![]() Make sure to pick a pot that’s a size bigger with each repotting and that the pot drains well to avoid water pooling at the roots. When the plant matures, it no longer uses up so many nutrients.īecause of its drooping stems, a hanging basket it’s the best way to display the plant. While still in active growth, nutrients in the soil need replenishing more often. While the rat-tail cactus is still a juvenile plant, it will require repotting every year until it reaches its mature size, and then you can replant only every three years to freshen up the potting mix. There are plenty of options available in the market and there are even organic fertilizers designed for succulents and cacti plants, so pick one of those and apply at the recommended dose and frequency, bearing in mind that less is more to avoid over fertilizing. Fertilizingĭuring the growing season in spring and summer, feed the plant once or twice a month with a fertilizer diluted at half strength.Īlternatively, you can use a time-release fertilizer once in spring to give the plant a boost in the growing season and sustain its nutrient uptake throughout the summer without shocking it. High humidity will cause the stems to rot, a very dry environment favors pest problems, especially when indoors.Īverage humidity levels are just fine for this cactus. In winter, store the plant in a cool area at around 50 F to encourage its dormancy and have the plant coming back stronger in spring.Īs for humidity levels, my advice is to avoid extremes. It’s not a cold-hardy cactus, let alone frost-hardy, so indoor overwintering is a must. ![]() Temperature & HumidityĪlthough the plant can tolerate temperatures within the range of 40 F to 90 F, it grows best between 50 F and 80 F. The soil should contain some organic materials as well to create a rich mix that will sustain the plant in its development and growth.Ī soil type that’s prone to waterlogging and compacting will not work for this succulent, so avoid those in favor of potting mixes that are light and rich in organic matter. Soil TypeĪ soil that drains well and it’s aerated produces the best results in keeping the roots healthy and disease-free. I’ve also experimented with watering from the bottom to encourage better root development, which is optimal to support the weight if the stems in case the plant only produces shallow roots. WateringĪs a desert plant with a tolerance to drought, you can imagine that this cactus doesn’t enjoy frequent watering with too much water at a time, in fact, frequent watering is a sure-fire way to overwater it and ultimately kill off the plant.Ī potting mix that’s only slightly moist in its upper layer will work, although I’ve had more success with the soak and dry method, whereby I deeply water the soil, then wait fir it to completely dry out before soaking it again. Ideally, it should receive about 10 to 14 hours of direct light, so find the sunniest spot you can. In summer, keep the Rat Tail cactus outdoors, but start by slowly acclimating it to outdoor light conditions. ![]() If you’re growing the Rat Tail cactus indoors, pick a window with a south-facing or west-facing exposure, so that the plant receives all the light it can get. Warmth and direct sunshine throughout the day is what the plant needs most. Light RequirementsĪs a cactus, desert-like conditions are what tick every box in the requirements of this plant. It flowers in spring or early summer, producing violet-red flowers.įlowers are short-lived, you can enjoy individual blooms for only a couple of days, but the plant puts out quite a few blooms during the flowering stage. The cactus produces flowers that are tubular and about 2 inches wide. When it does reach maturity, you can expect the stems to grow 3 to 6 feet in length. Because of the thin, elongated stems that droop, this cactus was named the Rat Tail cactus or Disocactus flagelliformis.Īnother notable difference is that the Rat Tail features edges or ridges on the entire length of the stem.Īs for the growing requirements, the Rat Tail isn’t as cold-hardy as the Monkey Tail as it cannot withstand temperatures below 40 F, but in every other aspect its care is very similar to that of the Monkey Tail.īelow, you can read my care tips and recommendations: Size & GrowthĪs other cacti, the growth rate of this plant isn’t as quick, and it can take a couple of years for it to reach its mature size. ![]() Eerily similar to the Monkey Tail Cactus, the Rat Tail Cactus produces thinner stems with fewer hairy spikes on them. ![]()
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