Fertilizer for cacti and succulents: how to feed at home, how to choose the best composition and how to determine the lack of vitamins in a flower?

Cacti are exotic plants that have won the hearts of many gardeners with their extravagant appearance. The homeland of these hardy flowers is considered Mexico, Bolivia, Argentina. In nature, they grow in stony forests, prairies, deserts. Therefore, they are divided into 2 main groups: desert and forest. At home, both varieties are bred. When growing, it is important to properly care for the plant. In this article we will talk about top dressing.

The Importance of Feeding

Competent and timely dressing is the key to good flower health. The use of fertilizers promotes growth, enhances immunity, and increases the flowering time.

Each plant throughout life requires mineral fertilizers in different proportions. Useful micro and macro elements are in the substrate, and their consumption is directly related to the amount of precipitation.

For cacti, opinions on the use of minerals are shared. There are many disputes. Some experts believe that succulents do not need top dressing. After all, the soil where they grow in nature is scarce, does not contain any organic matter. Indeed, if the flower is overfed, the consequences will be extremely negative. Others argue that minerals are necessary, and various experiments and observations have proven this. The main goal is not to overdo it, and do everything right.

What season to fertilize?

Fertilizers of low concentration should be introduced into the diet of the plant every 2 weeksfrom March to September. In the dormant period from October to March, cacti do not feed. However, the flowering period does not always coincide with the growing season. If the plant blooms in winter, then it is definitely necessary to fertilize, while increasing the volume of water. Feeding is not worth it if the spring and summer weather is cloudy and rainy. Then the metabolism slows down, and the plant stops the growth.

Important! Mineral fertilizers begin to be applied a month after the succulent transplant.

How to feed the flowers?

Ready-made nutrient mixtures are applied under the root or by spraying. To date, mineral fertilizers are produced in the form of tablets, powder, sticks, granules, solution. Beginning gardeners are recommended to use liquid fertilizers in order to avoid dosage errors.

The most effective preparations for cacti are considered:

sodium humate;
heteroauxin potassium salt;
humic acids found in peat.

How to make a mixture at home?

If it is not possible to buy ready-made mixtures for cacti or are not sure about their quality, then there are some recipes that allow you to prepare fertilizers yourself:

0.5 g of calcium sulfate;
0.5 g of magnesium sulfate;
1 g of potassium nitrate;
0.25 g of iron sulfate;
0.25 g of superphosphate.

Mix and dilute everything in 2.5 liters of clean water.

mix 20 g of potassium nitrate;
8 g of superphosphate;
0.5 g of magnesium;
12 g of phosphorus potassium;
5 g of potassium sulfate.

To breed also 1: 1.

Important! The concentration of the mineral composition for cacti should not exceed the limit of 2 grams per 1 liter.

In addition, folk remedies are used as top dressing: solutions from eggshells or wood ash.

The composition of vitamins and nutrients

Well-known cactus growers recommend irrigation with agents that include 38% potassium, 16% phosphorus, 5% nitrogen. These substances are most useful for these types of flowers.

Potassium. Increases elasticity, resistance to infectious diseases and temperature fluctuations, contribute to the timely maturation of shoots. With a lack of this substance, the plant becomes covered with yellow spots, the natural color is lost. With an excess of potassium, growth slows down, and the root system may rot. Exposure to potassium is neutralized by calcium.
Calcium. It is important for plant formation, has a positive effect on the appearance of buds and seed ripening. It is an active substance in the process of regulating water balance.
Phosphorus. Promotes the full development of inflorescences, children, seeds. Stimulates the growth and formation of roots in sprouts.
Nitrogen. This substance is necessary for growth. But you need to be careful when adding it to mineral mixtures. When overfeeding, the cactus quickly stretches up, becoming watery, loose. The flower loses its elasticity, neoplasms die.

Flowering improvement

As already mentioned, for the appearance of buds, plants need minerals potassium and phosphorus. In order to achieve flowering, it is worth choosing minerals that primarily contain these components. Fertimix, Gilea, and Stimovit brands are not bad. These are gentle preparations, with the right dosage, they are absolutely safe for succulents. In addition, fertilizers stimulate flowering.

Step-by-step instructions for making drugs

Mineral preparations are diluted with water in accordance with the proportion indicated on the package. Approximately 1-2 caps per liter of liquid.
Use exclusively boiled or distilled water.
Pour the solution strictly under the root.
It is better to fertilize during the spinning hours or in the morning.
Intervals for 10-12 days throughout the entire growth period.
The concentration cannot be increased.

Fast growth

For these purposes, the Bona Forte fertilizer is suitable, which includes potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus and another 9 trace elements, including succinic acid. It is she who is a powerful stimulating component. The Dutch dressing "Pokon" also proved itself well for active growth and full development.

Nuances

Fertilizers should not be applied if there are health problems.
Do not increase the dosage in order to enhance growth.
Do not forget that the period of sleep in cacti is not only in winter, but also in hot summers. On such days, it does not even absorb water well. Therefore, feeding will be pointless.
When overfeeding, the plant loses its shape, peduncles weaken.
Do not pour sweet water, tea, broth and other mixtures that are not fertilizers into the pot.

What to look for when buying funds?

When choosing industrial fertilizers, it is important to pay attention:

On purpose, the drugs can be universal or special. It is advisable to choose mixtures designed specifically for cacti.
The composition is important, note that the quantitative indicators of nitrogen are significantly less than the rest of the components.
Mostly buy liquid or powder products, it is more convenient to calculate the proportion.
Shelf life.

In garden centers or flower shops, a wide range of mixtures for cacti and succulents is presented. The most popular drugs:

"Bona Forte" worth 100-120 rubles per 285 ml.
"Pokon" estimated price of 200-250 rubles per 250 ml.
"Etisso" of a German company for 500 rubles per 1000 ml.

Cacti are succulent plants. Therefore, you can often find a similar mark on the bottles with fertilizer. These drugs are used to nourish the soil, but for greater persuasion, read on the label for which plants are intended.

Reference! It is advisable to purchase vitamins for cacti, it is possible to choose a preparation even for a certain variety of prickly flowers.

Is help needed to develop succulents?

It is believed that cacti do not need to be fed at all. After all, they get enough useful substances from the soil. At the same time, it is mandatory to transplant every 5 years and completely update the soil. It's like that. And if the succulent is not enough mineral fertilizers, it can be determined visually:

stunted growth - lack of nitrogen;
the appearance of red spots, the death of thorns - a lack of sulfur;
color changes - a sign of the absence of fluoride;
the root system does not develop - lack of calcium;
chlorosis, provoked by the lack of potassium;
the active process of child formation is a lack of zinc.

Thus, the owners themselves have the right to decide whether to feed their pets or they need enough nutrients in the ground. In any case, the plants should be fertilized according to the rules, observing the timing and dosage.