give their owners a lot of positive and pleasant emotions;
- Heliosporus Mallison
With proper care blossoms for the second year of life. Releases large buds, similar to daisies. The spines of this cactus are large and very sharp.
- Hameterius
Very unpretentious. Inexperienced growers prefer it to him. Blooms in large red flowers, starting from the third year of life;
- Epiphyllums
Quite an unusual kind of cacti. As you grow older, the flower becomes "disheveled" and frightening because of the stems sticking out in different directions. But it blooms remarkably - the size of the bud can reach the size of a tea saucer;
- Spectacular Rebution
A miniature ball-shaped plant that produces a lot of children. It flowers with small flowers that cover the entire stem;
- Mamillaries
The most popular kind of flower growers. Already in the first year of life the plant begins to blossom. The shade of the buds can be different. After flowering beautiful red fruits are formed;
- Lemarzereus
Very tender, susceptible to many diseasesplant. In nature, lemerozeres can grow up to seven meters in height, which is almost impossible at home. Care for him is not given to every florist; 
Planting cacti
These plants do not like big pots. In order to care for cacti has become more simple and convenient, choose square containers of polystyrene that have retractable pallets. The depth of the pot depends on the size of the root system of the plant. The width should exceed the diameter of an adult flower by 1.5-2 times. Cacti are very fastidious to the ground. The slightest discrepancy to their tastes and preferences can push back the outflow of the flower for several years. Under ideal conditions, cactuses bloom once a year, 1-2 years after planting. Cactus soil is calculated in proportions of 1: 1 and consists of the following components: earth, foliar humus, sandstone or sand coarse-grained river. To achieve a weakly acidic composition, peat is added, which is 1/2 of the part of the sand. Drainage layer - expanded clay or gravel - is mandatory. Before planting, the soil is steamed to prevent contamination of the plant. Planting cuttings are disinfected with a special solution purchased at the store. After disinfection, the cutting should be dried in order not to cause rotting. The best place for cacti is the window sill on the sunny side of the room. It is not recommended to plant plants far from the window. They will reach for the sun, which will lead to deformation of the stem. With this position, cacti will not bloom for a long time. With the onset of winter, plants must be cleaned in a cool place, such as a balcony or in the hallway. In these months, cacti are in a state of rest and they do not need any special care.
Watering and fertilizing
To make the cactus feel good, it is necessarycreate for him an imitation of desert conditions. That is, water is rare, but very abundant. The time of watering is always individual - as the land dries up in the pot. Usually watering is done every three months, usually - March, July and October. In winter, cacti are not watered at all. Water should be at room temperature, constant, or even better - cleaned with a filter. Plant nutrition is carried out from October to March. Buy funds for fertilizer only in professional stores. They are bred in irrigation water. The proportions are indicated on the package, as is the frequency of application. 
Reproduction of cacti
Cacti reproduce by cuttings, shoots or seeds. Let's look at each method in more detail.
- Cuttings or babies
The simplest and most common option,which implies the separation of the rudiment of a new rhizome. To do this, the plant is taken out of the pot, soaked roots in water and separated the budded area. Then transplant it into a small pot. Care for children is normal.
- Shoots
A complicated way. It requires sufficient experience. The shoot is cut off in a certain place, after it is placed in a disinfectant solution for three days and then transplanted into the ground;
- Seeds
Seeds are better to buy in stores, becausegrown in room conditions plants are capable of dusting. The seeds need to be placed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for two hours. After that, the seeds are laid out on a thin layer of earth and covered with the same soil. Nutrient mixture is not recommended. After germination, the babies are placed in a pot, the nursing is carried out in a standard way. Cacti grown from seeds at home can never blossom.
Cacti diseases
- Aphid
The main enemy of cacti is aphids. To get rid of it, you must moisten the old toothbrush in a soapy solution and gently clean all affected areas.
- Mealybug
Pretty serious disease, so hererequires special care. The mealybug is exterminated only by an insecticide, which can be bought in specialized flower shops. The drug is toxic, so cacti should be treated with gloves;
- Spider mite
He does not like the infusion of chamomile. The solution is prepared in the usual way: 25 grams of chamomile flowers pour a glass of boiling water, let it brew for 4 hours and spray the plant twice a day from the spray gun;
- Rotting of roots
This is the reason for frequent watering. The actions are simple: remove the cactus from the pot, rinse the rhizome, dry and place in another pot and with a new compost. Reduce watering up to twice a year. As you can see, care for cacti is not particularly difficult. Observing all the above tips, you will definitely make friends with this beautiful plant. And it will certainly please you with colors of fairy beauty. We advise you to read:
