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Why Is My Cactus Drooping? 5 Reasons Why Your Cactus Might Be Drooping

It is very frustrating to be putting so much effort into your plants and see them not being as good as you expected them to be.

Even though cacti are hardy plants, you might be experiencing some issues with them as well.

One such problem that you can potentially face is your cactus falling over or drooping.

So if you’re wondering, “Why is my cactus drooping?” We have the perfect guide for you in which we explain some of the possible reasons.

So let’s get right to it!

Why is my cactus drooping
Why is my cactus so droopy? via Reddit

5 Reasons on Why Is My Cactus Drooping

1. The Cactus is Potted In a Container Too Big

If your cactus is drooping, the first thing you will need to check is whether the cactus is potted in a container too big for the roots or not.

Cacti do not need very large containers. This also applies when the cactus has overgrown its current container. It just doesn’t need a bigger one.

What you can do to fix this is change the container. An ideal container is something that allows only a tiny bit of extra space from each side of the pot. You will also need to allow around 1-2 inches from the bottom so that the roots have enough space to grow.

The cactus in your house needs to be repotted once every 2 years. However, this period is reduced to one year if you’re using tap water to keep the plant nourished.

This is mainly because tap water is usually hard water and has a big concentration of minerals that accumulate in the soil and need to be washed out. A lot of those minerals can damage your cactus.

So, if your cactus is drooping, one of the reasons could be a container too big. Another deficit of this situation is that the cactus won’t properly be able to absorb water. This can harm your plant in general.

So make sure that you repot the cactus every 2 years and that you don’t choose a container too big for it.

2. Under Watering Your Cactus

If you underwater your plant, it will cause it to be weak. The plant will become very dry and droopy. The cactus can also potentially go dormant if you keep on underwatering it. One indication of this happening is if the cactus starts turning purple in color.

If your cactus is underwatered, it will cause frequent leaning as the stems will be too weak to hold the plant upright.

You must keep your cactus in cool conditions and water it properly if you want to see your plant healthy. When taking care of your plant, these small things go a long way in increasing the overall health and lifespan of the plant.

If you under-water your cactus in winter and also keep it in warm conditions, the roots will start falling off. This means that your cactus will now be weak, and when the growing season starts, it will be shocked by all the water you’re giving it.

3. The Cactus Has Weak Roots

Why Is My Cactus Drooping
“Why Is My Cactus Drooping?” via Reddit

Another reason for the drooping of your cactus is that it has weak roots. There are a lot of reasons for this. One of them might be that your cactus is in the dormancy period. In this phase, the cactus does not need a lot of water; you just need to keep it in cool conditions.

Keeping your cactus in warmer conditions in the dormancy period can cause water evaporation since you’re already giving it so much less water. This can lead to dehydration for the plant, which can cause weak roots.

In such a case, the roots of the cactus will be too weak to hold it upright.

4. Overwatering Your Cactus

Just like under watering, overwatering your cactus can also be a big issue. Cacti want fast-draining soil which is airy enough for it to grow. If the soil is wet or waterlogged, it won’t give a lot of room for the cactus to grow and eventually, it will become weak.

This is more likely to happen in colder parts of the year when the cactus already needs less water to function. If you overwater your cactus in such conditions, it will cause harm to the health of the cactus and cause it to drop.

Before you water your cactus, one thing which you can do to make sure that it is the right time to water is that you can insert a stick into the soil. This will tell you whether the soil is wet or not.

You can also get a soil meter which you can use to judge how much water your plant needs. The soil meter actually checks the soil against certain parameters. One of these parameters is moisture in the soil.

If you over-water the cactus plant continuously, you will most likely suffer from rotten roots. This will jeopardize the health of your plant.

5. Pests

Another reason can be pests. If your cactus looks damaged or has some spots on it, you are most likely seeing a pest attack.

The pests usually attack your cactus stem and then make their way to the roots of the plant. This causes your cactus to be very dry, and it will start falling over.

Spider mites are a common pest that can infest your plant’s stem. If you suspect a pest attack, wait for the cactus to dry and then take it out of the container and check its roots.

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Conclusion

If you ever had the question “Why is my cactus drooping?” I hope it is answered now.

Even though cacti are one of the hardest plants, they still need some sort of care if you want them to be perfect.

You should look out for these things if you don’t want your cactus to start drooping.

Neglecting even one of these means that you are risking your plant’s health and not providing adequate care.

Take care of your plant as if it is your own child. Otherwise it will wither away leaving you with a pool of guilt.

Happy gardening!