?????Cactus Help?????

Question

I bought a cactus at the beginning of the summer, and now there are leaves growing around it. Will that take away any nutrients the cactus is receiving?

Also, since winter is coming, what type of artificial light should I use to keep it growing? What brand and wattage?

Answer 1

Yeah pull the weeds they will rob nutrient from your cactus, and if left too long can damage the fragile cactus roots. Especially if they're pulled after becoming overgrown. On my Trichocereus I put down a layer pebbles or crushed limestone on the surface of the dirt and that's usually sufficient to keep weeds in check.

In the winter cold months cactus tend to go dormant and quit growing entirely. You'll want to cut back on the water hard. Don't water it unless you see it's in distress (shriveling). Put it in a sunny window or sunny spot for the winter, you won't need growing lights.