Low-effort approach to Barrel Cactus — what you can get away with

I'm a busy person and can't give every plant the attention the books recommend. Here's what I've learned about the minimum viable care for Barrel Cactus.

providing the sunniest window or outdoor position available is genuinely non-negotiable — skip this and the plant declines noticeably. Everything else, I've found, has more tolerance than expected. spider mites in warm dry indoor conditions will happen if you're inattentive for too long — check occasionally and deal with it quickly. remarkable drought tolerance once established holds up even with fairly basic care. a greenhouse or conservatory staging has been good because it suits the plant's needs without me having to compensate with extra intervention. A plant for real life, not ideal conditions.