Question
We have had a patio built under our deck. I have not monitored exactly how much sunlight it gets under there but my guess is not very much. We are very pleased with the patio, it has an area of 10ft X 20ft cobblestone pavers surrounded by a large irregular peagraveled area with stepping stones. There is a children's area with a concrete table and four concrete stools and we have added a water fountain. I have seen a selection of cacti in Walmart, various shapes and sizes and all very attractive and we would love to add them round the fountain area. My question is, what will happen to them if they don't get enough sunlight? On the labels it says full sun. Will they die?

Answer
Hey, Patty.

Most of them will probably die, but not really from sunlight. They'll die from overwatering because almost any water you give them in a shady location will cause them to rot. Most people don't understand that the very nature of a cactus means that it is a long stem full of water, so they will water them like any other plant. If you can resist the urge to water them once a week like you do your other plants, they'll probably survive for some time, but their growth will be extremely slow and they'll never bloom in the shade.

Rather than the cactus in such a location, it sounds to me like you've got a great location to make a very attractive fern and ivy garden.

If you're intent on sticking with the cactus family, make a slight change to the succulent family. Many of them can adapt to shade, and should be able to find a selection of succulents at Wal-Mart, too.

Hope that helps.