Gardeners' World: How to care for houseplants
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During the winter months, houseplants need different care. Their position, amount of light and how much water they need changes. Express.co.uk spoke to Patch Plant doctor Richard Cheshire about getting a cactus or succulent to thrive during the colder part of the year.
What is the difference between a succulent and a cactus?
While there’s a difference between cacti and succulents, they’re also closely related.
‘Succulent’ is an umbrella term for a large group of plants that generally have thick, fleshy leaves that hold a lot of water (the name comes from the latin for ‘juice’).
They’re found all over the world, almost exclusively in very warm places that have periods of drought.
The swollen leaves give you a good clue to how to look after them. Because they can store lots of water in their leaves.
The presence of spines is a defining characteristic of cacti.
Cacti have small, round, cushion-like structures called areoles in which flowers and hair can grow.
As for how they should be looked after, Richard said: “Cacti and succulents are a little different in terms of their care needs compared to many other houseplants in that they need very little moisture and are much better at handling harsh, dry conditions.
“You should only need to water them about once a month.
“Potentially less if your living space is well heated.
“From spring to autumn they need a bit more but if you’re not giving them enough and they’re thirsty they’ll tell you.”
Richard explained: “You’ll notice that their leaves are starting to look slightly shrivelled.
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“But they’ve evolved to withstand drought and will recover quickly if you give them a drink.
“If cacti or succulents are sitting in soggy water they will protest quite quickly and the leaves/stalks will go mushy.
“They are always potted in special soil that is very free draining so moisture isn’t absorbed by dense soil and they especially don’t like moisture around the point where they make contact with the soil.”
He added: “For this reason you often see cacti owners sprinkle gravel around the base of the plant which is an attractive decorative feature but also allows the water to drain through easily.”
Another way to ensure the houseplant gets enough water is misting.
Plants like to suck up moisture from the air, so give by regularly misting it will boost the humidity in your home.
Cactis and succulents are also air purifying.
But not all cactis and succulents are dog and child friendly.
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