Cactus makes very good tabletop gardens. There are many species of cacti, some with outrageous colors, some with small yet flashy flowers, and some with weird shapes and sizes. We can use cactus to make a very big tabletop garden crammed with various types of cacti, or we can use some baby cacti to make a petit tabletop garden as small as a coffee cup.
Ideas of cactus garden are limitless. Just be creative and give it a try. I guarantee that you will find a lot of fun in making tabletop gardens with cactus too!
I went shopping in the morning and got myself 8 pots of cacti. There were so many different species of cacti in the market. Many of them were very beautiful, with pretty flowers, flashy colors, funny shapes and sizes. If I didn’t make any effort in stopping myself from buying more, I probably would end up with many more cacti than what I have now.
Before actually starting to plant any cactus into my garden, I tried to get a better idea of the garden layout first. Since my container garden would be viewed from the front, taller plants should go in the back.
Phallic cactus – The phallic shape of this cactus didn’t hit me until I brought the cactus home and got the plant out from its pot… haha
Originally, I wanted to cover my cactus tabletop garden with a layer of small, off-white stones. But since I couldn’t find any on hand, I used some bigger stones instead. The tabletop garden actually looks pretty cool with these big stones.
What kind of soil do you use to put them in? What is the name of the green and white striped plants? I have 2 of them.
Wanda, I mix my own soil. Yet, for simplicity sake, I would suggest you to use pre-made cactus mix that is available in many gardening stores. The succulent with white strip is a type of aloe.
Wanda, I mix my own potting medium. Yet, for convenience sake, I would suggest you to use pre-made cactus soil that is available in many gardening stores. The succulent with white strips is a type of aloe.
I have a really small version of this green and with white stripe plant. I noticed today that its tips are slowly becoming brown. How do you care for your plant? I water it about once a week. The man I bought it from said that it was a cactus and needs water once in 15 days… He also said I will not need any repotting. It hasnt been very long since I bought it, and am wondering if I did something wrong. However, since it doesnt look all that healthy, I would like to know what all you do to take care of it.
Hi Neetha, sun and water are the two main factors for growing healthy succulents. This “green with white stripe plant” is commonly called Zebra Haworthia. It is easy to grow. Instead of watering it according to a set schedule, water the plant only when the soil is dry to the touch. This plant is perfect for indoor, it does well with light shade to bright light. You want to protect it from strong midday sun, and it may be sunburned if you move it from shade/indoor into full sun too quickly. Hope this help! Happy Gardening 🙂
Just wanted to ask what kind of plant is the one above with white stripes. thanks.
Hi pj,
It is Haworthia Fasciata, commonly called Zebra Haworthia.
Hi! I was wondering what is the specific name of the jade looking plant? It looks like it’s purple! Thanks!
Hi Rovie,
I am not very sure, but would guess that it’s a Haworthia, maybe a Astroloba or Poellnitzia…
hell0!nice cactuses!i love them very much!could u plz put their names under each pictures??
Hi Chaz,
Since I bought my plants in local flower market where everyone identifies plants by Chinese common names, I actually do not know the botanical name of every succulent in this cactus garden. But, you can try this website – http://www.cactus-art.biz. They have a good cactus & succulent gallery which I often find helpful.
Cheers!
…guys can i ask something bout the true and proper soil mixture for cacti! I find it difficult to grow cacti here in the Philippines for, i dont know exactly what type of mixture do they want! I’m looking for cacti and succulent books but I can’t find one!
The most important characteristic of the soil mix for cactus and succulent is good drainage. For convenience, you can find readymade potting mix especially for cactus and succulent in gardening stores. Or you can add some river sand (don’t use sand you find on beaches) into your regular potting mix for better drainage. As for ratio, there is no hard and fast rule, you need to experiment a bit.
What is the problem with your cacti? It may be caused by some other problem instead of the potting mixture, for example, overwatering 😉
Happy Gardening!
I just love cacti! I’m collecting different kinds of it and I still want to collect more..and learn more about them.Thanks to these pics I’m seeing now.It really inspires me more and more!
Hi Mary,
I am happy these pics have inspired you. After you have made your cactus garden(s), feel free to share with us photos of your great creations 🙂
Hi Sandy,
i need your help for how to take care of my plants..i’m not sure about the plant type but i bought at cactus shop,small plant as cactus pot..it is a green plant when it was small but the leaf will turn to purple after growing up..one day when i’m not around my house,i saw that my plant root was snapped from a trunk of tree..then i put Green Fertilizer Tree on the soil but after two weeks it become worst..i feel so worry for my only one plant that i love..
Do i need to put or mix another soil? any suggestion?
Any small stone n where can i get easier?
Is the fertilizer i used suitable for my plant?
Sun n water are base of it health,
either balcony or indoor that good for it (Condominium-home)?
please help me to safe my plant…???!!
tQ.
Hi tQ,
Since there is no image, it is really difficult for me to have a good picture of the current situation of your plant. But based on what you have told me, I think may have over-fertilized your plant or fertilized it in its dormant season. In addition, if your plant was “in bad health”, it shouldn’t be fertilized at all.
By what you have told me, I cannot exactly tell how your plant is really doing now. But I would suggest you not to fertilize your plant anymore, but only when it becomes healthy and strong again. You can also change the potting mix to dilute the already-polluted soil in the pot. If your plant is a succulent/cactus, give it lots of sun if you can 😉
Hope this help. Happy Gardening!
hey! nice cactus u have!!
i bought a cactus recently. the one like a big globe wearing a flower crown. it is quite hard to take care as the flowers were all dead after few days i bought!
can tell me how to take care cactus??
Hi Lily,
Cactus is surely one of the most low-maintenance plants on earth 🙂 If there is one thing you must keep in mind, that is NEVER OVERWATER your cactus. Cacti can live well in dry environment, but may die if you keep the soil moist all the time. Water your cactus only when the soil is all dried up. And when you water it, water the soil thoroughly until there is water dripping out from the drainage hole.
Hope this help. Happy gardening!
Hi Sandy,
Recently, I develop a fondness for small indoor plants like cactus. I am a newbie in planting. Since cactus doesn’t require frequent watering, does the pot needs to have hole for drainage? I also like to make a cactus garden :=)
Thanks!
While it is always the best to have drainage hole, it is not an absolute must. I grow cacti in glass pots of different sizes, without drainage hole, and the cacti grow fine. When the pot doesn’t have any drainage hole, we have to be extra careful with watering and make sure we don’t overwater the plant and get the roots rotten.
Happy Gardening!
Nice work~ Do you have other table top garden to share?
cheers~
hi, im suddenly like collecting cactus i have 7 kind of it, its 10 but the 3 is dead, the two is driying and the 1 is aeat by our dog, i also have the green with white stripe, i just want to know if all cactus is dont need water everyday, because some of them is dying when i gave water frequently, the store seller told me to give water once every 2 weeks, i also want to know if you know a web site that you can categorize the name, different and if the cactus likes water or not
Hi, we should only water our cacti when the soil is totally dry. Not only the soil on the surface should be dry, but also those in the middle of the pot. We can poke a small wooden stick (ex: a toothpick) into the soil and test the wetness of the soil. In addition, seasons matter. So you shouldn’t water your cacti in the winter the same way as how you do in the summer. We don’t have to water our cacti much during their period of dormancy (the winter months). I have done a quick google search for you. You can find more details here – Dormancy in house cacti?
Hope you will find this helpful.
thanks a lot Sandy, also thanks for your time, sorry if i disturbe you, you use your time to search in google to help me, i think this can help me a lot, i want to post the picture of my cacti so you can see it but i think its not allowed in this forum, by the way you use fertiliser in your cacti when you give water to them
hi sandy its me again, last time i told you that i have 6 cactus, but right now i have 62 cactus about 50 types, last time i buy 16 pcs and about a week i buy 16 pcs again, and last week i buy 24 pcs, and now i know how to craft them, some of them by leaves, i just get 1 leave then let it dry for 2 days then it will have roots that time i will put it in pot, some of them just give birth, i cant express my feeling how i happy when i see them having flower, also my tiger cacti give me another two, i want to show you all my cactus, different type, different color, how beautifull they are, but you forum cant upload picture, thanks again
What is the name of the one above in the square yellow pot? I have something similar and want to know how big it is going to get and how I take care of it?
سلام دمت گرم خیلی خوبه
Hi Sandy,
The second picture, the cactus that kind of looks like coral and has slightly yellow colouring, in the brown pot. I was just wondering if you knew what type of cactus it is, because I have the same one and am struggling to find out what it is. Thanks
Hi,
Dear i have a question:
What’s the name of the flower in yellow vase in this pic http://www.gardeningoncloud9.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/tabletop-cactus-garden-103.jpg
I’ve got one Them but a crazy people picked It up by Its root and now It looks wrinkle
Do You have any suggestion to repair It?
Hi I was just wondering if you knew the name of the tallish cactus with red tips. I just got one yesterday and would like to know it’s name!