How to Take Care of a Cactus | General Cactus Care Guide

With the following tips, you can learn how to take care of a cactus indoors and make sure your cacti are nice and healthy. Once you know these tips, taking care of cacti is easy for beginners!

Cacti are low maintenance plants that store water in their stems. They are found in hot, arid climates, like deserts, and therefore have adaptations to tolerate long periods of drought and minimize water loss. These features include a waxy outer coating and spines. Cactus spines are actually modified leaves — their small surface area means the plant loses far less water than a normal leaf would, and the spines also shade the stem and discourage animals from feeding on it.

This guide covers common desert cacti, which are native to hot, arid climates and therefore enjoy warm, dry conditions with infrequent watering. A few popular plants also called "cacti" — like Christmas cactus — are actually tropical rainforest natives with very different needs; more on that below.

This guide focuses on common desert cacti grown as houseplants — the spiny, round or columnar kind. Jungle cacti such as Christmas cactus, Thanksgiving cactus, and orchid cactus are epiphytes from tropical forests, and want different light, water and humidity. If your cactus has flattened, leaf-like segments or long trailing stems rather than spines, it's likely a jungle cactus — see our dedicated Christmas cactus care guide instead.

1. Sunlight

Cacti thrive in high-light conditions.

To make sure your cactus gets the light it needs, place it near a window that gets nice, bright light. The window should be able to provide at least 6 hours of bright light for your plant to grow. Rotate your plant periodically so all sides receive sunlight equally and to prevent unequal growth. Ideally, you want to place your cacti in a south-facing window, as these receive the most light. Avoid dark corners that do not receive any sunlight.

If you find that your cacti are not getting enough light despite being in front of a window, or you want to keep them somewhere in your house that does not receive light, consider getting a grow lamp. This way, you can be sure your cactus is getting the light it needs wherever you decide to keep it. I use a grow lamp indoors for my cacti and they seem to love it!

Signs your cacti is not getting enough light

If you notice the top growth of your cactus is becoming smaller and skinnier than the rest of the body, your plant is trying to “stretch out” for more sun. If you notice this is the case, transition your cactus to an area with more light. Unfortunately, this new, skinnier growth will be permanent and cannot fatten out. Once the cactus is getting enough light again, its future growth will look normal. If the stretched section really bothers you, some cacti can be pruned or propagated from healthy growth — the right method just depends on the species.

Signs your cacti received too much light

However, do not move your cacti directly from a shaded area to a bright sunny area. Even though cacti are desert plants, they can sunburn if exposed to bright light too quickly. Place the cacti in a shaded area first and slowly move it into sunlight over a week.

If your cactus is sunburned, the sunburned area will look brown and calloused, especially on the side facing the window. Unfortunately, once a cacti is sunburned, the area will not go away, so it is best to avoid sunburn in the first place by gradually exposing the cactus to increasing sun.

2. Water

Watering cacti can be tricky since overwatering cacti can lead to rot.

It is important to remember cacti do not need as much water as normal houseplants.

In general, cacti planted indoors can be watered about once a month. If your cactus is planted outdoors and you are in a hot, dry climate, it will need to be watered more frequently (around once a week). Before watering, check the moisture in the top inch of soil. If you notice the soil is still wet, do not water and check again in a few days.

If your cactus is in a pot, pour water until you see it begin to seep out of the drainage hole. 

Do not water your cacti every day, because it can kill them.

Signs of overwatering in cacti

Signs that your cactus is receiving too much water include: becoming less stable, browning or blackening at the base, or a droopier shape. Your cactus might also feel mushy when you poke it. If you notice any of these signs, carefully remove the cactus and examine its roots- if you see any brown or black areas, it is rotting.

Signs of underwatering in cacti

While not as common, it is possible to underwater a cacti. If you notice your cactus turning brittle, puckering, or looking shriveled and deflated, your cactus might not be receiving enough water. Slowly increase the frequency of waterings.

3. Keep a warm temperature

Since cacti are native to the desert, it is natural that they enjoy warm, dry temperatures. Cacti like temperatures of about 70 – 90 °F (21 – 32 °C) in the summer and around 50 – 55 °F (10 – 13 °C) in winter months. Do not leave cacti in temperatures colder than that because they could get frostbite.

Avoid keeping cacti in rooms that can get humid (such as bathrooms) as that can lead to rot.

Pay careful attention to the temperature when deciding how much to water. Hot, dry climates will require more frequent watering (about twice a month) compared to colder climates (about once a month).

4. Best soil and pots for cacti

The best types of pots for cacti are plain terracotta pots with drainage holes. These work best because they do not retain extra water – cacti hate staying wet for too long. These pots help the soil dry out faster and are much more forgiving if you water too often.

I recommend staying away from glass containers, and not planting cacti in terrariums when starting out because these can retain moisture for a long time. Once you have a better idea of a good watering schedule that works for your cacti, you can try these out, but in the beginning, terracotta pots work great!

It is important for cacti to be planted in a well draining, porous soil that does not retain water. Typical gardening soil for houseplants usually retains too much moisture for cacti and should not be used. I use a 70:30 ratio of succulent soil to perlite and find that that works best.

How often should you repot your cactus?

I recommend repotting every 3 years. Cacti can be repotted less often than other houseplants because they are slow growing and prefer being pot-bound.

The best time to repot is during the spring or summer time. Do not choose a very large pot because you could drown the roots. As always, choose a well-draining and porous soil.

After repotting, do not water for another week to allow the roots to settle in. If you water right after repotting, the roots are more prone to overwatering and you run the risk of rot.

5. Fertilizer

Cacti usually need little fertilizer. I tend to water with a succulent fertilizer once every 2 months and find this is enough to keep them healthy.

6. How to take care of a cactus: What if my cactus gets scale?

Scale insects are small, round, brown bugs that are indoor houseplant pests. They suck on the liquids and nutrients in cacti. It can take several tries to completely cure your plants of this pest.

The good news about scale? They spread slowly: therefore the damage to your plant will also be slow, giving you more time to tackle the pests.

Once you notice scale:

First, quarantine whatever plants have scale, so the infestation does not spread further. Scale does not move, so you can scrape it off gently with a knife or card.

Also, take a q-tip, soak it in rubbing alcohol and dab it at any bugs you see.  This does not harm your cactus and helps get rid of any infestation. If rubbing alcohol is not enough, diluted neem oil also works well to treat infestation. You will need to do this once a week for several weeks until you no longer see any bugs.

Regularly inspect your cactus for scale, since catching these pests early makes treatment much easier.

How to water a cactus, step by step

Rather than watering on a fixed calendar, soak the potting mix thoroughly when it's time to water — don't just give it a small sip. Let the excess drain freely from the bottom of the pot, then empty the saucer or outer cachepot; never leave a cactus standing in water. After that, wait until the mix is fully dry before watering again. In practice this often works out to roughly once a month for my indoor cacti in the growing season, but let the soil — not the calendar — be the real guide, since pot size, soil mix, light and season all change how fast it dries.

Cactus dormancy: winter care

Most desert cacti go dormant in fall and winter, slowing their growth in response to shorter days and cooler temperatures. During this rest period, cut watering back significantly — roughly once every 4 to 6 weeks rather than monthly — and let the plant sit cooler than it would in summer, ideally around 50–55°F (10–13°C). Clemson Cooperative Extension's guidance on indoor cacti notes that too much water and low light are the most common causes of trouble for cacti grown indoors, which is exactly why easing off water in the low-light winter months matters. Don't stop watering entirely, though — a completely dry dormancy for months on end can still damage the roots. This rest period is also when many cacti set the flower buds that open the following growing season, so a proper winter dormancy often means more blooms, not fewer. Jungle cacti like Christmas cactus follow a different dormancy pattern, so check their own guide instead.

Why is my cactus dying? Quick troubleshooting

• Soft or mushy base, sitting in wet soil, yellowing or blackening tissue: almost always overwatering and root rot. Stop watering, check the roots, and repot into dry, fast-draining soil if any roots are brown or mushy. Our guide to root rot walks through the full rescue.
• Pale yellow-green color, thin or stretching growth, no mushiness: usually too little light rather than rot. Move it somewhere brighter over a week or two.
• Shriveled, wrinkled, or puckered, but firm: typically underwatering. Water thoroughly and the stem should plump back up within a few days.
• Brown and corky, but firm: often just natural aging ("corking"), which is harmless and not a sign of a problem.
• Brown or discolored patches facing the window, firm to the touch: sunburn from being moved into direct light too quickly. It won't reverse, but new growth will be fine if you acclimate the plant more gradually next time.

Common cactus pests

Besides scale (covered above), the other two pests worth watching for are mealybugs and spider mites.

Mealybugs look like small tufts of white, cottony wax, often tucked into the ridges or base of the cactus, and they feed on plant sap the same way scale does. Dab them directly with a cotton swab soaked in rubbing alcohol, and repeat weekly until they're gone.

Spider mites are tiny and hard to see, but leave behind fine webbing and small pale speckling on the skin where they've been feeding. Wiping the cactus down with soapy water or spraying with insecticidal soap or neem oil controls them; because their eggs survive the first treatment, plan on repeating it every few days for a couple of weeks.

For all three pests, quarantine any affected plant right away so the infestation can't spread, and inspect your other cacti and succulents while you're at it.

What kind of cactus do I have?

If your plant is round, columnar, or covered in spines or areoles, the desert-cactus advice throughout this guide applies directly. If it has flattened, leaf-like segments, no spines, and trailing or arching stems — like a Christmas, Thanksgiving, or orchid cactus — it's a jungle cactus and wants brighter indirect light, more regular moisture, and higher humidity than a desert cactus. See our Christmas cactus care guide for that type specifically.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I water a cactus?

Rather than watering on a fixed schedule, soak the potting mix thoroughly, let it drain completely, then wait until it's fully dry before watering again. Indoors this often works out to roughly once a month during spring and summer, and far less — every 4 to 6 weeks or more — during fall and winter dormancy. Overwatering, not underwatering, is what kills most cacti.

Do cacti need direct sunlight?

Most desert cacti want as much bright light as you can give them — ideally a south-facing window with several hours of direct sun. Move a cactus into direct sun gradually over a week or two, though, since one kept in low light can sunburn if suddenly exposed to full sun. Jungle cacti like Christmas or orchid cactus prefer bright, indirect light instead.

Why is my cactus turning yellow?

A soft or mushy base combined with yellowing is almost always overwatering and root rot. Yellowing without any mushiness, especially paired with thin, stretching growth, usually just means the plant isn't getting enough light. Check the base and soil moisture to tell the two apart.

Why is my cactus shriveling or wrinkling?

Shriveling, wrinkling, and puckering usually mean underwatering — the cactus is drawing on its own stored water reserves. Give it a thorough soak and the stem should plump back up within a few days. If it doesn't, check the roots for rot, which can also cause a shriveled look.

Do cacti need a rest period in winter?

Most desert cacti benefit from a winter dormancy period with cooler temperatures (down to around 50–55°F / 10–13°C) and significantly reduced watering. This rest period is when many cacti set flower buds for the following growing season, so skipping it can mean fewer blooms.

Can a cactus survive without any sunlight?

Not for long. Cacti are adapted to intense desert sun and need bright light to thrive. In very low light they'll stretch, pale, and grow weak, permanently etiolated new growth. If a bright window isn't an option, a grow light is a reliable substitute.

Can I use regular potting soil for a cactus?

Not on its own — regular potting soil retains too much moisture and holds water against the roots far longer than a cactus can tolerate. Use a dedicated cactus/succulent mix, or lighten regular potting soil substantially with perlite or coarse sand so it drains fast and doesn't stay soggy.

The most important part of learning how to take care of a cactus indoors or outdoors: have fun!

Do not get discouraged if your first few tries at growing cacti are unsuccessful.

These are my tips on how to take care of a cactus indoors or out and how to fix common mistakes beginners make when growing cacti.

By following these tips, you can get a better idea of how to take care of cacti and maintain happy and healthy plants.

Do you have succulents too? Check out this article to learn how to care for them:

Written from a very crowded windowsill

Every guide here comes from things I've actually tried on my own plants. Got a plant doing something weird? Send me a photo — I answer every one.

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