Instead of striving upright towards the sky, the leaf segments sink ever lower towards the earth. This scenario is not uncommon with the prickly pear cactus. Admittedly, the sight is not pretty. But even if he looks so suffering, the desert dweller's life is not in danger.
Why does the prickly pear cactus hang?
The prickly pear cactus usually hangs in the winter,when it overwinters in a cool and dry place. This is normal as it loses some moisture throughout. Start watering gradually in the spring and the cactus will quickly stand up again.
Does the prickly pear cactus have the wrong winter quarters?
The popular prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus indica) is a desert plant with modest winter hardiness. In this country it has to be cultivated as a pot plant in almost every region so that it can be easily overwintered. Thecool, dry winter quartersisideal for him, even if he soon hangs out there. He needs a hibernation period and must not be too warm. Otherwise, the prickly pear cactus may not bloom. Accept hanging as a harmless, temporary condition. In any case, you will rarely see the cactus in its winter quarters.
Should I water the hanging prickly pear cactus?
During the winter it is better not to water the hanging prickly pearor only a little if the soil is very dry. It cannot absorb water properly because it only forms new fine roots after overwintering. However, the damp earth can cause it to rot. You'd better do it this way and he'll get up in time for the start of the season.
- only in spring spray with water daily
- then gradually start watering
- Slowly increase the amount of water
- Wait 2-3 waterings before fertilizing
Why does the prickly pear cactus hang in summer?
Occasionally in summertoo much moisturecan cause the cactus to droop or its segments to shrivel. Either it gets constant rain, is watered too much or the substrate is unsuitable and stores too much water. Stop theRot by taking the following actions:
- Getting cactus out of the ground
- Let the root ball dry
- repotting into new soil
- cactus soil is ideal
- alternatively normal soil with at least 35% sand-gravel proportion
- Provide rain protection
Tip
Prickly pear cactus bears delicious, he althy fruits
Under very optimal conditions, the prickly pear cactus can also succeed in producing edible fruits, so-called prickly pears.
