TOP: The cactus wall, as Jasmine calls it,
hosts various cactus and euphorbia—
keeping their sharp spines away from
walkways. LEFT & BOTTOM: Succulents,
herbs, and floral arrangements are
tucked into nearly every nook
Jasmine can find.
Transportation: Use thick carpet
padding or foam to wrap cactus
when you’re bringing them home
from the nursery. This helps pre-
vent damage to the plants as well
as to your skin. Be sure to wear
gloves too.Protection: Whenever you are
handling cactus that have spines,
protect your hands by wearing
thick leather gloves. Jasmine Fitz-
william recommends wearing two
pairs of gloves—leather work
gloves inside rose gloves.Drainage: Too much moisture can
kill a cactus or cause rot. In order
to make sure your cactus aren’t
getting too much water, put a fin-
ger a few inches into the soil to
check moisture levels. If there’s
any moisture, you don’t need to
water. Also, be sure your irriga-
tion system stops watering when
it rains.Potting: When potting cactus or
succulents, use containers that
have holes at the bottom for
drainage. Fill the bottom of the
container with pieces of broken
pots or large gravel to help pre-
vent the drainage hole from be-
coming clogged. Be sure to use
a cactus mix that has pumice
when planting—the pumice helps
with drainage. Cover the soil with
a layer of rock for a decorative
effect; it also keeps soil in place.Watering: Jasmine and her horti-
culturalist, Kirk Neuroth, recom-
mend giving plants a baseline
of water through a drip system
twice a week. The amount of
water can be minimal. Then
hand water plants as needed
in hotter months.
Fertilizing: Jasmine notices
a distinct reinvigoration of plants
when a dose of fertilizer is
provided just twice a year (in the
spring and fall). She uses Grow
More Cactus Juice.Cactus &
Succulents
101
Tips for growing, moving, planting,
and caring for cactus and succulents.SUNSET JULY/AUGUST 2019 29 --