How To Care for Cacti and Succulents

I love having greenery throughout my home as it really helps to pull a room together by injecting some life into it. With that being said, I’ve had a few casualties in my time and have come to recognise that the only plants I can keep alive are cacti and succulents. Both of these plants are low maintenance, but there are also many myths circulating on how they should be cared for. Through trial and error, and a little bit of research I’ve found out the best way to keep my little green friends alive.


// Water //
One of the biggest myths, is that succulents & cacti don’t need very much water, but this isn’t actually true. Succulents like to have their roots soaked with water but then dry out quickly. If you keep the soil wet every day, you’ll kill your succulent – the tip is to allow the soil to get completely wet and then only re-water once the soil has dried out. In the winter, most cacti and succulents have a dormant period and it’s at this time they need less water.

// Repotting //
Cacti and succulents should cope well in their original pots for between 6 – 12 months, at which point you’ll need to repot. When repotting, choose a pot one size larger as too much excess soil can sour before the roots have had a chance to grow into it.

// Sunlight //
You’ll want to keep your plants as close to the window as you can, but be careful not to let them get sunburnt (yes really!) if the light from the window gets too hot. Find a place that will give them some sunlight throughout the day, as well as a little shelter. Once you find that spot, try not to keep moving the plants around as they’re sensitive souls and can’t take it.