Unsure how to keep your pricks content? Follow these cactus care tips during colder months.
If you’re anything like us, you’ve long been drawn to succulents and cacti for their low-maintenance nature, and their ability to add an exotic note to any room, even in the thick – and cold – of winter. And while they make for good houseplants all year round, they have a tendency to go dormant during the winter months, so they stop growing when temperatures and daylight drop. We suggest you keep your succulents and cacti in tip-top condition during colder months by following these three simple steps…
![Cactus Sunlight](https://floom.imgix.net/general/Cactus-sunlight.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=pjpg&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=65&w=1440&s=9cd4532e28fb2ccd52bf4cc5e412be27 1440w, https://floom.imgix.net/general/Cactus-sunlight.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=pjpg&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=65&w=1000&s=60f1879458121c6c215d9eadfe1e0e6d 1000w, https://floom.imgix.net/general/Cactus-sunlight.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=pjpg&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=65&w=600&s=e9ab19a82066fe9dea5b1461289d6915 600w, https://floom.imgix.net/general/Cactus-sunlight.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=pjpg&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=65&w=400&s=72abe08fca13a56e26bc1dc04788b621 400w)
Step 1: Light Matters
A happy cacti or succulent receives at least three to four hours of bright light a day. Be sure to place your dormant plant in an area where it will thrive, for example, near a south or east facing window.
![Succulent Water](https://floom.imgix.net/general/succulent-water.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=pjpg&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=65&w=1440&s=88ab491e92dcee02443294510f4f2e56 1440w, https://floom.imgix.net/general/succulent-water.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=pjpg&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=65&w=1000&s=c878c23310ec7ae2cfe7b15d0b07dd6b 1000w, https://floom.imgix.net/general/succulent-water.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=pjpg&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=65&w=600&s=834d42cfa9e456b5e14a98ed39844b05 600w, https://floom.imgix.net/general/succulent-water.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=pjpg&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=65&w=400&s=f64d435626849618d801b23049bb3f83 400w)
Step 2: Water Well
They may be hardy, and easy to care for, but don’t be fooled into thinking that succulents don’t require regular deep watering. That doesn’t mean overdoing it. Water sparingly and from the top, allowing water to trickle through to the bottom and be sure to keep the water off the body of your cactus, so not to let it rot.
![Floom Cacti Repot 1](https://floom.imgix.net/general/floom-cacti-repot-1_190125_112304.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=pjpg&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=65&w=1440&s=a1d169b634db32797ebee3df5ae3e5f7 1440w, https://floom.imgix.net/general/floom-cacti-repot-1_190125_112304.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=pjpg&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=65&w=1000&s=d922e8edeef1062b7a3183cfec5d2535 1000w, https://floom.imgix.net/general/floom-cacti-repot-1_190125_112304.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=pjpg&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=65&w=600&s=c63e007035a6d7b13ac5dcdabb9cb94e 600w, https://floom.imgix.net/general/floom-cacti-repot-1_190125_112304.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=pjpg&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=65&w=400&s=fae643948f77d27522805fcb6e3a9c5b 400w)
Step 3: Pest Control
Give your cacti or succulent an MOT once in a while. By that we mean checking it for pests. Look closely at its leaves to check for aphids or bugs, and if you happen to find any, move the infested plant away from the rest of the family and mist them away. Repeat until they are all gone.