Content
- This is how cacti spend their hibernation
- Preparatory phase starts in September
- Instructions for a successful hibernation - That's what matters
- No rule without exception
- Warm shower brings cacti out of hibernation
- Tips
Cacti need it bright and cool in winter
This is how cacti spend their hibernation
Give your cactus a winter breather, this prudence will be rewarded with a magnificent flowering in the next year. The most beautiful types of cactus plant their buds only under the special conditions of a hibernation. How to do it, learn here.
Preparatory phase starts in September
If your cacti have spent the summer on the balcony, the falling temperatures in September require a move to the windowsill. In preparation for the approaching winter season, the succulents here only make a stopover. From this point on gradually reduce the water intake, as the goal is a dry hibernation. Furthermore, the cacti get some liquid fertilizer for the last time in the beginning / middle of September.
Instructions for a successful hibernation - That's what matters
At the end of October / beginning of November, the hibernation phase begins, becoming cool and dry for your cactus. How to guide the exotic succulents through the dark season:
Under these conditions, your cacti spend the winter time until the end of February / beginning of March. The bright, unheated bedroom is ideal for winter accommodation. At temperatures around 5 degrees Celsius, the plants are also satisfied with a window seat in the basement.
No rule without exception
An exception to this rule make winter-flowering leaf cacti, such as Rhipsalidopsis or Schlumberga. For these beauties hibernation begins after the flowering period and extends from January to February.
Warm shower brings cacti out of hibernation
In March, cacti take their place on the windowsill again. A gentle spray of soft, lukewarm water now awakens the spirits. A week later, the starting signal for the normal care program is given by first pouring the cacti again and adding some cactus fertilizer to the water.
Tips
Hardy cactuses in the bed also undergo a preparation to help them avoid frost and snow. For this purpose, they will no longer be cast and fertilized from October. Previously, a potassium fertilizer strengthens the hardness of the frost, because the nutrient lowers the freezing point in the cell water. It makes sense to use a translucent rain cover to protect against rain, hail and snow.