How to Prune a Cactus

Pruning a Cactus

• 1

  Put on all the protective clothing you can. It's important to wear leather shoes because cactus needles can go through running or mesh-sided shoes. If you are pruning a cactus with fine fuzz or needles, put the face mask on because the fuzz will be airborne, and you could suffer serious skin problems from the little needles.

• 2

  Get all your tools assembled in one place.

• 3

  Take the loppers or pruners and start cutting the excess pads or segments of the cactus plant. They should come off fairly easily. Use the shovel to put them in a garbage can.

• 4

  Use the knife and tongs to take off pads that do not come off easily. Hold the pad with the tongs, not with your hands. Watch your hands and wrists while you do this. You will be close to the cactus, and it's possible to get stuck.

• 5

  Use the knife or saw to cut off extra branches from ocotillo or agaves.

• 6

  Finish pruning, and continue to use the shovel to put the waste in a solid container to put in your garbage can. Use tongs for the pieces you can't pick up with the shovel.