High Sierra Nursery - Care Guide

	CARE GUIDE

	Please remember this guide is for the general care of cactus/succulents. Plants will grow healthier if you provide lots of warmth and bright light. There are some plants that may require different conditions. Take note of your plants and they will usually give signs of their condition; new growth, brighter colors, or wilting, discoloration.

	Growing Guide for Cactus and Succulents
	2-6 hours of direct sunlight is what most plants need to keep them healthy. A bright location is important, so even with just a couple of hours of direct sunlight, there is enough natural light to keep them growing. This means cactus and succulents can handle some hours of direct sun, but typically smaller plants may have trouble taking full afternoon sun for several hours. Larger plants can take more direct sun, not only because of their size, but because of their larger container. The larger the container the larger the amount of accessible moisture. Keep in mind, these plants in their native habitats have large root systems that can take in moisture from several feet below ground level. There are many types of cacti and succulents which are able to withstand less light or only morning sun and shade conditions. You should never suddenly move plants from low to high levels of light, instead acclimate your plant to light gradually.

	Indoor Growing Guide
	Indoors, cactus and succulents should be close to an east, west, or south facing window. Typically these plants do not receive enough natural light in a north facing window or several feet away from the light source. Cactus and succulents will not grow from artificial indoor lights.

	Watering Guide for Cactus and Succulents
	High Sierra Nursery grows our plants outdoors, and during the growing season, we water the plants once a week. When watering, soak the pot thoroughly so the soil and roots are well moistened. You should then let soil dry before re-watering. Plants in small pots may require water more often during hot weather in order to prevent sun scorch and discoloration. Plants grown in pots need more frequent watering than plants in the ground partly because the containers restrict the size of their root system. During the winter months, keep soil dry and water only if your plant appears shriveled and in need of water. Cactus can survive long amounts of time before watering, however they thrive when cared for more carefully. Indoors, we typically recommend watering about once every two weeks. To avoid over-watering, always use containers with a drainage holes.

	Repotting Guide for Cactus and Succulents
	Cactus and succulents do best in a soil that is porous and drains water quickly. When repotting your plant, be sure to use some variety of cactus soil. Typical potting mixes do not drain water fast enough for these plants, causing soil to become water- logged and the roots to rot. If you chose to mix you own cactus soil, a basic mix consists of about fifty percent potting soil and fifty percent perlite or pumice. Perlite and pumice are porous white granulars which help the soil to drain water quickly. Cactus soil, perlite and pumice are available at most garden centers. Sand can also be used in place of perlite/pumice. You can repot your plant any time of year as long as you can provide adequate warmth and light. Winter months are the worst time to repot your plant and the spring and summer months are typically the best.

	Fertilizing Guide for Cactus and Succulents
	Use general purpose water-soluble fertilizer at approximately a 1/8 tablespoon per gallon or follow the instructions. A fertilizer with balanced percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash (12-12-12) is recommended. You can fertilize your plants regularly during warm weather or up to once every other watering. For granular type fertilizers, the slow release fertilizer is recommended per manufacture�s instructions. Indoor plants can be fertilized occasionally, however it is not as critical for these plants.

	Problems Effecting Cactus and Succulents
	Sunburned or bleached areas of the plant: In some cases increasing the frequency of watering may help or moving the plant to a shadier location might prevent further burning. Also repotting your plant with cactus soil whose moisture and nutrient holding capacity is better may give the plant enough moisture. Lack of Growth: There are several plants that grow very slowly, but if there does not seem to be any growth, try feeding with a water-soluble fertilizer every other watering during the growing season. If you transplanted your plant some time ago and still no growth, the problem may be the soil. After your next watering scratch off some of the topsoil to see if the water was distributed evenly. If willing to, take the plant out of its� container to see if the roots have grown into the new soil. If needed, repot the plant in new cactus soil. Pale and weak growth indoors: Provide sufficient light, plants needs to receive as much bright light as possible. Indoors plants need to be in the windowsill or as close to the window as possible. Many succulents and cactus lose some of their color when they do not receive enough light try moving the plant to a brighter location. To avoid scorching, acclimatize your plant to light gradually. Insects: For insects like aphids and mealy bugs (small, white, cottony bodies) we recommend a non-toxic insecticidal soap. Rubbing alcohol also works, but it does burn the leaves of several types of succulents. If possible test on a small part of your plant to see how it will react to the alcohol.


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