Watering Cactus

Watering Cactus and Succulents can be easy if you follow a few easy tips:

Most important is starting out with a fast draining soil mix made for Cacti & Succulents, or make your own fast draining mix. 

The next is whether the plant is in ground or potted. Where I live in Phoenix, Arizona it hits 115° regularly in Summer with no rain for months so I do water my in-ground Cactus, but that is not the case for many other regions. Potted Cacti and Succulents require water when the soil is dry at least a couple inches into the soil. In Summer most of my potted Cactus and Succulents dry out weekly and thus need water weekly. Cactus should be kept dry in the Winter. 

Another Key Tip is what season to water. Succulents such as Cactus, Euphorbia, Agave, Portulacaria, and Crassula are Spring/Summer growers and would appreciate water in those seasons. Succulents such as Echeveria, Senecio, Aloe, Haworthia, and Gasteria bloom and grow in Winter and appreciate more water in that season. 

When Watering Potted Cactus and Succulents it is Absolutely VITAL that the Pot has a Drain Hole. If the Pot has no Drain Hole a layer of rocks on the bottom will NOT save you from Root Rot, Drainage is Absolutely Necessary! Lastly, I water all my Potted Cactus and Succulents thoroughly until the soil is saturated, and allowing the pot to leak excess water out of the bottom.