Care of Jumping Cholla Cactus

In the Landscape

• 1

  Put on heavy leather gloves and a heavy, long-sleeved jacket whenever you are working with or around a jumping cholla cactus.

• 2

  Choose a planting site with full sunlight and well-drained, rocky soil. Select locations away from areas frequented by people and pets.

• 3

  Allow enough space for the mature jumping cholla cactus, which is 3 to 8 feet tall, with a spread up to two-thirds of its height.

• 4

  Apply a fertilizer that is specific for cacti in the spring of each year.

In Containers

• 5

  Grow a jumping cholla cactus in a pot or container slightly larger than the width of the cactus, and use a potting soil for cacti. Put the pot outside in full sunlight.

• 6

  Water the planted cholla until moisture drains from the bottom of the container, but never allow the pot to sit in water. Wait until the soil dries before you water the cactus again. Water this way from spring through fall.

• 7

  Move the jumping cholla inside for the winter. Keep it in an area with cool temperatures. Water the cactus sparingly, or just enough to prevent shriveling.

• 8

  Fertilize the jumping cholla with a cactus fertilizer every year at the start of spring.