Planning to get a new cactus or repot an older one? Here’s a cool rubber band trick that every cactus lover needs to know!
Has your cactus been showing every sign that it need a newfangled dwelling house , like growing too close to the sharpness of the pot or root glint out of drain hole ? If yes , it ’s time to repot ! But how do you protect yourself from prickly hugs and centre your plant life well enough so it build itself ? Check out this cool arctic band trick !
How to Use the Rubber Band Trick (A Step-by-Step Guide)
1. Choosing the Perfect Pot
So , you ’ve realized your cactus needs a fresh pot . You ’ve been grow it in the same container for years , and now it ’s altogether taken over the distance . Not to mention , those sneaky roots are trying to escape from the drainage holes . These are moderately clean polarity your cactus is feeling cramped ( much like your ex , perhaps ) .
Well , unlike your complicated romanticistic billet , allot with anovergrown , pot - bound cactusis easily if you keep in mind a few factors . For one , the pot that you choose as the raw place must be precisely correct .
Now , what does that mean ? Well , choose one with drain holes , of course of instruction , and it must be about an in or two larger in diameter than the current container .
And here ’s a piddling head - up — don’t go overboard with the size of it ! A pot that ’s way too large can hold on to excess moisture , and that ’s a recipe for root word rot .
2. Improving Drainage
Now that you have the new pot ready to use , you mustdouble - check the drain . Besides the drainage holes ( which you could brood with a mesh to prevent the loss of soil ) , you could improve drainage in another way .
Just impart a layer of gravel at the bottom of the locoweed — especially if you ’ve chosen a rich container . Cacti should be planted at the same depth they were before . If you bury them too deep , they might throw in the towel !
If gravel is n’t handy , you may also use broken terracotta piece or pumice — anything that allows water system to flow through freely without clogging affair up .
3. Well-Draining Soil is a Must
This jolly much go without enjoin , but let ’s be honest , you saw this one coming ! We ca n’t stress it enough how important it is to havewell - draining soilfor your cactus . suppose water - retaining , punishing , clayey soil for your cactus . That ’s an absolute NO - NO !
Here ’s what you choose instead — a at large soil admixture that drains quickly . Any commercially purchased ground mixing made for cacti would influence well . Just ensure that it contains ingredients to ameliorate aeration and play — like guts , perlite , vermiculite , etc .
If you ’re more of a DIY nurseryman , you could even combine your own blend with one part pot territory , one part uncouth Amandine Aurore Lucie Dupin , and one part perlite or pumice . Your cactus will give thanks you later !
4. Get a Rubber Band!
Finally , we arrive at the most important and exciting part — using prophylactic bands . Take two large safe isthmus and envelop them around in a vertical style . Use two such that there is just enough infinite at the top of the grass between the two bands to apply your cactus stable .
Once you ’ve softly taken your cactus out of its honest-to-god batch and shaken off the excess soil , place it in the raw Mary Jane between those rubber bands . ensure it ’s sit at the right depth . Once the band are accommodate your cactus steady , take some chopsticks or wooden dowels and softly dab down the territory around the base .
And just like that — bam!—your cactus is focus . you could leave the bands on until your cactus has sink in nicely .
Note : Just ensure the rubber bands are n’t grasp into the plant — snug is good , but tight is a no - go . You do n’t need to leave dents or damage the pelt .
Tips To Avoid Damaging Your Cactus
When it comes to cacti , there is mostly one affair you must be careful of , and that is not getting bite . For example , do not wear clothing that can easily get snag . second , do not endeavor to grab your cactus with your bare hand . Of of course , the spines will be injurious , but even more , you adventure damaging your industrial plant by accidentally dropping it .
The good way to go about repotting your cactus is by using thick leather or rubber gloves when you are manage with a bigger plant . For small or miniskirt cacti , just catch your oven mittens or kitchen tongs . call on the existing stool light on its side and gently remove the works from the pot .
Pro crest : If the cactus still wo n’t stir , tapdance the English of the pot or give it a easy hug if it ’s charge card . No want to wedge it — coax , do n’t wrestle !
After repotting , make certain you put your cactus near a south - facing or south - eastward windowpane , if growing it indoors or in a sunny place outdoors .
hold up off on watering for a few days to let the roots aline and descend into their raw home . A small drought now forestall stem rot later .
