A Guide to Growing Cacti and Succulent Plants

People who love growing houseplants often seek out unique and exotic additions to their collections, and one popular place to look is the category of cacti and succulents. These plants are easy to care for, especially since they store water in their stems or leaves, meaning that they'll be fine if you forget to water them for a day or two. Succulents can grow all over the world; the most familiar example of a succulent is any kind of cactus, but jade plants, snake plants, sedums, and hens and chicks all fall into this category as well.

Growing Cacti and Succulents

Succulents are fairly low-maintenance plants, but they do have a few basic needs.

Light

Succulents need a lot of light, so place them in a window where they'll get plenty of direct sunlight.
If you don't have enough natural light, position fluorescent lights 6 to 12 inches above your plants, leaving them on for at least 14 hours each day.

Potting Mix

Plant succulents in sandy soil that drains well. If you're using potting soil, mix it with an equal amount of sand.
To check that your soil is the right consistency, get it wet and squeeze a fistful of it; it should fall apart when you open your hand.
Be sure to use a pot with plenty of drainage holes; succulents' roots are prone to rotting if they're left in overly wet soil.

Watering

In the colder months, water succulents sparingly, just often enough to keep them from withering. Water until the water starts flowing out of the drain holes, then wait a few minutes and remove any standing water.
In the warmer months, water succulents more often. But always let the soil dry out before watering.

Indoors vs. Outdoors

Succulents are well-suited to indoor growing as long as you keep the humidity below 30%.
You can encourage winter-blooming succulents to grow flowers by duplicating the cool nights and dry soil they would experience outdoors. Mammillaria and Gymnocalycium cacti are particularly good choices for indoor flowering.
Many succulents can be moved outdoors in the summer. Just be sure to ease them into it; houseplants aren't used to the intensity of outdoor light. Start by placing your plants in a partially shaded area, then gradually move them into the sun. Watch closely for signs of sunburn, like brown or yellow spots, and move them to a shadier spot if this happens.

Pests

Indoor succulents don't attract many pests, so as long as you give yours plenty of light and water them properly, they should stay healthy. If you do see any scale or mealybugs, you can remove them with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol.

Growing From Cuttings

Succulents are fairly easy to propagate from cuttings or from leaves that have broken off of the main plant. To propagate succulents, follow these steps:

Set the cutting aside until the place where it was cut or broke off is dry.
Plant the cutting in slightly moist sand.
Water as needed until the cutting forms roots.
Transplant the new plant into a pot containing your usual succulent potting mix.