Creating Containers with Cacti and Succulents

Cacti and succulents just seem natural companions, especially in containers. They are easy but "special needs" plants and successful container culture...

Agave parryi
Item # J2753 		Agave parryi
Parry's Century Plant, Flagstaff form

each $18.99
Cold Hardy South African Succulent Sampler
Item # 99532 		Cold Hardy South African Succulent Sampler

Sampler $30.44

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Cacti and succulents just seem natural companions, especially in containers. They are easy but “special needs” plants and successful container culture depends on the correct soil mix.

Key to Success

Soil for growing these plants must provide excellent drainage without excessive organic matter content. Many species suffer when the soil is too fertile and contains large percentages of rich compost and peat moss. The basic formula for making a fast draining potting mix follows:

Soil Mix:

3 parts high quality soil-less potting soil
1 part coarse sand
1 part volcanic scoria, coarse Perlite or small (3/8” diameter or smaller) crushed gravel, crushed limestone or chicken grit.

Suggested Containers

The best pots are ceramic; whether terra cotta or glazed, is your personal preference. But make sure they have a drainage hole! Because a healthy cactus or succulent plant can live for many years, plastic containers will often deteriorate prematurely. This requires repotting plants, a difficult and dangerous task, especially when handling large specimens.

Re-pot every few years when plants have grown past the edges of the pot and stop increasing in size. Cacti and succulents are healthier and happier when under-potted (slightly undersized pot).

Plants for Pot Sizes

  • Large specimens like big barrel Ferocactus, columnar Trichocereus cacti or succulent Agave (Century Plants) require large pots to accommodate their large root systems and to counterbalance their imposing bulk. The pots must be substantial enough to support these large plants without tipping over.
  • The South African memsembranthemums are best planted in smaller pots. This also allows them to be grown on window sills in wet winter areas.
  • Bowl shaped pots are excellent for shallow rooted, clumping species. Species of cacti that form large, multi-stemmed clusters such as Claret Cup (Echinocereus triglochidiatus) and large growing Nipple Cacti (Mamillaria) prefer being planted into bowls.

Watering “Rules”

While cacti and succulents are low-care plants, they benefit from regular watering. Thoroughly soak established containers every week to10 days in the heat of summer; then let them dry out between waterings. Newly planted containers require more frequent watering to establish.