are christmas cactus easy to care for

Move an indoors plant outdoors in summer to a shady location. First, only water your Christmas cactus when the soil feels dry to the touch (about 2 inches or 5 cm down from the surface). A closet or unused bathroom are ideal places. to look less healthy. Advice for Christmas cactus care tells us that it performs well under average home conditions with moderate care. I lived in Florida for many years and had no problems. This year several will be shaped up. And as far as fertilizer, this plant should … ", treating it like a Christmas Cactus and following your suggestions. ", corner of her living room. I've had my plant for 20 years, it was my grandmother's before she passed. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. Fertilization. A little Christmas cactus care goes a long way, so you don’t need to care too much for it to see it bloom, although this may not always happen precisely in time for the holidays. To discourage thrips, use sticky traps to catch these tiny pests. Approved. ", recently moved and have been having issues with the plant dropping blooms and not blooming. 4. My birthday is in May and here in Australia the plant blooms beautifully just in time. Gratefully, it is in an east window and has not been over watered. The soil should be evenly moist for best growth. Last Updated: December 4, 2020 Treat the cuttings as mature plants. All the blooms dropped, and I knew then. Set the cactus in bright but indirect light, such as near a window, moving it to a shady spot outside for the summer. Use about 1/2 teaspoon of liquid fertilizer, such as a 0-10-10 blend and do not fertilize once the plant begins to flower. They differ from the flowers of other cacti which tend to be more tube-like. But if it's in a south or west-facing window, diffuse the light with semi-transparent curtains or some other light-diffusing device. Never moved it. Why are the leaves on my Christmas cactus limp? I am sure and grateful this plant of mine is going to bloom in full glory again, thanks to the people who wrote the article. If you reside in the Southern Hemisphere, you may have more difficulty finding this plant around Christmas time, and they'll need more controlled conditions in order to bloom during the holidays. If the soil gets too dry, the flowers buds will drop, and the plant will wilt. ", helped. The blooms last only several days while the flowering period lasts a couple of weeks. And while Christmas Cactus are fairly easy to care for, there are a few things you want to keep in mind. You can also have a beautiful blooming plant for the holiday season that friends and family will surly envy. Do you even know how this plant is planted leave alone caring for it? All Rights Reserved. "But wait," you're saying. Christmas cactus is the common name for schlumbergera, a small genus of cacti with 6 to 9 species native to the coastal mountains of south-east Brazil. After your Christmas cacti have finished blooming, fertilize every 2-3 weeks. Be sure to share them with friends and family. Opt for the east or north windows in your home or office. This is an excellent site and I have recommended it to many of my friends. So glad for all the information, thanks! You can get different varieties if you prefer red blooms, or pink blooms, or white blooms! When watering, thoroughly water the plant. Not having had, "The information in this article has taught me so much. If you want it to get bigger, you have to. What you are seeing is a good thing as these are roots looking to grab onto something. What started out as purely a desire to keep my indoor plants alive has turned into a full-blown passion for sharing what I have learned over the years about selecting, growing and caring for indoor plants with those who may be new to the wonderful world of houseplants. In Brazil, it’s known as the May flower. Christmas Cactus is a beautiful plant that can bloom year after year; you will want to keep it even after the holidays pass. Thank you so much. It can bloom multiple times per year. Easter Cacti will bloom in mid-spring and has flat leaves and rounded teeth with broader flowers that remind you of daisies. ", illustrations for Christmas cactus. If you keep it inside in a cool and humid area, once per week may suffice. "Regarding the pre-bloom period, I thought it should be placed under a box for 12 hours nightly. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Lower the temperature to 50 to 55 °F until the buds form, then increase light, temperature, and humidity for the rest of the bloom. ", what they look like. Fertilize your Christmas cactus every month in the growing season or from mid spring to early autumn. Your support helps wikiHow to create more in-depth illustrated articles and videos and to share our trusted brand of instructional content with millions of people all over the world. After flowering, you can do light pruning to re-energize the plant. The best is a homemade fertilizer for Christmas cactus. However, unlike regular cactus, the Christmas cactus isn’t totally drought resilient and requires more watering, care and attention – especially when you are trying to force bloom. Light is a necessity when caring for cactus. To keep your plant looking nice, deadheading should be done. I've had to make a few changes. How many times a year does a Christmas cactus bloom? ", (almost 8 years ago). Generally leaves a Christmas cactus are limp due to excessive sunlight and inadequate water supply. Should I deadhead the wilted blooms on my Christmas cactus? Move an indoors plant outdoors in summer to a shady location. Your plant may be getting too much light or not enough water. During the fall and winter months, the plants should be watered less frequently in order to promote blooming. Place the plants in a dark area from about 12 or more hours each night for 6-8 weeks or until you see buds forming. Give your Christmas Cactus bright but indirect light. "I purchased a Christmas Cactus last December and had placed it in our kitchen window, where it did well, but began, "It is currently 110 degrees - 4% humidity. Likewise, keep it away from heating ducts or near the fireplace or drafty areas. Christmas cactus is an easy plant to care for, but there are a few rules to follow if you want it to flower each Christmas. Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania. Begin the dark treatments in about mid-October to have plants in full bloom by the holidays. Just be sure not to give it a pot that's too big; the Christmas Cactus flowers best when it's pot-bound. The cactus will only grow to the circumference of its pot. That being said, too much direct sunlight can burn its leaves, so keep the Christmas cactus in an appropriate area to avoid this. "I bought my Christmas cactus just before Christmas and it's still looking well. Plants should be blooming for the holidays if cool treatments are started by early November. Desert cacti love direct sunlight and would do with four hours a day of some direct sunlight. New growth will still appear – and that is when watering should be resumed. If the temperature drops further, the plant will not bloom. Too much watering will cause spots from white rot to appear on the leaves, and the leaves will likely fall off. You might have heard of the Christmas cactus, the one that blooms in cold weather. Drafts and temperature extremes can cause the flower buds to drop from the plant before they have a chance to open. You can fertilize after the cutting has grown one new segment. Try adjusting both to see if it helps. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. ", blooms this Christmas from my over 30 year old plant! A month prior to Christmas you will be able to watch the tips of the leaves beginning to grow. If your environment is close to that, you should be fine. As mentioned before, cease watering for 30 days post-bloom. It all depends on the soil you are using. Water the dirt and leaves whenever the top inch of soil gets dry, and stop watering in October to get ready for the bloom. Thank you so much. Otherwise you will get lush bloom on one side and few if any on the other. Christmas cactus is not always easy to care for and it requires a little bit of attention. I don't need to turn the light on in there. "My 6-year-old Christmas cactus has bloomed faithfully, but not grown much in size. It is easy to prune your plant. Give your cactus the sunlight they need. The only other time you should cease watering is after the plant blooms. You should also water less in the fall and winter. Then, plant them in an inch deep fresh soil and water them sparingly until you see new growth and the roots establish. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/2c\/Care-for-a-Christmas-Cactus-Step-1-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Care-for-a-Christmas-Cactus-Step-1-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/2c\/Care-for-a-Christmas-Cactus-Step-1-Version-3.jpg\/aid148675-v4-728px-Care-for-a-Christmas-Cactus-Step-1-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"