The ball cactus, also known as mother-in-law's seat or mother-in-law's chair, is one of the most commonly grown cactus species. Care is easy, making this cactus the ideal introduction to cactus breeding. How to properly care for a ball cactus.
How do I properly care for my ball cactus?
To properly care for a ball cactus, water with rainwater in spring and summer, fertilize with cactus fertilizer every 1-2 months and repot if necessary. Watch out for pests and ensure cool temperatures between 12 and 15 degrees, little water and no fertilizer in winter.
How do you water a ball cactus correctly?
In spring and summer, the ball cactus needs regular watering. Always water when the soil surface is well dry. Be sure to avoid waterlogging.
Rainwater is best suited for watering. The ball cactus cannot tolerate calcareous water.
Does the ball cactus need fertilizer?
You only need to fertilize a leaf cactus if it has been in the same substrate for a long time. Use a cactus fertilizer (€6.00 on Amazon) that you give once a month. If the substrate is very rich in nutrients, it is even enough if you only fertilize it every two months. You must not give fertilizer in winter.
When do you need to repot a ball cactus?
It's time to repot when the roots have completely penetrated the substrate. Check root growth in spring. If necessary, place the ball cactus in a larger container with fresh substrate. The cactus soil should not be too nutritious.
After repotting, you must not fertilize the ball cactus for several months!
So that you don't injure yourself on the very pronounced thorns, wrap the cactus with a thick terry towel. Normal gardening gloves are not enough, even leather gloves pierce the spikes.
What diseases and pests should you watch out for?
If the substrate is waterlogged or is permanently too moist, the roots and later the cactus body will rot.
Check the ball cactus regularly for pests:
- Spider mites
- mealybugs
- Mealybugs
How do you care for a ball cactus in winter?
In winter the ball cactus takes a break. It needs to be kept a little cooler during this time. Winter temperatures should be between 12 and 15 degrees. It should never get cooler than 10 degrees. The location must be very bright even in winter.
During the winter, water the ball cactus very sparingly and do not fertilize it.
Tip
The ball cactus develops yellow flowers. It doesn't bloom in the first few years. Only at the age of three does it have its first flowering period, which lasts from July to September.
