How to Pot a Desert Cactus

Select a pot for your cactus. The pot you use should be approximately half as wide as the height of a tall cactus or two inches wider than a rounded cactus.

Mix equal parts of compost, horticultural pumice and horticultural sand. The Cactus and Succulent Society of San Jose points out the importance of only using horticultural sand, as others may be unclean and include salt. If you cannot find horticultural pumice, try pearlite or porous gravel.

Put several shards of broken pot over the drainage holes in your new pot. Add some of your compost mixture to this pot.

Put on a pair of heavy gloves. Fold a newspaper sheet several times to form a thicker rectangle and wrap this around the cactus. Gently lift the cactus where it is wrapped with newspaper.

Clear out excess dirt from the cactus roots with a chopstick. Be gentle and try to avoid breaking the roots.

Place the cactus into its new pot. Pour in more of your compost mixture until you cover the roots. If you are having trouble steering the mixture into the pot, fold a piece of paper in half. Open the paper partly to form a chute and pour the mixture down this chute into the pot.

Add a layer of crushed granite to the top of the soil in your pot if you wish.