Possible causes & solutions for a lack of growth in cacti and what you can do about it
The pot is too small and the cactus does not have enough space to grow roots
As with all
other plants, it is also important for cacti that there is sufficient space for the roots of the
succulent. Only then can the cactus draw sufficient water and nutrients from the soil and grow.
There are not enough nutrients available
In fact, cacti only need very few
nutrients to grow. Unfortunately, however, it is not possible to grow without them. Especially if
the plant has not been repotted for a long time and has therefore not been supplied with fresh
substrate, it can be useful to add some fertilizer to the water. Succulent fertilizer is
particularly suitable for this.
I have linked to a suitable one on Amazon here.
View succulent fertilizer on Amazon*
The location is too cold
Another reason why your cactus may not grow is if the location
is too cold. Especially in winter, for example, it often gets cold on the windowsill if there is no
heating under the window. However, the cold temperature in winter does not harm the succulent. It
will simply continue to grow next spring when it gets warmer again.
Alternatively, you can of course find a warmer spot.
The location offers too little (direct) sunlight
In nature, cacti from the
desert or steppe are used to a lot of direct sunlight and are adapted to it. Too little light does
not usually cause a cactus to die. What can happen, however, is that it stops growing because it is
not photosynthesizing sufficiently.
It is best to simply look for a brighter location. A south or east-facing window is ideal. If this
is not possible, you can also help with artificial light. I have linked you to a suitable plant lamp
on Amazon.
View plant lamp on
Amazon*
The cactus is watered too much or too little
It is best to water your succulent rarely,
but sufficiently. In summer, you can also submerge the entire pot with the cactus under water so
that the soil is well saturated. However, be sure to wait until the soil is completely dry again
afterwards. This
does not bother the cactus and prevents waterlogging, which can cause the roots to rot.
The substrate used is not suitable
A sandy substrate is perfect. In my experience, it
doesn't necessarily have to be the expensive succulent soil. You can also simply mix fine "normal"
plant soil with a little sand. Peaty soil is not so well grounded for
cacti, as it is not so water-permeable and holds moisture for a long time. This can lead to
waterlogging and thus to root rot...
