Question regarding safe soil to grow cactus

[Thundersnow]

You folks ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I really appreciate all of the wonderful information I have been getting from my fellow tort lovers here.
I have another question.I want to plant a piece of prickly pear cactus and I need to find REAL organic cactus mix so the cactus I want to grown for my kid is safe for him to eat.I have found many organic cactus mixes online but then I see warnings regarding ingredients in them.Can anyone recommend a SAFE organic cactus mix I can buy online so I can plant my cactus.
Thanks

 

[Tom]

You don't need organic and you don't need cactus soil. I've done it both ways and it doesn't matter at all for opuntia. Plant it in any dirt or soil that doesn't have pesticides. Mix in some sand yourself if you want to, but not a requirement. That is all "cactus" soil is. Regular soil with some sand added.

 

[Thundersnow]

You don't need organic and you don't need cactus soil. I've done it both ways and it doesn't matter at all for opuntia. Plant it in any dirt or soil that doesn't have pesticides. Mix in some sand yourself if you want to, but not a requirement. That is all "cactus" soil is. Regular soil with some sand added.

I did and the bottom rotted. I cut the rotten part off and letting it scab over so I can plant it. I was using miracle grow

 

[Maro2Bear]

Greetings.

i was just about to type.....& i see Tom has posted. Yep, ditto what Tom said. A bag of regular gardening soil, plant your pads.....water...let them grow. The new growth is what you will want to feed.

Here is a picture of my pads growing in a pot. Potted up last year & g4owing gang busters. I break off the new pads now and then & feed our Sully.

 

[Maro2Bear]

I did and the bottom rotted. I cut the rotten part off and letting it scab over so I can plant it. I was using miracle grow

No reason to use Miracle Grow. Let your pads scab over. Place in your pot. Wait a bit, add some water every now & then.

 

[Tom]

I did and the bottom rotted. I cut the rotten part off and letting it scab over so I can plant it. I was using miracle grow

This going to happen with a percentage of them no matter what you do. I've planted hundreds over the last few decades. Some rot and some don't. They usually rot because the soil was damp or because you watered them. This is why I recommend people not water at all for at least one month after planting, and then let it dry out between waterings. Even when planted in dry dirt, some of them just don't want to make it. Plant several and some of them will go crazy with new growth, some of the will sit there not doing much, and others will slowly wither and die.

Cactus don't need miracle grow.