The golden barrel cactus offers an attractive, eco-friendly and perfect décor solution for your garden, even if you live in an area that is prone to drought. This succulent can reach up to three feet in diameter and five feet in height with proper care and attention. Its unique spherical appearance and dark green color make a striking ornamental accent for rock gardens and desert landscapes. When the small cacti start to sprout tiny spines, use a pair of tweezers to transfer them from the propagation trays into 5 cm pots filled with the same soil mix used in the germination trays.Although the golden barrel cactus is now quite rare in the wild, it is common in homes and backyard gardens across the United States and other Latin American countries. They will look like small spheres, red in colour not green. Place then the trays in filtered sun, cover with a glass sheet and keep the soil moist until the seeds germinate in approximately 2 to 6 weeks. Some growers also recommend to cold-stratify seeds in a refrigerator for a year prior to sow them. With the syringe, distribute the seeds evenly in the germination tray, shaking the syringe so the seeds don't settle at the bottom and all come out at once. Use a horse syringe to suck the small seeds and some of the water into the syringe. Fill germination trays with a well blended mixture of 60% peat moss 40% vermiculite and one to one part of coarse sand or pumice. Then place the seeds in some water to soak overnight. The seeds are mahogany or reddish amber and tiny. Use a knife to slice down one side of the pod to expose the seed and scrape them out. The pods will come off with a slight twist, leaving the wool on the cactus. Several months after the flower dies off and the pods are ripen it is possible to collect them from under the dried flower. Echinocactus grusonii will produce hundreds of fruits each season. They are best planted close together among large rocks or boulders. As old specimens they can be truly majestic. Unlike many plants, the "golden barrels" get more and more beautiful as they grow. The striking round shape and the dramatic golden bright-yellow spines that absolutely light up in daylight, especially when backlit are unique. Uses: Echinocactus grusonii is a wonderful popular plant for adding texture, colour and shape to landscapes, it gives a huge dose of impact. Plant in good conditions will start to bloom when reach the diameter of 40-50 cm. Diseases and pests: Watch for infestations of mealybug, scale insects and spider mite. Frost Tolerance: Light frost protection required for safe cultivation, but can tolerate sporadic light frost.
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It can tolerate moderate shade, and a plant that has been growing in shade should be slowly hardened off before placing it in full sun as the plant will be severely scorched if moved too suddenly from shade into sun. Exposure: Outside they need a bright exposure, full sun or half shade in summer if the location is exceedingly hot or bright, inside needs bright light, and some direct sun. Feed with a high potassium fertilizer in summer.
No water should ever be allowed to stand around the roots.
A wet cactus in the sun light can cause sun burning which can lead to scars or even fungal infections and death, keep rather dry in winter. Water regularly during the aestival growth cycle (this plant need plenty of water, but do not overwater and let their soil dry out between waterings), and also needs to be avoided wetting the body of this plant while it is in sunlight. After repotting, do not water for a week or more. Fill about a quarter of the pot with broken crocks, gravel, etc. However, this doesn't necessarily mean they'll need larger containers. Generally, they should be repotted every other year in order to provide fresh soil. If potted, repot preferably in the spring, if their roots become cramped. They are suited for any rich, well drained soil such us clay, pumice, lava grit, and only a little peat or leaf-mould. Echinocactus grusonii are summer-growing and pretty easy plants to cultivate.
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