How to Replant Nopal

Among the most popular vegetables in Mexico, nopal (Opuntia spp.) is the pad of a common cactus that is native to much of North and South America. Nopal grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3b to 11. It produces an edible fruit, commonly called prickly pear, that tastes like a combination of watermelon, strawberries and fig. Replanting nopal is easy: Make a cutting and encourage the roots to grow.

Leather gloves
Knife
5-gallon plastic pots
Cactus mix potting soil
Bricks

Instructions

- 1
  Cut a pad of nopal from an established plant, slicing off the entire pad at the base with a sharp knife. Select a pad that is at least 6 months old, or about 6 inches long and 4 inches wide. This can be done at any time during the growing season, when average daytime temperatures are above 60 degrees. Wear leather gloves when handling nopales. Some varieties do not have obvious thorns, but all nopales have tiny hair-like needles that are very irritating to the skin.
- 2
  Set the nopal pad upright on the ground. Before the pad can form roots, it must form a callus at the base where it was cut; otherwise it will be highly susceptible to rot. At this point, it is best for the pad to not have any contact with the soil. Set the pad on a concrete surface where it can lean against a wall to stand upright. Use a brick or rock to hold it upright against the wall. It takes one or two weeks for the callus to form in dry weather, and longer in humid, rainy conditions.
- 3
  Fill 5-gallon pots with a potting soil made specifically for cacti. These soil mixes are available at most garden centers, and are formulated for maximum drainage to prevent rot of plants such as nopal.
- 4
  Plant the nopal pad 1 inch deep into the cactus mix after a callus has formed over the cut at the base of the pad. Use a brick for support on both sides of the pad to prevent it from falling over. If you are replanting in the heat of summer, situate the pot so the narrow part of the pad is oriented along a north-south axis. This will face one of the flat, broad sides into the morning sun and the other into the afternoon sun, helping to prevent sun scald. Do not water the plant at this time.
- 5
  Look for roots sprouting from the base of the pad. They should appear within one month. Once they appear, you can remove the bricks, and water the pad. Continue to water whenever the soil inside the pot is completely dry.
- 6
  Transplant the pad to a permanent location after several months of growth in the pot. Nopales need full sun and excellent drainage, but otherwise they can grow in almost any type of soil.

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