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When I started growing my cactus, I was pretty sure about its drought-resistant capabilities. That’s why I forgot to take proper care of them and left them. Guess what? My cactus is looking deflated now. I just noticed it recently.
Do you know why does my cactus look deflated? Unhealthy soil, lack of water, and lack of care are the main reasons I found here. Keep going with my write-up if you face the same problem with your succulent plants. I will show you all the five reasons and their solutions.
1. Unhealthy Soil & Solution
If you keep your cactus for a month without changing its soil or pot, it will look deflated. Here the main reason is the unhealthy soil. When you don’t care about the soil quality and plant the cactus, the soil will grow harmful bacteria and insects. They will ruin the soil quality and keep eating the beneficial insects.
Solution:
You got the first reason why does my cactus look deflated. The solution is included in the problem. You must take proper care of your cactus plant and change the soil after a month. This solution is applicable if you don’t change the soil for that month and find the soil is unhealthy. So, change your soil and take care of your deflated cactus.
2. Lack of Water & Solution
The apparent reason why the cactus looks deflated is because of the lack of water. We all know that the cactus is succulent and can bear the drought. That doesn’t mean it will not run out of water and doesn’t need any water. If you don’t need water for a month, it will not have enough water in its store to survive. Therefore, it will look deflated.
Solution:
You can sort out this problem in two ways. First, cut off the leaves and let the roots grow the new leaves. I did this with my deflated cactus after changing the soil and pot. It works, and I got the fresh leaves after a week. Another solution could be watering in your new pot.
You must change the existing cactus pot and plant it in the new pot; it will take the soil support and water to revive its deflated leaves. I prefer the first solution.
3. Damaged Pot & Solution
Another reason why the cactus looks deflated is because of the damaged or broken pot. If you have the same problem, you must replace your existing pot. It will add a new value to your plant growth. If the pot gets damaged, it will ruin the soil quality.
Solution:
The simple solution would be to change the broken pot and replace it with a new one.
4. Summer Heat & Solution
Sometimes the summer heat creates the problem and makes your cactus deflated. The stored water is not sufficient for your cactus, so it will run out of water and become deflated within a week. The same will happen in winter.
If snowfall goes up and the cactus is covered with the snow, it may run out of water in frost.
Solution:
You can ignore the second reason and get relaxed in winter. But in summer, you must water the plant regularly. Look at your cactus soil, and check if the soil is wet or completely dry. If it is dry enough, you must water it.
5. Insufficient Sunlight & Solution
Sometimes, we forget to plant the cactus under direct sunlight. Maybe you choose the wrong place to put your cactus where the direct sun is unavailable. Therefore, the partial shade or the shadowy area will ruin the roots. Consequently, the cactus will look deflated.
Solution:
You must ensure that the cactus gets enough direct sunlight to grow naturally. You must avoid placing the succulents in the shadowy area.
Can You Revive the Deflated Cactus?
Yes & No. If you notice the slight deflation of your cactus plant, you can help it revive. What if the plant is already defeated and the root is getting damaged? In that case, you cannot revive the deflated leaves.
The solution is simple. You need to cut off the deflated leaves and let the root grow the new one. It will take time, but the process will be worthwhile. You must change the soil and pot and take proper care.
Closing Words
After getting all the five problems and their solutions, you must know why does my cactus look deflated. I tried to give the solution in short so that you can track it off and get the job done. In a nutshell, you cannot ignore your succulent plants and leave them without care.It will lead them towards a deflated situation. If you have already made a mistake like mine, you must implement the solutions. Hope to get back your lively cactus soon.