Repoting your cactus

It's glad to see our cactus growing up but when the pot is too small to the plant, we should repot it. However, repoting needs to be done very carefully, otherwise it may have the bad effect of cactus root. Besides, it somestimes looks inconvenient to do it because of its spine. The good time to repot is in spring when the plant is enjoying the active growth. Here I'll present you the easy steps to change the pot. The cactus in the picture is Echinocactus grusonii whose spine is long and strong as well.

1. Fold up a newspaper to make a collar to fit around the cactus while removing it, both to protect your hands and its delicate spines.

2. Hold the ends of the newspaper collar together while you ease the rootball from the pot. Gently lay the cactus on crumpled newspaper.

3. Choose a slightly larger pot and set the old one inside it. Fill the gap with cactus compost, tapping it down with a finger to firm it lightly.

4. Very carefully remove the inner pot from the compost. This will leave a hole of just the right size and shape to fit the cactus rootball.

5. Pick the cactus up gently, still inside the newspaper, holding the ends tightly together, and lower it carefully into the prepared hole.

6. Trickle a layer of grit around the cactus. This not only sets it off effectively but helps water to drain quickly through the compost. If any of the compost or grit has become trapped in the cactus spines during the operation, brush it off with a decorator's paintbrush.