Transplanting cacti is radically different from the same operation for deciduous plants. The differences concern not only the procedure itself, but also such parameters as soil composition, watering, pot size.
You should start transplanting a cactus with the choice of soil, and ready-made soil cannot be bought in a store - even intended for succulents, it needs additions in the form of sand, expanded clay and drainage. The sand should be taken from the river, coarse-grained. It has already been washed out and rid of organic particles that can cause rotting of the root system. If it is impossible to get it, the usual construction, taken from the sandbox, is used. It must be rinsed with hot water until the turbidity disappears completely. Small fractions are sieved through several times folded gauze. The remaining large ones are suitable for inclusion in the soil.
For a good passage of water through the soil, expanded clay should be added to the latter - it is breathable, so the roots will not lack oxygen. Expanded clay is sold in flower shops. The pot should have one or more holes on the bottom, but drainage is not limited to this. In order not to create stagnation of water in the soil layer, pebbles, pieces of red brick or a wine cork cut into pieces are poured into the bottom of the pot. Eggshells are also added there. The land is used either ordinary garden or store bought.
Instead of soil, you can take a loose coconut substrate, but before laying it in a pot, it must be wetted and dried, since it swells greatly from water.
The size of the pot depends on the root system of the cactus, but in any case, it should not be much larger than the parameters of the old container. Unlike deciduous plants, succulents don't like loose pots. In conditions of increased space, they grow poorly and do not bloom. Therefore, the size of the new container should slightly exceed the volume of the root ball. If part of the roots of the cactus has rotted and died out since the last transplant, the diameter of the pot can even be reduced.
The first half of spring is considered the optimal time for replanting cacti, since it is during this period that they begin their seasonal growth and most successfully adapt to the new soil.
Cactus is transplanted only from dry soil, so watering it should be stopped at least 3 days in advance. A small amount of moisture in the soil is acceptable, as in the land sold by stores. The soil is disinfected, for which it is placed in the oven for half an hour. The walls of the pot are poured over with boiling water. The cactus is removed from the old container with special plastic tweezers or a newspaper folded in several layers, for which the pot is turned over and slightly shaken. If the root ball is stuck, it should be carefully removed from the sides of the pot with a knife.
Obsolete roots should be cut off with nail scissors to avoid decay. A small layer of the prepared soil mixture is poured onto the drainage already laid in a new pot, after which a cactus root ball is placed on top and held in weight. Soil is poured from all sides up to the level of the root collar. If this mark is exceeded, the base of the cactus will rot or begin to become covered with protective lignification. There is no need to tamp the soil, just shake the pot slightly. Clean sand is poured on top. Three days, and if the root system is damaged, up to a week, the succulent is not watered and is in the shade. This is necessary for the healing of possible cracks in the roots. Transplantation of young cacti is carried out annually, old ones - in a year.
