I bought a couple little baby torch cacti. They showed up today and although I thought that they would come in tiny pots, they are not. just a little cactus with root clump and some dirt.


I had hoped there would be "care and feeding" intructions... no dice.

Im going to do some research, but I figured that this is place I'd end up turning to confirm anything.

What do I do with my little buddies?

They can last for at least a month or two in storage, I can tell you that. That's about all I know tho. I'm sure others here will know a lot more

I'd say hit the nook and start searching for soil mixes and think about the weather where you are to compensate for drainage and what kind of pots to put them in.

But seriously the nook forum is soooo much better for cactus than this holy hub.

Pre-made cactus mix is cheap, easy and works great.

It just needs to drain quicker then regular soil so cactus mix is very aerated.

Pre-made Cactus Mix is at most hardware stores and garden stores.

Put 2-3 inches of Large Perlite, Hydroton or Lavarock on the bottom of the pot. This will allow drainage of excess liquid.

Fill the rest up with cactus mix and leave an inch or so at the top.

Water once every week or two.

If you're in the northern hemisphere those babies are in their dormant period and should be kept next to dry and somewhere coolish until spring.

Washed and Sifted Coarse Sand
Pumice
Perlite
Fully Decomposed Composted Black Soil
Gypsum
Limestone
Diatomaceous Earth (Coarse)

Got them in a pot with cactus mix as suggested by the cosmic lion

Did not add any water.

I'm in florida. everything I've read says to lay off the water in the cold months, but a few places said I should water it a little bit now because or the transfer.

Any thoughts here? I am already attached to these cute little cactus.

Ilpt just bought some achuma two weeks ago and was hell busy so he just left it on shelf wrapped in newspaper. It went a lil soft shrunked a bit so after he put it in pot with soil he watered a bit. Just look at the cacti touch it if is soft a lil water wan`t hurt it . But I do mean little. Soon you and your cacti becomes mates an it tell you what it`s need. Just don`t be numb and feel the spirit,lol

Florida has milder winders but you can put some fluorescent grow lights inside and grow them under that during the winter. This will keep them dormant.

You could also get an LED grow light setup or even a Metal Halide setup and have an indoor garden along of houseplant or ethnobotanicals with a nice place to store your cacti during the winter.

Bringing cacti inside to go dormant during winter is a fairly common practice, some research should be rewarding.

Do NOT try to grow your Trichocereus inside unless you want them to be skinny and ugly.

You want them to be dormant during the winter, they need almost no light and no water.

If your in Southern FL you can plant them outdoors, in the ground in the spring, just put them in alot of sand and perlite and pumice.

I live in a condo so outside planting isn't possible. I do have a huge pot that I am planning on putting them in when spring rolls around. My porch gets a good amount of light. I will keep them indoors till then

They need intense direct sunlight in the spring, provide them with the most light possible.