The Optimal Season and Time Frame to Water Caci

By Calin Oancea

4/22/20244 min read

a lot of cactus plants growing together
a lot of cactus plants growing together

No matter if tiny flowering cactus plants or tall cacti act like skyscrapers, the plants go through two different periods: The sleeping period, which is during the winter months.

During this time, it is best to water cacti about once in 4-6 weeks. The second period is known as the growing period which is from spring all the way to early fall. In that time frame, it is best to water cacti about once a week.

green design
green design
green design
green design
green design
green design
green design
green design
green design
green design
dark green design
dark green design
green design
green design
a lot of bright green cacti with tiny spines
a lot of bright green cacti with tiny spines
two cactus plants with tiny red thorns
two cactus plants with tiny red thorns

The growing period is the longer time frame that a cactus goes through, that's why it is important to water your cactus correctly.

In this period, you get the best results if you water the plants every week or every 1-2 weeks depending on the cactus type. But after growing countless cacti we concluded that just watering the cactus if the soil is dry yields the best results.

Most cacti are said to require weekly watering during their active growth periods which last from spring to fall.

dark green design
dark green design
dark green design
dark green design
dark green design
dark green design

Watering Cacti in the Growing Period (From Spring to Early Fall)

three bright green succulents in a stony landscape
three bright green succulents in a stony landscape

Once a Week

multiple round cacti
multiple round cacti

A good recommendation is to water cacti every 4-6 weeks during the less active winter months, ensuring the soil dries out between waterings but this time frame between watering can vary.

So we found that it is important to observe your cactus while the soil is dried out between waterings and observe the cacti for any signs of over-watering or under-watering.

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green design
dark green design
dark green design
green design
green design
green Bunny Ear cacti
green Bunny Ear cacti
green design
green design

Watering Cacti in the Sleeping Period (From Fall to Late Winter

Every 4-6 Weeks

Important Factors When Choosing the Watering Time Frame and Wating Your Cacti

Keep in mind that It is important to adjust the watering frequency in the dormant period and growing period based on specific factors such as the type of cactus.

For example, high-reaching Cactus plants need more water than small cacti, and other factors are the size of the pot, the temperature, and the moisture level of the soil.

You can check the soil's moisture level by touching the top inch of the soil before watering, this is a recommended technique to avoid over-watering.

Sources

Nature and Sustainability uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies to support the facts we describe in our articles. Please read our editorial policy to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. Overwatering information: 7 Signs of Overwatering Plants (and How to Fix Them) - Bob Vila

  2. Underwatering: How to Tell If You're Underwatering Your Plants (epicgardening.com)

  3. Cactus watering general information: How to water a cactus: and the watering mistakes to avoid | (homesandgardens.com)

  4. Soil general information: Soil and Plant Nutrition: A Gardener’s Perspective - Cooperative Extension: Garden and Yard - University of Maine Cooperative Extension (umaine.edu)

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Calin Oancea
Calin Oancea
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Calin is a gardening specialist and knows a lot about this topic while writing for multiple publications. He is the owner of this website and is responsible for most of the content.