How to Care for a Red Cereus

Put on a pair of gloves to protect yourself from the spines and pot the Cereus cactus with cactus soil. Use a container just big enough to accommodate the plant and avoid glazed pots. A clay pot will allow excess moisture to evaporate. Cereus thrives in small containers. Place the pot on a dolly so you can move it easily. The cactus weighs a lot because of the stored water in its trunk.

Place the cactus in a brightly lit room with southern or eastern exposure. You can bring it outdoors in summer and then roll it inside when temperatures drop. Cereus can tolerate temperatures down to 20 degrees Fahrenheit but much prefers consistent warmth.

Water the cactus only occasionally. It will need water but not on the same scope as most houseplants. The soil needs to dry out completely before applying irrigation. Check by putting a finger in the drainage hole to test for dryness or look at the trunk and stems. They will begin to wrinkle and will be soft if the plant needs moisture.

Feed the cactus in spring before it blooms. You can use a product especially formulated for cactus and dilute it into the irrigation water. Follow the package instructions for the amount for your size pot. A cactus only needs one fertilizing per year because these plants are accustomed to living in low fertility areas.

Prune only if there are awkward branches or broken stems. Re-pot the cactus every two to three years to encourage growth. If you wish to minimize growth, keep it in the small pot for another year or two. Pinch off dead flowers and fruit as they occur.

Watch for mealy bugs, scale and other pests. You can rub most of these off the cactus manually, but occasionally infestations will be larger. Spray the cactus with insecticidal soap to control most insects.