How to Grow Cactus Pears in Containers

The cactus pear, or prickly pear, belongs to the Opuntia family of cactus plants. Native to the southern United States, Mexico and central America, the cactus pear grows particularly well in warm and arid climates. Grown both commercially as a crop and planted as an ornamental around homes, cactus pear has large edible teardrop-shaped pads and edible oval fruit, both studded with clusters of small spines. Cactus pear can also be grown in containers, as long as the container is relatively large, as cactus pear plants are heavy and can grow to several feet tall.

Gravel
Peat moss
Garden soil
Construction sand
Large plant pot, 5 gallon minimum
Razor knife

Instructions

- 1
  Place a 2-inch layer of gravel in the bottom of the large plant pot to provide adequate drainage. Fill the remainder of the plant pot with a mixture of 10 percent peat moss, 20 percent garden soil and 70 percent sand.
- 2
  Cut a pad at the joint where it branches from the next lower pad from the parent cactus with the razor knife. Trim the cut end of the pad square with the razor knife. Sprinkle the cut end with rooting hormone powder.
- 3
  Set the pad in a safe place that is cool and dry to allow the cut end to become callused. Insert the dried end of the cutting 1 to 2 inches deep in the soil in the center of the pot so that the pad is well supported.
- 4
  Place the newly planted pad in an area that receives full sun so that the pad aligns to north and south. This alignment prevents the cutting from being damaged by the sun when at its highest point in the day.
- 5
  Water the cutting immediately, so that the soil is damp, but not soggy, then again each time the soil drys out. The cutting will begin to produce new pads in four to six weeks.

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