Question 1

How often should I water my Mexican fence post cactus?

Accepted Answer

There’s not a hard-and-fast rule for how often to water Mexican fence post cactus. The best way to determine this is to check the soil and only water when it’s bone dry. You can either stick your finger in the pot or use a moisture meter to check the soil below the surface. When you plant it in a deep pot, you can do this with a stick or chopstick. If it feels even a little bit moist, wait a few days and check it again.

Most people will need to water Mexican fence post cactus about every two weeks in summer and once a month in winter, but there are several factors that can change the frequency. The section below lists some considerations that can help you to determine how often to water.

Question 2

What should I consider when watering my Mexican fence post cactus?

Accepted Answer

There are several environmental conditions that will affect how your Mexican fence post cactus needs to be watered, including the container size, soil type, temperature, and humidity.

First off, the container and soil you use will determine how often to water and how much water to use each time. Be sure you use a container with plenty of drainage holes in the bottom so extra water can escape the pot. A small container has less room for soil, meaning it won’t hold as much moisture, while a larger pot will stay wet longer and need to be watered less often. It’s important not to keep your Mexican fence post cactus in an oversized pot as this can easily lead to overwatering. When repotting, move to just one size larger than the current container. A shallow container works better than a deep one, since Mexican fence post cactus has shallow root systems.

Mexican fence post cactus will need to be watered less often in winter and more often in the active growing season in spring and autumn. During the winter, growth slows down considerably and the plant isn’t using much energy or water. There is less water lost to evaporation in cooler winter air, meaning that soil stays wet for much longer than it would in the summer.

This also applies to the general climate around your home. If you live in a humid location with a lot of rain, you will need to water less often than if you live in a dry, arid climate. Remember that conditions at the same geographic location can vary significantly with the season and the use of indoor heating and air conditioning.

Outdoor Planting

If Mexican fence post cactus is planted in the ground, after establishing a root system, it shouldn’t need supplemental water beyond what it receives through precipitation and dew. But if there is a long dry period, you may want to water occasionally. In other areas where Mexican fence post cactus can only be grown in a container, this plant can be moved outside in the spring and summer when the temperature is proper and then brought back inside when temperatures start to drop. A potted Mexican fence post cactus kept outside usually needs more water than the same plant kept indoors, because there is a lot more sun exposure even on a shaded porch.

Question 3

How to water Mexican fence post cactus?

Accepted Answer

The best way to water Mexican fence post cactus is to soak it thoroughly and then allow it to dry out before it gets watered again. Since this plant is somewhat drought tolerant, you can let it get quite dry before watering again. It is always better to give this type of plant too little water over too much.

When you water, make sure the soil gets thoroughly soaked throughout the whole pot. Don’t pour the water in just one spot, but rather try to go around the whole rim of the planter to be sure that it has a chance to get wet on all sides of the plant. The correct amount of water will depend on the size of your container and how much water your soil absorbs. Give your Mexican fence post cactus enough water that it drains out from the drainage holes and then (ideally) leave the drained water in the saucer for about 20-30 minutes to absorb into dry pockets of soil. After that, discard any excess water that’s still in the saucer to avoid the soil getting waterlogged.

Bottom-watering is also an excellent method for the Mexican fence post cactus, as you can be sure that the soil gets thoroughly moistened. This process involves placing the pot into a saucer of water and allowing the soil to absorb moisture through the drainage holes. You will know that the soil has absorbed enough water when the top layer is moist. This takes a bit more time than top-watering, but is almost foolproof in getting an even distribution of water throughout the pot.

The original habitat of Mexican fence post cactus is relatively dry with little rain, but when it rains, the soil will be thoroughly moistened. So you can mimic this situation by bottom-watering your plant when the soil is totally dry. Deep soil bathing is better than frequent light watering for Mexican fence post cactus.

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What should I do if I water my Mexican fence post cactus too much or too little?

More Questions About Mexican fence post cactus

How often should I water my Mexican fence post cactus?

What should I consider when watering my Mexican fence post cactus?

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