Site Preparation

It is imperative that cacti grown in our climate have excellent drainage as this is the key to keeping cacti alive during our winter and early spring.

Ø      I advise to construct a rockery/bed that has a minimum 40cm layer of underlying hardcore consisting of broken bricks or large building aggregate.

Ø      There should then be a layer of growing medium consisting of 2:1 Sharp sand, Topsoil mix. Topsoil can be substituted with any fine compost. This layer should be a minimum of 30-50cm deep.

Ø      The bed should be covered with a thick layer of gravel approximately 5-7cm deep. This will discourage weeds and prevent dehydrated cacti during the winter from sitting on wet soil which can result in rot.

The use of rocks in the plantation can act as storage heaters and reflectors. They can hold heat and reflect sun light back at the plants encouraging a good favourable microclimate.

The use of plants such as palms, yuccas, grasses and brooms not only add to the exotic look of the plantation but also help to suck up excess moisture with in the bed especially in  winter and spring which reduces the overall wetness of the bed during the winter months thus helping prevent problems such as rot.