My little cactus is sitting on my windowsill, but I have a feeling he's changing in a weird way. He looks like he's gotten all thin and stretched out, even though I water him regularly. Could that be because of light, or what else could it be?
The elongated and thin growth is actually a classic sign of light deficiency - that's called etiolation, and it happens when the cactus is "reaching" for light 🌵 Cacti really need a lot of direct sun, at least 4-6 hours daily, and a windowsill can sometimes fall short depending on which way it faces. Try moving it to a sunnier spot or getting it closer to the window - regular watering is good, but without enough light unfortunately it doesn't help much. After some time in a better location you should see it start growing more compact again!
Does your window face south or more north? That actually makes a real difference with cacti.
The problem you're describing is pretty much textbook light deficiency. Cacti stretch out lengthwise when they don't get enough light - they're basically "searching" for the light source, so to speak. It ends up looking like a thin, long stick instead of a compact plant. But here's the important thing that people often miss: the problem isn't just whether the window looks bright to you as a human. Cacti need direct, intense sunlight, not just a "bright room." A north-facing window or a spot where the sun doesn't hit directly won't cut it. Even if you think there's enough light because it seems bright to you.
Try this experiment: put your cactus somewhere with direct sunlight for a couple of weeks - ideally a south- or west-facing window. Just be careful if the plant was in the shade for a long time before - then acclimate it slowly, otherwise it can get sunburned. And yeah, watering regularly can also be a problem if you're watering it too much; cacti prefer it on the dry side. But the stretching definitely points to light first.
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