Nopales As A Houseplant

I was mailed Nopales pads from someones backyard from another state. Where I live Nopales will not survive outside. I put the pads into a pot and placed them in an eastern garden window in middle of July.
I have been very pleasantly surprised with a whole lot of new growth on the pads. And the new pads are growing fast!
My question is-Should I repot the pads into individual pots? I don't know how big they will get as indoor houseplants and if I should repot before they get too big?
Our winters are long and dark and will soon be here. Should I used artificial light for my Nopales?
I would appreciate any info on growing Nopales inside.
Thank you!

I know about outdoor culture.
They get GIANT for a house plant.
I would give them all the light you can, even to the point of getting a special grow light that mimics the sun's spectrum.

You can separate them, if you want.

Highly likely you will be taking a cutting each fall and potting it up to keep over the winter, then letting it grow outdoors through the summer. It will get too big to bring inside, so take a few cuttings to keep it going.

They need lots and lots of light. Depending on the orientation, the east facing window may receive less and less light as winter approaches and the sun travels a shorter arc in the sky. I would guess the plant will not be too happy in winter with only that window as its light source.

Another thing to bear in mind is that many nopales are basically arborescent plants. Over time they can get huge, like Diana says. That makes them less than ideal house/container plants. Of course the behavior varies depending on the species, and I can't tell you what to expect with yours. You can always restart the plant periodically and avoid the issue.

Typically they are quite seasonal in their growth and sprout most new growth in spring and summer. During this time you might consider moving them outside. They will appreciate the extra light as long as you make the transition gradual so they don't get sun shocked. Don't be dismayed if they sit there doing absolutely nothing for extended periods during winter.... that is totally normal.

This message was edited Aug 25, 2014 12:13 PM

Thank you so much for your advice. :)
I think I will see how it does during our fall season--month of Sept. If it will do a lot more growth. Comparing the Nopales to the pics and what it looks right now...It doesn't seem like the new pads have gotten any bigger since I took these pictures on Aug. 17. Maybe because we are having less daylight now.

We do have a bay window that has a southern exposure, so I will move it to that window. And look into buying artificial growing light for it. I will just have to wait and see how it will fare the winter.

Hoping it will survive. I have grown to love my Nopales. :)

This message was edited Aug 25, 2014 5:45 PM

You can always eat the prunings. Tastes like bell pepper.

The southern exposure should provide sufficient light if it's unobstructed and the plant is right by the window. That sounds like an excellent location. Daily sun is what you want.

The plant may be done for the year. In which case you may just have to be really patient until spring comes. Play it by ear, just be careful not to overwater during winter when the plant is resting.

IDK which species you have, but it's in the genus Opuntia. Searching that word should yield additional info, if you get in the mood to search'n'read.