Winter can be a frustrating time for the gardener. Even those delicate blooms which can be coaxed into life during the wintr months tend to require a whole lot of care and extra attention. And even then, a sudden cold snap can make all of that hard work go to waste.
Thankfully, there is an easier option. Grow a cactus. Indoors. It'll stay alive even if you pointedly ignore it. It's like a tamagotchi that's been programmed not to die.
But even with the immortal cactus, there's a few ways to make even more certain that your new spiky best friend will stay alive. Here are our top tips:
1 - Use a cactus-friendly potting soil, and houseplant food featuring nitrogen and phosphorous
2 - above the potting soil, make your cactus look and feel better by giving it a layer of sand or gravel
3 - Choose the best location in your house. Okay, it's January, there probably isn't a sunny spot, but go for the least wintery one.
4 - Give it a shot of houseplant food on occasion - once every few months shuold be enough.
5 - ....wear gloves!
