How To Care For Cactus During Winter. Cacti naturally reduce their moisture content and shrivel with the onset of winter. In the spring and summer when your desert cactus is actively growing and blooming or both water whenever the compost begins to dry.
This dehydration prevents cactus cells from bursting when they freeze. When watering your cactus make sure you do it thoroughly. Make sure you dont fertilize the plant during winter because it is dormant.
In fact cacti hardly require any attention at all.
During the winter months however I do not carry out any treatment. Cacti naturally reduce their moisture content and shrivel with the onset of winter. Fertilizing your succulents and cacti in the spring can help give them the nutrients they need to thrive. While you should never give your succulent or cactus plants fertilizer in the winter when the last frost comes around you can give them fertilizer by following the instructions on the packaging.