Zygocactus
Zygocactus come in many colours and put on one of the most striking floral displays of any plant.
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Golden Barrel Cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) is an eye catching feature plant for a drought tolerant garden. Great big yellow spines protect the plant and also protect your garden from unexpected visitors… ouch! And as the name suggests, it does look like a golden barrel.
How to grow golden barrel cactus in your garden
- Choose a sunny spot with well drained soil. Enrich the soil with Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone with Seaweed. In areas with heavy or clay soil, to help improve soil structure and drainage, add gypsum and mix in well.
- Dig the planting hole twice as wide and to the same depth as the root-ball. Use thick sturdy gloves so that the prickles don’t hurt your hands, and remove the plant from the container, gently tease the roots and cut away any circled or tangled roots.
- Position in hole and backfill with soil, gently firming down. Always water in well after planting to settle the soil around the roots and keep the soil (just) moist for several weeks while the new plant establishes.
- Mulch around the base with a long life mulch like bark chips, pebbles or similar, keeping it from touching the base of the plant.
- Water only occasionally once established, depending on weather conditions.
- Feed in Autumn and Spring with Yates Thrive Natural Fish Seaweed+ Plant Food Concentrate to promote strong root development.
How to grow golden barrel cactus in a pot
- Choose a pot at least twice the size of the root ball. Position in full sun.
- Fill chosen pot with quality potting mix, such as Yates Thrive Cacti Succulent Potting Mix. Use thick sturdy gloves so that the prickles don’t hurt your hands, and remove the plant from the container, gently tease the roots and cut away any circled or tangled roots.
- Position in hole in centre of pot and backfill with potting mix, gently firming down. Water in well.
- Water only occasionally once established, depending on weather conditions. Prevent the potting mix from drying out completely.
- Feed in Autumn and Spring with Yates Thrive Plant Food Spikes Cacti & Succulents to promote strong root development.
Growing tips
- Barrel cactus can be easily grown from seed.
- Potted cactus should be kept in the warmest room of the home in a bright sunny location. Direct southern sunlight may burn the plant in the height of the summer, so you should move them back from the window or turn the slats on your blinds to diffuse the light.
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Recommended products
Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone with Seaweed
A certified organic garden input boosted with NZ Seaweed to gently nourish plants, enrich the soil and encourage a strong healthy root system.
Yates Thrive Natural Fish & Seaweed+ Plant Food Concentrate
A complete plant food enriched with natural fish, seaweed, humates, molasses and more - boosted with NPK to improve plant and soil vitality.
Yates Thrive Cacti & Succulent Potting Mix
Specifically formulated for the successful growing of cacti and succulents, both indoors in pots and outdoors in the garden bed or pots.
Yates Thrive Plant Food Spikes Cacti & Succulents
Yates Thrive Plant Food Spikes Cacti & Succulents are specially designed to feed your cacti & succulents where they need it most, at the roots.
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