If you’ve ever come across the idea of growing your own cactus, you might be intrigued; they offer a lot of fun and interest and are a great project which takes up very little time. They are even good for kids, as long as they’re old enough to understand that cacti can be spiky, so they make a fun family project too.

We’ve looked into the best grow your own cactus kits and made a collection here for you to choose from.

Why You Should Grow Your Own Cactus

Most people are familiar with the popular images of cacti in deserts, usually very spiky and often strange shapes. They fill kids’ cartoons with characters accidentally falling into them, and they are definitely appealing little plants. However, few people have come across the best grow your own cactus kits.

Cacti are also popular because they are easy to look after and they don’t need a lot of care. You don’t need a degree in biology to successfully grow cacti, and you can usually leave them for months without much attention. As long as they have enough light and an occasional drink, they will thrive.

That’s one of the best reasons for growing your own cacti; they are easy. Cacti are a great way to help children connect with nature and get them interested in how things grow, but they also won’t require a huge amount of work.

They are also really pleasing to look at, and come in some wonderful shapes. With their beautiful – albeit painful – spines and stunning formations, these bring a unique and classy look to your home, at relatively low cost and with minimal upkeep.

In short, they’re a great way to combine pretty houseplants with projects and not take on a massive commitment which will wilt as soon as you turn your back.

So, why should you care about the best grow your own cactus kits? They make it nice and easy to get started, which is a big bonus if you’re low on time and you value convenience.

Deluxe Succulent – Cactus Grow Kit

This Deluxe Succulent and Cactus Seed Grow Kit comes with everything you could possibly need, in a bright, attractive box. The Home Grown brand offer lots of different plants, and really know their stuff, meaning they can provide you with absolutely every facet of getting started with cacti and succulents.

This kit includes:

• Bamboo saucers
• A perlite bag
• A grow guide full of helpful tips
• Peat pellets
• Kelp nutrition packs
• Beautiful marbled ceramic pots to show off your new plants in
• Cacti and succulent seeds in three different varieties of each

We think this makes a great kit for beginners because it has everything you could possibly need in it, so you don’t have to buy any extra supplies or even special pots. We also like that they’re using bamboo saucers and that they provide nutrition packs to feed your plants with.

This set looks like a particularly good one to use with kids, since the bright colors and pictures are likely to catch their attention, and it looks like a very straightforward process.

Buzzy Cactus Garden

The Cactus Garden’s Buzzy Mini Basin Seed Grow Kit is next on our list of best grow your own cactus kits, and for good reason. The brand has created a versatile and useful mini basin that looks great and is perfect for a multitude of different uses – not just as a cactus pot.

Again, the packaging is beautiful and reflects just how vibrant and characterful cacti and succulents can be.

The company also offers a reassuring “guaranteed to grow” promise, which is very nice to have, as buying seeds can be a disappointing and expensive process if none of them germinate. This demonstrates their confidence in their own products and protects the customer!

The kit includes:

• The mini galvanized steel basin
• A packet of seeds
• Simple and easy instructions
• Growing medium so you know your plants are going in the appropriate soil

We love this kit for a number of reasons, but its expanding growing medium is a particularly good one. Adding water will cause the medium to swell, which is fascinating for kids (and adults!!).

It also makes a beautiful and attractive gift for weddings, birthdays, etc., and with the germination promise, you can be satisfied you’re gifting something which will really work and bring joy to the recipient.

Garden Republic – Cactus Grow Kit

One of the things that we love best about the Garden Republic kit is the use of wood – if you’re going green, you might well appreciate this too. They also list the seeds they use, so you know what you’re growing, which is a big bonus and helped bump this kit onto our best grow your own cactus kits list.

The kit includes:

• Jute bags for growing in – what a great idea
• Planting pots
• Growing medium
• Plant markers
• Gift box
• Pruning shears

We love the additional thoughtfulness of including the shears; these are perfect if you don’t already have piles of garden tools to hand. They also have a great selection of different seeds, so you’ll get a wonderful range of plants.

Planters Choice – Cactus Growing Kit

This Planters Choice kit won its place on our best grow your own cactus kit list because it is so comprehensive, with 18 pieces. In it, you receive:

• 4 pots with inbuilt drip trays
• 4 packets of seeds of different types
• Soil discs
• Bamboo markers
• Instruction guide

If you’ve got kids, this is an ideal kit; you can give them a pot each and a handful of seeds. It’s also pretty and feels a bit more modern than some of the more rustic kits, which might suit your preferences better.

Cactus Grow Kit

A slightly smaller kit, this Grow Kit still earns its place, with a focus on just cacti. It offers:

• 2 soil discs
• Growing pots
• 2 plant markers
• Instructions
• Mixed cactus seeds

If you want simple, no-frills, this is the kit for you, and we love that the makers are offering something so straightforward. It’s perfect if you want to minimize, or if you already have all the tools you need and just want the soil, pots, and seeds.

Grow Your Own Saguaro Cactus Kit

The Grow Your Own Saguaro Cactus Kit earns its place on our best grow your own cactus kits list partly due to the company’s generosity on the seed front: they supply 150 seeds. They are only of one type, but if you know what you want to grow and like to keep things simple, that’s absolutely perfect.

The kit contains:

• Cacti soil mix
• 150 seeds
• Instructions
• Terracotta pot
• Plant history and trivia

It’s a great gift and looks very striking in its terracotta pot. It’s probably one of the most recognizable cacti, too, and it claims you can sprout the seeds in under two weeks.

Grow Your Own Cactus FAQ’s

Growing your own cactus can be challenging. To help, we’ve put together this list of common FAQs.

How Often Should I Water A Cactus?

Whilst cacti can survive in dry desert conditions, you should still water your plant.

During the growing season (early spring to summer), cacti need regular watering. We recommend watering them once a week. When your cactus is dormant, you should only water it when the soil is completely dry. If you need test the moisture level of your cactus, you can get a water gauge.

You should lookout for signs that your cactus is either underwatered or overwatered. A cactus that has been overwatered will look bloated/plump and can lead to rot. On the other hand, if your cactus needs water it will look can look yellow or brown.

How Long Does It Take For A Cactus To Grow?

Cacti grow very slowly. After six months, you should expect your cactus to be only the size of a grape. In general, cacti grow between 1-3 cm per year.

The largest cactus in the United States is the saguaro cactus. Saguaro cacti will typically grow up to 40 feet, with the tallest measuring over 78 feet!

Should I Feed A Cactus?

Fertilizer is a great way of boosting your cactus and making it healthier and more colourful. Feeding cacti should be limited to just once per year, as too much fertilizer can damage your plant.

We suggest feeding your cactus before its growing season once per year (early spring to summer) and using a fertilizer such as EarthPods Premium Cactus & Succulent Plant Food.

What Should Cacti Be Planted in?

When choosing the right pot for your cactus, there are several factors you should consider.

These include:

• The size of the pot (depth&width)
• The material of the pot
• How well the pot drains
• The style of the pot
• How porous is the pot

We recommend using a ceramic or plastic pot to plant your cactus.

When choosing a pot for your cactus, add around an inch in width between your cactus and the rim to make sure your cactus fits comfortably.

The depth of the pot is also important. If you choose the wrong depth pot, it can interfere with the growth of your cactus.

The depth of the pot should reflect the species of cactus you are growing. If your cactus species tends to grow tall and have deep roots, get a deep plant pot. On the other hand, if your cactus species has shallow roots, you’ll be fine with a shallower pot.

How Much Sunlight Does A Cactus Need?

Cacti love being in bright and sunny locations.

Typically most species of cacti need around five to eight hours of sunlight per day to thrive.

Cacti plants that aren’t exposed to sufficient exposure to light may display a wide range of negative signs. These include etiolation, a process whereby plants stretch resulting in poor growth and weak stems. Cacti that don’t receive adequate sunlight may also become pale and unvibrent.

Contrary to popular belief, most species of cacti don’t sit out there in a full-sun desert location. Most species of cacti grow in an environment with partial shade either beneath a shrub, in a crack of a boulder or just on a slope angled away from the sun.

What Is The Best Soil For Growing Cacti?

Cacti require soil that’s sandy, porous and pebbly. Soils with these characteristics provide sufficient aeration and drainage for your cactus. The soil mixture should also dry quickly after watering and provide your cactus with the nutrients needed to grow.

We recommend using a soil mix designed specifically for Cacti.

What Is The Best Grow Your Own Cactus Kit?

If you’re interested in the best grow your own cactus kits, hopefully, you have found something to suit your fancy here. There are some great options, ranging from comprehensive and complex to straightforward and simple. No matter what you prefer, there’s a grow your own kit to suit, and these kits make unique gifts too.