Repotting plants is pretty easy. But the prickly nature of cacti makes repotting this type of plant a bit more of an exercise. But you can do it without needing first aid at the end. 

When to repot

Luckily, cacti are extremely slow growers, so you may not have to repot yours for years. If your cactus has grown to the edge of its pot or roots are coming out of the drainage hole on the bottom, it might be time to repot. Or, you may simply want to transplant your cactus into a different pot or a bowl with other cacti.

How to repot

1. Choose a slightly larger container for root-bound plants.

2. Fill the new container with fresh soil. Use a mix of sand and gravel. Or select a commercially blended cacti soil mix. Cacti do best with soil that's loose and drains quickly.

3. Remove the plant from the pot. You can do this in several ways: don a pair of thick rubber or leather gloves or use wooden or metal kitchen tongs. Turn the pot on its side and gently remove the plant from its pot.

4. Shake off the soil from the roots, then position the cactus into the new container at the same depth it was growing in the old pot. Fill in around the base of the cactus with soil.

5. Place the cactus in a sunny southeast or east window. Water after a few weeks.

Written by Karen Weir-Jimerson