I have a 6 inch wide bowl of mixed cacti. I'd like to tranplant to a bigger pot. How without hurting them ?

Question

Whenever I transplant regular plants, I try to keep soil around the roots as I'm doing it. Is this necessary with cacti?
They're in a black kind of sand. I live in a sandy soil area. Can I use this soil in addition ?

Answer 1

Cacti are usually very shallow rooted so they are usually VERY easy to transplant. Of course, you should keep as much soil as you can around the roots!!

I would recommend that you buy some "Cactus" soil, which is available in a small bag from garden stores like Home Depot, etc. If you have sandy soil because you live in Arizona or New Mexico, it will probably be OK (although I would still buy the pre-packaged soil!!). If you have sandy soil because you live near the ocean, I would DEFINITELY buy the pre-packaged soil!!!

For prickly cactus plants, I use a pair of chop sticks to "grab" the plant (after loosening the soil around the plant) and lift it out of the old pot and place it in the new.

Cacti usually transplant well. You shouldn't have any problems!!

Good Luck!!

Answer 2

Use only the cacti type soil, the kind you can buy at the store!!!!!

Answer 3

Fold a news's paper to about 2 in. thick so it looks like a belt, then put it around the plant, go around the edge of he plant with a knife to loosen it, then wrap the paper around it firmly and lift it out. This way you won't get hurt either. : )