How to Prune an Indoor Cactus
- 1). Put on heavy gloves and a long-sleeved shirt to protect yourself from painful pricking from the thorns.
- 2). Examine the cactus for withered, damaged or poorly growing lobes or shoots.
- 3). Grasp with a set of kitchen tongs the lobe or shoot you want to trim.
- 4). Cut the lobe or shoot as far back as possible with a sharp knife or a set of trimmers. Watch your hands and arms to avoid receiving a prick from the cactus' spines or thorns. Make sure you use a sharp knife or trimmer. The cactus will heal more quickly from a clean cut than from crushing or sawing caused by dull blades or trimmers.
- 5). Dispose of the cut segments in your garbage or compost pile.
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