How to Grow a Monkey Cactus

Growing Monkey Tail Cactus From Seed

• 1

  Gather seed from a mature monkey tail cactus in late summer or as soon as they dry out after flowering. Gather seed only from cultivated specimens. Do not harvest them from wild plants since they are a protected species throughout their native range.

• 2

  Prepare a pot for the monkey tail cactus seed. Fill an 8-inch plastic pot with a mix of 4 parts sharp sand and 1 part garden soil taken from the bed where the monkey tail cactus will be planted at maturity.

• 3

  Sow one monkey tail cactus seed in the pot. Press the seed into the surface of the soil mixture so the bottom two-thirds are buried but the top remains exposed to the light.

• 4

  Set the pot outdoors against a south-facing wall or place it on an electric propagation mat set to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Expose the monkey tail cactus seed to bright light for a minimum of eight hours a day.

• 5

  Mist the pot frequently using a spray bottle to keep the soil damp but not soggy. Do not let the soil mixture dry out between waterings.

• 6

  Watch for germination in 14 to 21 days. Remove the pot from the propagation mat after germination, but continue to expose it to bright light.

• 7

  Decrease water to 1/8 cup every five to seven days after germination. Allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings to keep the roots from rotting.

• 8

  Keep the monkey tail cactus in its pot for one full growing season. Plant it in a permanent bed once it grows to at least 6 inches in height.

Growing Monkey Tail Cactus From Cuttings

• 9

  Put on gloves before working with monkey tail cacti. Take an 8- to 10-inch-long cutting from a healthy plant in spring after it blooms. Make the cut with long-handled pruning shears.

• 10

  Plant the monkey tail cactus to half its length in an 8-inch pot filled with 3 parts sharp sand and 1 part garden soil taken from the bed where the monkey tail cactus will eventually be planted.

• 11

  Pour 1/2 cup of water around the base of the monkey tail cactus cutting. Water once every 10 to 14 days with 1/4 cup of water from then on. Water the cutting only when the soil begins to dry out slightly.

• 12

  Set the potted monkey tail cactus cutting outdoors in a warm, sunny spot. Avoid moving the cutting once it is outdoors since the species is sensitive to changes in light and temperature levels.

• 13

  Check for roots in four to six weeks. Grasp the base of the monkey tail cactus with a pair of tongs. Tug upward gently to test for resistance to the movement, which indicates root growth.

• 14

  Plant the rooted monkey tail cactus cutting outdoors in a permanent bed when it puts on noticeable growth.