So, I am brand new to the cactus circuit and I have some things I am wondering about.
First of all, I live in the Northern part of Utah. It gets very cold, it is already starting to get cold. I recently bought my cactus, a Ferocactus, and I want to replant him in something more suitable for him, but is it too late?
Second, What do I need to do water wise for the winter? I've read a lot about dormancy, but i'm still sort of confused. He is currently living on my dresser with frequent trips to the window sill because I am paranoid he will fall over because of the wind at night.
Third, I am super afraid of messing up at taking care of my cactus. Any advice to make me less nervous?
Thanks in advanced!
-Larz
So many questions...
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greenknight
- Posts: 4818
- Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2013 4:18 am
- Location: SW Washington State zone 8b
Re: So many questions...
Very good questions. The good news is that Ferocacti are pretty tough, as long as they're not over-watered they're not easy to kill.
You could repot it, then just leave it dry and let it go dormant. There's a discussion about that here: When to stop repotting? Many growers don't like to do that, but I think you ought to inspect the roots anyway - if you're going to disturb the roots, might as well replace the soil with a better mix at the same time.
Dormancy is fairly simple - just stop watering it. If you keep it cool enough, below 50* F, that's all there is to it - just leave it dry 'til Spring. It has to be protected from hard frost, though, so you can't just leave it outside. Not everyone can provide the ideal conditions, if it's a little warmer you might have to water it once or twice during the Winter. It's fine if it shrinks a little during dormancy, but if it shrinks too much give it water. I've never watered mine during the Winter, but it's a much wetter climate here.
Anyway, they're not difficult, nothing to be nervous about. During the growing season, give it lots of sun to retain the bright spine color. Good luck.
You could repot it, then just leave it dry and let it go dormant. There's a discussion about that here: When to stop repotting? Many growers don't like to do that, but I think you ought to inspect the roots anyway - if you're going to disturb the roots, might as well replace the soil with a better mix at the same time.
Dormancy is fairly simple - just stop watering it. If you keep it cool enough, below 50* F, that's all there is to it - just leave it dry 'til Spring. It has to be protected from hard frost, though, so you can't just leave it outside. Not everyone can provide the ideal conditions, if it's a little warmer you might have to water it once or twice during the Winter. It's fine if it shrinks a little during dormancy, but if it shrinks too much give it water. I've never watered mine during the Winter, but it's a much wetter climate here.
Anyway, they're not difficult, nothing to be nervous about. During the growing season, give it lots of sun to retain the bright spine color. Good luck.
Spence 
Re: So many questions...
Even a little Ferocactus can go many months without water in winter. It may wrinkle at the base, but that's better than rotting from too much water. It will fatten up quickly in the summer.
--ian