Thorns...thorns...thorns

Most amateur 'green fingers' started off with a simple, low maintenance, non-fussy plant as their first pet project and despite of all the thorns, cactus has always been a beginner's favourite. As for myself, the passion was instilled from the sight of the cactus in a small planter in the IKEA store back home. Most cacti are prickly in nature, so care should be taken when one decided to nurture a cactus plant at home especially where there are young children around.











The passion of collecting cacti continues till now with a small collection given by friends. Cacti are non-fussy plants which don't really need full personal attention for them to grow. It can be left alone for days or maybe weeks without water and yet they still survived. Due to this nature, most cacti can be usually found in the hot, very dry arid areas where the annual rainfall is low. Patience is an important criteria when one decided to nurture a cactus since it is one of the slow-growing plants. It can take years for a certain species of cacti to grow to its full height.












To see the cacti blooming with its exotic, unique blooms will certainly bring much joy & satisfaction for the one who nurtures it. As for me, the joy of seeing the first bloom from the cactus definitely bewitched me with excitement & a sense of achievement. The small pots of cactus that grace the kitchen window sill (below picture).




Most species of cactus are easy to propagate, a few cuttings will do wonders but special care should be taken when handling cactus. A pair of woven gloves or used newspaper are highly recommended when handling cactus especially those with sharp, tiny thorns. A well-drained medium (sand, pebbles, chips of bricks..mixed with soil or compost) is a must for all cactus to grow healthy. The cacti hardly needs fertilising but occasionally if given some, it will actually helps the plant to grow healthier. Here are some of the most popular and favourite among the locals here (below picture). These species can actually reach the height of more than 3 feet (1 metre) upon maturity.