How to Replant a Cactus
Is your cactus root bound in the pot?
If your cactus is root bound in the pot, it may be time to repot it. Root bound means that the roots have filled the pot and are growing in a tight circle. This can prevent the plant from absorbing enough water and nutrients, and can eventually lead to the decline and even death of your cactus.
If you think your cactus is root bound, gently remove it from the pot and check the roots. If they are growing in a tight clump, it’s time to repot. Choose a pot that is only slightly larger than the current one, and use fresh, well-draining potting mix.
Pro Tip!
I’m a huge fan of adding some landscaping fabric to the bottoms of my potted plants, especially the ones I keep indoors. This fabric allows water to pass through the holes in the bottom of the pot, but retains the soil and keeps things cleaner underneath the pot.
I purchased a roll of landscaping fabric from one of the big box stores nearly 2 decades ago and have been using it ever since for this purpose.
To add this filtering fabric to your planter pot, simply eyeball the inside diameter of the pot and cut out a circle from the landscaping fabric. Start off a bit larger…you can always trim it smaller. Place it inside the pot and trim it a bit smaller if necessary.
As long as the fabric sits flat inside the bottom of the pot and covers all of the drainage holes you will have filtered drainage of the water exiting the pot. This means you will not have soil draining out the bottom of your pot and potentially staining things inside your house. Cool trick right?
Avoiding Pricks
Cactus can be a bit tricky to transplant due to their spikes. You most likely want to wear a pair of gloves before embarking on your spiky adventure. Regular gardening or work gloves typically do not stop cactus spikes from penetrating.
Use heavier gloves designed for welding or handling sheet metal. Even with these heavier gloves you can still get pricked. Careful now.
How to replant your cactus?
If your cactus is looking a bit pot-bound, it may be time to replant it. Here’s how:
- Choose a new pot that is about 2 inches wider than the current pot.
- Carefully remove the cactus from its the old pot.
- Gently shake and brush off any excess soil from the roots. Careful not to damage the roots. Use a fork, chopstick or knitting needle to help with this process.
- Fill up the new pot about halfway with a well draining cactus soil.
- Now sit your cactus plant in the new pot to see it is at the right level. You want the green part of the cactus to be fairly level with the rim of the pot. You might have to add some soil or remove some to get this step worked out.
- Once height adjustments have been made with the soil, fill in around your cactus with more cactus soil. You can pat down the soil slightly but be sure not to compact the soil too much.
- Water well and once all of the excess water has drained place the pot back into the location it was used to. Your cactus will soon start to grow and thrive in its new pot!
The Importance of Proper Soil.
The importance of proper soil for your potted cactus cannot be understated. Cacti are native to arid, desert environments where the soil is dry and sandy. In order to replicate this environment in your home, it is important to use a potting mix that is specifically designed for cacti and succulents.
This type of potting mix will be light and airy, and drain very well. Do not use a heavy, dense potting mix, as this will hold too much moisture and could lead to root rot.
Don’t Stress
When replanting a cactus, it’s important to be gentle. If you rush the process, you’ll damage the roots and your cactus won’t grow as it should. This is true of any plants really. Think about the stress you are causing to your cactus when replanting.
Replanting is stress enough!
The cactus is being uprooting and introduced to new soil. Don’t create a whole bunch of new stresses and factors on top of that. It’s best to keep your normal watering schedule and normal location that cactus has been used to up unto this point. After a month or so you can move your cactus to a new location if you choose to do so.
