HOW TO CREATE AN INDOOR CACTI GARDEN

Easy to grow but almost impossible to kill! An indoor cacti garden is the perfect solution if you are looking to add greenery to your home but you are a novice plant owner or are short on space.

Creating a cacti garden is a doddle and the differing textures, colours and shapes create a piece of plant-art that will look beautiful in any home.

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED:

– A wide-mouth bowl that’s not too tall
– A bag of cactus potting mix
– Gravel
– Your cacti babies of choice!

HERE’S HOW YOU DO IT:

1. Cover the base of your bowl with a layer of gravel around 7-10cm thick. Cacti don’t like to sit in water so this helps improve drainage.

2. Add some of your cactus potting mix.

3. Arrange your cacti on the table next to your pot to get an idea of what you want the layout to be.

4. Plant them up carefully starting with your biggest plant and using gloves to avoid any prickly bits.

5. Remove each plant from the pot, place it in location and fill in the bowl with soil as needed. Gently firm the soil around each plant.

6. Top the soil with a thin layer of gravel around each plant.

7. Place in a sunny spot and water sparingly, waiting until the soil feels dry before you water again.

TOP TIPS:

– Setting your biggest cactus off-centre and varying your colours and textures can help to create a more natural looking garden.

– Get a few small cacti so you can fill in any gaps, you want to have as little soil/gravel showing as possible.

– The biggest mistake made with cacti, in fact almost all indoor plants, is over-watering. It’s best to let the top 1cm of soil dry out completely between watering. Cactus will rot at ground level if kept too wet.

‘- Don’t forget some liquid fertiliser will help keep your cactus healthy