Cactus flower full#
Cactus flower windows#

Watering them regularly also helps them withstand the more intense summer heat better. Watering them regularly helps ensure that they do not deplete their water storage necessary for growth. While cacti and succulents have the ability to store water, they still need to be watered regularly during the active growing season. Fertilizer blends specially formulated for cacti and succulents are also suitable. A balanced blend of fertilizer diluted to half strength is suitable and commonly used. Refrain from fertilizing towards the end of fall season and during winter months. Fertilizers are better applied at a quarter or half strength, about every two weeks. The most common recommendation is to fertilize during the active growing season, or during spring and summer months. It takes a lot of energy for plants to produce flowers, and feeding them extra nutrients will help supplement their needs during flowering season. While fertilizing is not necessary, giving your plants the nutrients they need will help ensure proper growth and encourage blooms. Succulent plants that do not receive adequate sunlight do not grow properly and will most likely not flower as well. If needed, consider using grow lights to provide enough light indoors.

Cactus flower windows#

Place plants in south or east facing windows indoors to ensure adequate lighting. Plants that do not receive enough light eventually etiolate, start looking pale and stretch out to look for more light.

Cactus flower full#

Some plants cannot handle intense, full sun and need filtered but bright light to prevent sun damage. Most cacti and succulents need at least 4-6 hours of bright light, or more. Make sure the plants are receiving adequate sunlight throughout the year and are kept in a bright location, even during colder winter months. This excludes Rhipsalis, Schlembergera and Hatiora species (Holiday cacti) which have different watering and temperature requirements from desert cacti (see below for Holiday cactus blooming tips). If kept indoors during winter, have them in a non-heated room if possible or keep the temperatures low to provide them the cold winter period that they need. Keep them cool during winter months with temperatures just above freezing, between 35-44⁰F (1.5-7⁰C). This can be achieved by keeping them cool and relatively dry in the winter months, especially desert cacti. Overwintering is also important if you want to see your cacti and succulents bloom. Especially when kept in a controlled environment, succulents prefer a marked difference between their night and day temperatures to mimic their natural habitat, with the cool night temperatures having an integral part in the plant’s growth cycle. Succulents favor cooler outdoor nighttime temperatures of 50-55⁰F (10-13⁰C) or indoor night temperatures of at least 60-65⁰F(15-18⁰C). Succulents and cacti prefer a distinct difference in night and day temperatures as well as summer and winter months.

Here are some things you can do to encourage your cacti and succulents to bloom: Some plants that are kept indoors may never bloom.

Some may take years to mature and bloom, while others may never flower at all. How do you get your succulents and cacti to bloom? Are there steps to take to get them to flower? Keep in mind that not all succulents and cacti bloom. Some flowers are foul smelling and attract flies and ants. Some flowers are brightly colored and sweetly scented to attract bees, butterflies, birds and other pollinators. Succulents also rely on wind pollination for seed distribution. In the wild, succulents rely on insects and other animals for pollination. The flowers contain the reproductive parts of the plant. Like non-succulent plants, succulents flower to attract pollinators. While flowers are not the main focus for most succulent growers, getting them to bloom is truly an exciting and wonderful process. On top of that, some also produce incredibly beautiful, showy and colorful flowers that are a sight to look at. Witnessing your succulents and cacti bloom, no matter how many times, can be very rewarding and a validation that you are doing something right.

While not the main goal for most growers, getting your succulents and cacti to bloom is an added bonus and often considered icing on the cake. One of my favorite things about springtime is seeing my succulents bloom.