In advance I will say sorry for the long winded post but I feel like I am playing the guessing game with my cactus seedlings and guessing wrong I might add.

I started these seedlings about two years ago and they have grown at a snails pace. I know this is normal for cacti but I am almost certain that my lack of general cactus knowledge has set them back a little.

Here is a picture to give you an idea of their overall size.

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My first mistake imo was that I believe I waited far too long to start giving them natural light. Second, I dont think I have ever given them enough water. I havent meant to do this but I just dont really know how to water a cactus. I havent killed them which is a positive but I am not doing them any favors either.

I experimented a little which soil mixtures so some are much more airy than others. The original pots that I started the seedlings in became very crowded so I repotted some of the seedlings in those tiny little terra cotta pots because I thought it would look nice but those pots will be dry as a bone 24 hours after a good soaking. This was in my house and probably even sooner now that they are outdoors. Actually most of my pots dry out extremely fast.

The seedlings in those smallest pots are also basically the color of a grape. I have read that this means they need more water or they are receiving too much light. They have been this color forever ever since just sitting under a fluorescent light. I have other cacti that are showing signs of 'neglect' but they have taken on a red tone. They have all been subjected to the exact same conditions btw.

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One problem is that I dont know the types of cacti that I have because I grew most of them from a variety pack. Here is a picture of the smallest grape colored seedlings. After two years they are still less than a half an inch tall. Is their color and very slow growth normal?

How often should I be watering cactus seedlings of this size that are about two years old. Should I water every time the soil is dry to the touch? I have read that seedlings cant really retain any significant water at this point. How will I know if I am over watering?

The Gold Barrel seems to be elongated. I bought it at Lowe's last fall and it pretty much looked the same then only a bit shorter. I think it has become slimmer as it has become taller though. I watered them every two weeks in the winter which I have read is the wrong thing to do because their isn't enough light for them to grow properly. How often should a small cactus of this size need watering? It is outside full time now in its small terra cotta pot. Is its shape normal? (It is about 3-4" tall btw)

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The San Pedro I started from seed and only had 5 germinate. The tallest is 2". They have grown more quickly than the rest but the base is very skinny compared to the top. Is this due to poor light conditions? They are also in full sun now. This has only been very recent for all of them though.

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Finally I will show this guy. It was also from a starter pack that I got at Wal-Mart. I sowed two packets and nearly all of the seedlings were killed by damping off disease. This was the lone survivor from a pot. This one also got squishy like a jellyfish and fell over. It not only lived but has out grown all of the other seedlings that I started from seed (minus the San Pedro).

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The Opuntia pad was cut early last fall and sat in a windowsill all winter. Only recently has it been re-potted into the larger pot and placed outside.

Some of you guys have great cactus collections so I was hoping that you could share a little knowledge with me. Any advice, especially in regards to watering, would be greatly appreciated.