FAQ

Growing from seed is very easy, we recommend the tried and tested "TakeawayTek".

Tools you need:

• Takeaway Tub
• Spring water
• Substrate (50% compost / 50% perlite)
• H2O2 (Hydrogen Peroxide 3%)
• Pressure cooker, oven or microwave
• Cling Film

In a Nutshell

1. Add substrate to takeaway tub, about 1 inch deep.
2. Add enough spring water for the substrate to be damp but not dropping wet. It should be around field capacity so when you squeeze the substrate in a ball, only a few drops seep out. If the water is flowing through your fist, too much water.
3. Sterilisation (This is completely optional and we do not do this anymore):
   1. Microwave - 1,5 to 2 minutes
   2. Pressure Cooker - 40 min @ 15psi (if PC, this will need to be done ahead of putting it in the takeaway tub)
4. Allow to cool after sterilisation.
5. Sprinkle your seeds on top of the substrate evenly as possible.
6. Give a spray with 3% H2O2, this will hydrate and kill off any spores or bacteria present on the seeds.
7. Wrap the takeaway tub in clingfilm to seal airtight.
8. Stick under lights and sit on heat mat, temps should not go lower than 24c.
9. Watch the magic happen 🙂

Optional Extras

• I recommend pre soaking all seeds in a H2O2 solution prior to sewing. This has a 2 fold effect of softening the outer shell as well as killing off any nasties that may be present on the seeds. Some options:
  • Soak to 24 to 48 hours (1 tablespoon of H2O2 in spring water in a cup)
  • Soak for a few minutes in undiluted 3% H2O2

Note: We will also send you a handy guide via email after purchasing with full instructions.

Short answer, yes. 

Although this is a vague question as there are many types of cactus that prefer different environments and levels of feed.

The damage that can be caused depends on what you are feeding your plants, Organic or Chemical.

Organic

Overfeeding with organic fertilisers can inadvertently introduce harmful bacteria and create a build up of salts over time which affects the root's ability to absorb nutrients.

Chemical

Chemical fertilisers are mainly synthetically derived salts and tend to be quite concentrated. Over feeding with chemical fertilisers can actually burn the roots off the plant.

When in doubt, err on the side of Organic as its safer, doesn't affect PH levels as much as chemical feeds, can top feed and margin for error is greatly decreased.

Conclusion

Always alternate between fertilising and watering, watering will help dilute any salt build ups and fertiliser concentration. Stick to organic feeds.

There are other, "easier" cactus to grow like Golden Barrel Cactus, but I will only address the family of plants I sell.

Being in UK, our jobs as hobbyist growers gets a little trickier with a few more variables to cater for. The weather being the biggest factor and cacti are most definitely not best suited for the constant rain and then there is winter of course.

It is generally easier to grow Trichocereus (Echinopsis) cacti over, say Lophophora willliamsii. But, that is also a relative statement as Peyote need a lot less fuss but are more susceptible to rot from too much moisture in the substrate. Trichocereus, specifically pachanoi (San Pedro) and peruviana (Peruvian Torch)  tend to be more forgiving as they can handle more moisture, humidity and generally less than ideal growing environments. The only exception to this would be Trichocereus bridgesii (Bolivian Torch) as they struggle with high levels of moisture, especially humidity.

Growing from seed is very rewarding but is also the longest route to an adult plant (duh), you can also purchase seedlings as well as  "cuts" which are cut piece of adult plants. You just stick the dried, cut side in substrate and wait for roots.

I will add to this section as and when I can think of good tips & tricks.

1. Always have H2O2 3% handy - Hydrogen peroxide is a great all round tool for horticulture work. Its great as a pesticide as well providing oxygen to your plant's roots.
2. Sulphur - Sulphur is a natural fungicide and is great for open wounds to keep infections away.
3. Bottom feed with chemical fertilisers, anywhere feed with organic fertilisers.

Trichocereus are generally very weather tolerant which is handy here in the UK. 

As a general rule, Cacti require infrequent watering. Most cacti should be watered once every 2-3 weeks during their active growing season (spring and summer), and even less frequently during their dormant period (fall and winter). Water only when the soil is completely dry.

But, it really depends on your substrate composition. If gritty, you can water more often. If very organic, you will water far less often. At a 40% organic gritty mix, during Summer, I water weekly. The main thing that you need to consider is if the substrate is dry or not. If it is dry, you can water. Cacti need a wet / dry cycle to be happy.

Cacti need well-draining soil that allows water to flow through quickly. A mix of sharp sand, grit, and compost works well.

My go to substrate mix:

• 4 parts organic (50% John Innes No2 and 50% worm castings)
• 2 parts sharp sand (horticultural sharp sand. Please don't use builders sand or anything that isn't washed as they leach salt)
• 4 parts grit (horticultural grit, pumice, akadama, molar, whatever floats your boat).

I go over the top but for grit, I generally use 1 part hort grit, 1 part pumice, 1 part zeolite and the last 1 part consists of volcanic rock and Azomite which are trace minerals.

To keep things cheap and simple, you can do the following:

• 4 parts John Innes No2
• 2 parts horticultural sharp sand
• 4 parts horticultural grit

A note on John Innes No2, store bought are generally sub standard and has a lot of wood and chunky bits, please always sieve the compost to remove.

The only thing I will say is to never use store bought cactus mixes, they are horrible. Just avoid :-).

This is a bit of an opened ended question as it really depends on a few factors like age, size, root system etc.

Fertilisers like seaweed are high in Potassium (K) and little to no Nitrogen (N), this is handy as you can be liberal with feeding. High potassium will focus on roots and girth. Nitrogen will focus on the columnar (top) growth.

You might be thinking "Wait, isn't top columnar growth a good thing?"

Answer, yes and no. If you have a root system that can sustain the aggressive top growth, you can feed Nitrogen (Tomato feed) to ramp up growth. Outside of that, avoid anything with heavy N content. Over feeding will cause Etiolation.

I only use Nitrogen at the very beginning of the season to wake everything up and kick start growing. After my first 2 feeds, my plats don't get any Nitrogen from fertilising as I want nice and thick plants.

Again, it depends on age. Seedlings need to be acclimated to full sun over a period of weeks or they will get stunted and won't be happy.

Adult plants can handle full sun and should be give as much of it as possible given our climate on average. 

Note: Any major weather swings like we had last Summer (50c weather), the plants will need to be shaded or they will get sunburn (yes, they can get sun burnt).

Light requirements do vary between species but Trichocereus need an absolute minimum of 4 hours a day during active growth. The sweet spot would be 10 hours + a day.

Active Growth: Between 15 - 29c

Dormancy: anywhere below 10c.

Personally, I do not subscribe to the generally accepted idea that Trichocereus like to be root bound. I disagree with this as in nature, they are rarely root bound.

As a rule, big shoes, big plants. I like to over size my plants to give them space to set a good root structure, this in turn will give you bigger plants down the line.

This is a double edged sword though as more substrate, more time for the substrate to completely dry out as the plant cannot utilise all the moisture present, the roots system is still filling out the space.

A good marker for needing to repot would be roots showing out the bottom of your pot. if you see roots, upsize repot.

Etiolation is when the cactus stretches for whatever reason and grows skinny.

Etiolation events:

• Not enough light
  • If the cactus is not receiving enough light, he will stretch to get more.
• Over feeding Nitrogen
  • Too much N will cause aggressive top growth and if the root system cannot sustain it, he will etiolate.
• Not enough heat
  • If its cold and the sun is out, he will etiolate.

To avoid etiolation as much as possible, avoid Nitrogen, keep the plants warm and in sun. During winter, keep them cold and avoid sun.

Yes, of course you can :-). Generally speaking, Trichocereus do not do well in the ground here (UK) unless they are protected from our constant drenching.

a South facing window is a good place for cactus to grow as they will receive the most amount of sun.

Something to note is airflow when indoors. Still air is a vector for fungal infections as they thrive in still air environments, please make sure to have a window propped open so your dude can get lots of fresh air.

Of course they can. San Pedro (Echinopsis pachanoi) should be overwintered during the colder periods (End October to April) to avoid etiolation (elongated growth due to lack of light).

During winter, it is best to keep them cold and dark. Anything below 10c will cause the plant to go dormant and stop growing, this is what we want if we do not want skinny and elongated growth.

There is nothing stopping you from keeping your baby on a windowsill during winter, there is just a risk of the plant etiolating as there will not be enough light and the house would be warm, bad combination.