Cacti roots

[Mike B.]

As a relatively new member and since I'm pretty new to cacti...just how deep do cacti roots grow? I guess some may go deeper than others? I am asking because I have this old red wagon in the back yard and I suppose it's maybe 4 inches deep, is that deep enough to plant cacti and allow room for their roots? Thanks!

[Brunãozinho]

How deep the roots of cacti grow depends on a lot of factors.

In general, cacti like to settle their roots in a place where water won't accumulate for long periods of time, but also where they would be able to absorb water even it rains just a few.
In habitat, many species develop roots that are some meters long, but that don't go deeper than a few centimeters.
But there are many species in many different habitat conditions, and that doesn't apply to all of them.

I think you have many options for planting cacti in that red wagon, are you thinking of any species in particular?

[Mike B.]

I'm thinking about some that are cold hardy, ones I could leave outside year round. Perhaps some Opuntia, Escobaria, Echinocereus. Ones that are flowering. I'm thinking that having them in that red wagon would make it easier to move about. I could move it under some shelter or into the sun very easily. But most likely I'll probably just park it on the back patio.

I'm thinking that drilling a few holes in the bottom of that wagon might be a good idea.

[oldcat61]

We need to know where you are. Also, what might be hardy in a well-drained bed is not the same as above ground in a pot ( in your case, wagon ). You will need to do a lot of research, not just hardiness but soil mixtures & what species do well in shallow containers. The metal of the wagon will also heat up more than a glazed or plastic pot, so that is another problem. Sue

[greenknight]

I use an old kiddie wagon to hold my small potted cacti, easy to move them out into the sun and put them under cover when it rains, and move them indoors in the winter. Here, it's not usually very hot, the extra warmth is generally a plus. Still, you don't want the roots to get too hot, so I put styrofoam trays under them for insulation, to moderate the temperature.

The metal will not only heat up faster, it also loses heat faster when it's cold. If it freezes very hard, the roots of the plants could get frozen solid, even cold-hardy plants can be killed that way.

You could line the wagon with foam insulation board, sealed in plastic to keep it dry. They make it in 1/2 inch thickness, very inexpensive, available at building supply stores. I think that would help quite a bit, but you'd still need to bring it inside in really cold weather.

[Mike B.]

We need to know where you are. Also, what might be hardy in a well-drained bed is not the same as above ground in a pot ( in your case, wagon ). You will need to do a lot of research, not just hardiness but soil mixtures & what species do well in shallow containers. The metal of the wagon will also heat up more than a glazed or plastic pot, so that is another problem. Sue

oldcat61: You've brought up some good questions. I live in SW Kansas and winter temps. can reach down to the teens. Summer temps can reach the upper 90's. I've been doing research on different types of cacti and what they will or will not tolerate. Right now I'm still in the planning stages, that's why I'm asking questions and I appreciate others chiming in and sharing their experiences and ideas.

To be honest, as a newbie, all the names of different cacti can be overwhelming, as there are so many. I'm making lists of cacti that interests me with some of their needs. I'm always amazed how all you guys can identify cacti. I have to copy and paste the names into google and read about them, otherwise I'd have no idea what the cacti looks like or what kind of needs they have.

I really like greenknight's comments about how he used his wagon. He gave me some good ideas. Thx.

[greenknight]

Your welcome - it's on the porch now, been raining.

Forgot to mention the tree - I have plants in there that need some protection from the midday sun, so I put them in one end and have a potted tree I use to shade them. You can see it in the picture, on the right, there's a forked stick poking up behind the wagon - it hadn't leafed out yet. No shade needed that early, anyway, it's in full leaf by the time I need it. It's a maple bonsai-in-training, in case you wondered.