How to (safely!) repot a cactus

This post was created in partnership with BAND AID® Brand Adhesive Bandages.

How to Repot a Cactus:

Ever wonder, “How am I supposed to repot those cute (but prickly!) cacti friends of mine?” Me too! After dealing with HUGE prickly projects, like the Euphorbia Ammak that used to reside in my living room, to repotting a window-sill full of cacti in my bedroom garden window, I’ve learned a thing or two about handling these pokey homies the hard way! The most important thing is to be prepared on the front end! So make sure to have everything you need on hand (including a first aid kit, just in case!).

What you’ll need:

1. 1. A pair of gardening gloves
   2. Terra cotta pot with drainage. If you’re repotting because your cactus has outgrown its pot, you’ll need a container about 25% larger than the current pot.
   3. Cactus soil
   4. Extra large tweezers or a bamboo stick
   5. Gravel or small pebbles
   6. Newspaper or butcher paper
   7. Hand trowel
   8. Jungalow® BAND-AID® Brand First Aid Kits (FREE with purchase of any 3 qualifying items!)

Step-by-Step

Step 1: Put on your gloves!

Step 2: Use your large tweezers (or a stick) or break up and loosed the soil inside the container that the cactus came in. You can also massage the soil from the outside of the container to get it a little looser.

Step 3: Grab your paper and roll it up the long way. Wrap it around the base of the cactus. Lift the cactus up gently, while also pulling down the container to help them separate from one another. If the cactus isn’t coming out, try giving it a little clockwise turn, while giving the container a counterclockwise wiggle.

Step 4: Rest the “naked” cactus above the extra cactus soil you have ready and massage the roots so they are nice and free!

Step 5: Place your cactus and its loosened roots into the terra cotta pot, making sure not to bury the cactus. You want it to stay at about the same soil level as it was in its previous container. Don’t bury the cactus any deeper than it was buried before to prevent rot.

Step 6: Use the giant tweezers to pack the soil in a bit around the base of the cactus and add any additional soil with the hand trowel.

Step 7: Use your hand trowel to scoop up some pretty gravel or small pebbles and spread them on top of the soil at the base of the cactus. This is a great way to give all your potted cacti a uniform look and, if you have a tall cactus, it really helps to stabilize the base so you don’t get a leaner that might plop over and prick someone by accident!

Step 8: If you do end up getting pricked, make sure you have your Jungalow® BAND-AID® Brand First Aid Kit handy and stocked with all the goodies you’ll need to clean up any cuts or scrapes. Give your cactus friend a few days before you water it, so it can settle into its new home.

Jungalow® BAND-AID® Brand First Aid Kits are available exclusively at Target.

This post was created in partnership with BAND AID® Brand Adhesive Bandages.