Pot succulents in..

Cacti and succulents won’t thrive in bog standard compost.

Those in the know at the British Cactus and Succulent Society use a special ingredient in place of the grit or gravel: cat litter.

Cat litter has two advantages over grit or gravel

• It’s lightweight
• unlike grit it is porous

This means it can “mop up” excess water from around the roots and release it gradually, as well as ensure there are tiny air pockets in the soil, which is a great combination for cacti and succulents.

Two parts compost to two parts litter to one part grit isn’t a bad place to start.