Fairy castle cactus propagation could be done using two methods. you could use either their cuttings or seeds to propagate them.
However, many people opt to go ahead with the easy and the effective way which is using the cutting method.
As aforesaid, Fairy castle cacti are slow growing plants, hence it would be somewhat time consuming to see the results of the seeds propagation method.
As such, many people prefer to go ahead with the cutting’s method instead of proceeding with the seed’s propagation method.
Fairy castle cactus belong to the Acanthocereus tetragonus species. It is a quite famous species among the North and Central Americans.
They usually come up with cylindrical stems and tend to grow in a vertical manner. Their growth pattern reflects a view of a fairy castle.
Those stems have little white spines, and they would usually arise along the ribs. These are slow growing plants. Having said that, they can still reach a maximum height of 2 meters ( 6 feet ) too.
You could rarely spot the Fairy castle cactus bloom. However, when they mature, chances are that they may come up with large white or yellow flowers.
Many succulents’ enthusiasts tend to grow them due to the aesthetic beauty of them. So, if you are already one of these amazing looking plants and wondering how to conduct the propagation and how to care after propagation, it would be worth reading this article.
Can you propagate Fairy castle cactus by cutting?
If you wish to go ahead with the cutting method, you need to first arrange a soil mix which has an excellent drainage.
I suggest going ahead with a soil mix which has cactus mix and perlite at a 1:1 ratio. Further, if you wish to further enhance the draining you may add coarse sand at a 1:1:1 ratio.
To start off, you need to protect yourself by wearing a pair of rubber gloves unless the sharp spines may hurt you.
Next you need to arrange tools which are clean and sterile and gently cut a branch of the parent plant. Ensure that you are using all clean and sterile tools as unless it would result in infections of the plants.
Next you need to place the cutting on a dry paper towel so that it dries and develops calluses.
It is important that you let them develop calluses so that it will minimize the potential of creating an infection in the specimen.
When it is dry and calloused, you could dip the cuttings in a rooting hormone which will speed up the rooting process of them.
However, this is not a compulsory thing to do, and you could do this only if you wish to do so. After that plant them in a substrate which has excellent drainage and place them in a place where they can gain ample sunlight which is not too intense. As the time goes, you may simply shift them to a sunnier spot.
I recommend skipping watering them for some time so that it would avoid having any root rot which may take place. You may consider watering them after some days and especially if you find out their soil is dry.
Fairy Castle Cactus Propagation by seed
Fairy castle cactus produce seeds. Further you may use their seeds to propagate them as well.
However, as explained in the above, the seeds propagation method is time consuming, and it is somewhat tricky too.
However, you may still try to go ahead with this option especially if you are a patient succulent cactus lover. Obtain the seeds from over ripe fruits and when you do that, you need to clean and wither them.
After that sow them in a well draining potting medium and water them if required.,. If you wish to check the soil status, you could simply place your finger and check.
Further keep in mind that the optimal temperature which would work well with germination would be below 32 degrees Fahrenheit ( 0 degrees Celsius ).
If you live in an area where there will be the aforesaid temperature, you may conduct this outdoors. If not, you may do this indoors whilst placing grow lights closer to the specimen.
Do they produce offsets?
Fairy castle cactus produce smaller offsets. These cactus are slow growing plants and due to that it would take some time to spot them forming offsets.
You could spot their smaller offsets arising from the stems. They would be numerous to each other.
How to treat after propagation?
Fairy castle cactus require easy maintenance in general. As such, even a freshman in gardening can look after these plants well. In simple words Fairy castle cactus is a great choice for the freshers in gardening.
However, it is very important that you look after them well after propagation as only then you can reap the best results of the propagation.
Sunlight requirement
I recommend exposing these plants for at least six hours of morning sunlight.
However, if the plants are experiencing a heatwave, it would be better if you could protect the plants from such unhealthy conditions.
Best is to cover the plants from sunshade during these times. On the other hand, when you grow them indoors, I recommend placing them near a window sill so that they can get bright indirect sunlight.
If they are still running short of sufficient sunlight, I recommend placing grow lights closer to the plants.
Water requirement
Fairy castle cactus are drought tolerant plants and that characteristic makes them a great choice for the beginners in gardening.
Further, keep in mind that it is always best to provide water in moderate levels instead of watering them in excess.
Fairy castle cactus hate to be in waterlogged soggy conditions as it would lead to numerous unwanted health related issues in the plants.
When watering I suggest proceeding with the soak and dry method where you water them thoroughly while allowing them to wither after that.
If you practice that way, it will ensure that there will be no over watering taking place in the pot. When it comes to watering in winter, best recommended is best to water them less often, once a month.
Pot and soil requirement
A terracotta pot or a clay pot would be ideal to grow the Fairy castle cactus. Besides, they need to have at least one or two draining holes too.
Consequently, it would avoid any over watering which could take place in the pot. These materials would be ideal for the healthy growth of the Fairy castle cactus.
These materials have a high porosity which would allow the plants to have a good aeration. Besides it would ensure the excess moisture is evaporating faster.
However, when you place them outdoors during intense summer times, you will have to consider watering them more often due to this feature. If you skip watering them, it would make them bone dry.
When it comes to choosing the right soil mix, it is imperative that your soil has excellent drainage.
Many people opt to use elements such as coarse sand, perlite pumice gravel or bark to enhance the draining of the soil mix. Refrain from using elements such as clay and peat moss as they would retain moisture within the pot.
Further I suggest using commercially made succulent cactus soil mix also for this purpose. Further, if you are an enthusiastic succulent grower, you could make a soil mix on your own.
When you grow them outdoors, you need to mainly consider the draining factor and on the soil quality as well. I encourage growing them in raised beds or in the berms as they would enhance the draining.
Your pots need to have sufficient draining holes as aforesaid. With that being said, you may also grow them in pots which do not have draining holes too. However, I recommend avoiding doing that as much as you can.
Fertilizer requirement
You may consider adding fertilizers when they actively grow. It will give the extra boost for them to grow well.
It is not mandatory to do but would be effective in boosting the overall growth of the plants. Once you keep growing them in the soil mix for some time, the nutrients will be depleted.
Hence when you provide some plant food, it would be quite useful for the plants. Avoid fertilizing them when they are dormant.
I suggest using organic fertilizers to do this task. Alternatively, you may also go ahead with the specifically made cactus fertilizers which are diluted to the half strength.
Best would be to feed them during spring and summer.
Temperature requirement
Fairy castle cactus do not withstand the frost conditions. When you grow them as houseplants do not place them near cold drafts as it would lead to fluctuations in temperature in the surrounding which is not healthy for the plants.
If there is a weather forecast where the temperature drops down to 30 degrees Fahrenheit, I recommend bringing them indoors. Fairy castle cactus opt to grow in warmer temperatures
Conclusion
Before wrapping this up, I hope you found this article very useful and informative and that you were able to equip yourself with the necessary information to propagate them.
As time passes, you would see how beautiful they would turn out to be with a little effort you put in to grow them.
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