With good cause, the Christmas cactus may be found all over throughout the holiday season. It’s a blooming succulent that’s easy to care for, has beautiful blossoms, and may survive for up to 100 years if properly cared for! That’s correct! This plant can last for decades, giving your holidays a splash of color for generations. That’s a fairly good return on investment for a plant as simple and low-maintenance as the Christmas cactus!
Do Christmas cactus get big?
Christmas cactuses, unlike many other plants, never cease growing and have no maximum size. Every year, Christmas cactuses sprout new segments to their branches. The number of new segments produced is determined by the growth conditions. Within a few years, they can easily achieve a spread of 2 feet. The cactus can grow to be quite enormous as it gets older. Christmas cactuses can be pruned to keep them at a manageable size by pinching off branches between growth segments.
How can I make my Christmas cactus grow bigger?
From early November to late January, then from early April to late September, water the soil from one to two inches deep anytime it feels dry to the touch, giving it a good drink each time. Reduce watering to one a week from late January to early April and late September to early November.
Every four years, Christmas cacti must be repotted. Each time you repot your cacti, increase the size of the planter by two inches. If your cactus isn’t growing as quickly as you’d like, try placing it in a smaller container. Changing your potting soil may also aid in the growth of your cactus. Make a potting soil mix using equal parts sand, leaf mold, and commercial potting soil.
Water your Christmas cactus with an epsom salt solution to fertilize it. Mix one teaspoon of epsom salt with one gallon of water to make the solution. From the first week of April to the first week of September, apply this fertilizer once a month. You can also use a water-soluble all-purpose 20-20-20 fertilizer, which you can make by mixing a half teaspoon with one gallon of water and feeding once a month from April to September. You can alternate these fertilizers, but don’t use both at the same time and only feed once a month.
The temperature of the air, whether inside or outside your home, is also vital for your Christmas cactus to thrive. Maintain a temperature of 60 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit for your cactus during the fall and winter months. Cacti should be kept between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit in the spring and summer, but never above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. During the fall and winter, holiday cactuses should not be exposed to more than eight to ten hours of bright light every day, as they require additional time in the dark to begin flowering for the holiday season.
How do I make my Christmas cactus bushier?
Because Christmas cactus plants are so easy to care for, it is not uncommon for them to grow to enormous proportions. While this is attractive, it may provide a difficulty for a homeowner with little room. An owner may be wondering if pruning a Christmas cactus is possible and how to cut a Christmas cactus at this time.
Christmas cactus pruning does not have to be limited to large plants. Pruning a Christmas cactus, no matter how big or tiny, will encourage it to grow fuller and bushier, resulting in more flowers in the future. Continue reading to discover more about how to trim a Christmas cactus, whether you want to simply lower the size of your plant or make it appear even more gorgeous.
Should Christmas cactus be misted?
Christmas cacti, contrary to popular belief, may live much beyond the month of December. With a little TLC and some advise from us, they can live for up to 20 years.
Christmas Cacti need cooler temperatures.
If you keep your Christmas cacti in a room that’s between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, they’ll bloom more and faster. It’s especially vital to keep them away from radiators, fires, and warm windowsills in the winter.
While they don’t need the heat of the sun, they do need its light.
This is when things get a little complicated. The sun will dry up a Christmas cactus if it is left in direct sunlight, although it does require lots of sunlight. So, what should a cactus aficionado do? Leave it in a somewhat shaded location of your house (or outside once summer arrives) and rotate it every now and then.
Just like you and I, Christmas cacti need their rest.
If the buds on your cactus haven’t set yet, it will require 1215 hours of complete darkness per day. Cacti flourish in bright light only once their buds have set.
You should be misting, not watering, every day.
Your cactus will die if it is overwatered. That isn’t to suggest they don’t become thirsty. You should mist your cactus every day instead of watering it like you would a typical plant. All you need is a few squirts from a spray bottle to keep your cactus happy. Watering the plant’s base should only be done when the soil is absolutely dry to the touch.
Christmas cacti need nutrient-rich soil.
Christmas cactus are resilient plants that may thrive in a variety of soils, but they need well-drained, somewhat organic matter-rich soil. While you can always buy organic soil, you may also use your cacti as a little compost and add organic materials that would otherwise be discarded.
How many times a year does a Christmas cactus bloom?
Is It Possible For A Christmas Cactus To Bloom More Than Once A Year? Yes. Christmas cactus, unlike many other succulents, can bloom again in the spring if given the right conditions.
How do you know when to repot a Christmas cactus?
Christmas cactus repotting should be done after blooming has ended and the blooms have withered in late winter or early spring, when most plants are best repotted when they show new growth. When the plant is actively blooming, never try to repot it.
Repotting a Christmas cactus isn’t necessary because this tough succulent thrives when its roots are little congested. Repotting the plant on a regular basis can harm it.
Do you water a Christmas cactus from the top or bottom?
Remember that Christmas cactus plants demand moist soil rather than the dry dirt preferred by most other succulents. When the top inch or two of soil on a Christmas cactus is dry, water it. Fill the pot saucer with stones and water to just below the tops of the pebbles (the pot should not be sitting directly in water) to assist improve the humidity around your plant. As the water evaporates, the air will become more humid. (See below for watering suggestions if you’re attempting to get your Christmas cactus to rebloom.)
How often should you water a Christmas cactus?
- Water every two to three weeks, but only until the top one-third of the soil feels dry to the touch. Water when the top 2 inches of soil feel dry, for example, if the plant is in 6 inches of soil. (Check with your finger!)
- Soak the soil until water runs through the drainage holes in the pot when it is suitably dry. To catch the water, place a tray underneath the pot. Remove any extra water from the tray after 10-15 minutes so that the pot does not sit in water.
- Feed every two weeks with a balanced houseplant fertilizer from spring through early fall. Feed the cactus once a month in the fall and winter to encourage blooming.
- Late in the spring, prune plants to encourage branching and more flowers. Simply cut a few portions off each stem, and the plant will branch out from the wound.
- Place the cut pieces in a gently wet potting soil if desired; they will root easily after a few weeks and make great Christmas gifts!
How to Get Your Christmas Cactus to Bloom
The lower temperatures and longer evenings of autumn bring out the blooms of Christmas cacti and its relatives. This is the general blooming schedule for the three main species of Christmas cacti:
- Thanksgiving cactus are the earliest and most persistent bloomers, blooming from late October to mid-winter.
It’s possible that your cactus isn’t flowering because it’s getting too much sunshine or being exposed to too hot temperatures. Here are some pointers to help you get yours to bloom!
- For at least six weeks, nights must be at least 14 hours long and days must be between 8 and 10 hours. If you have powerful interior lighting that is turned on at night, you may need to cover your cactus or transfer it to a location where it can be exposed to natural light.
- Flower buds form best when the plant is kept between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit (10 and 15 degrees Celsius).
- By exposing the plant to temperatures of around 45°F (7°C) for several nights in a row, you can jumpstart the budding process.
- Ensure that you water the plant on a regular basis when it is in bloom. If the plant dries out too much, the buds may fall off.
- Don’t worry if the cactus loses its buds throughout the winter; it will bloom the next year!
How old is the oldest Christmas cactus?
The cactus was discovered to be 111 years old. Miller’s great-grandmother, Bohnet, gave the plant to Gladys Biloff, Jacquie Biloff’s mother-in-law, in 1952, when it had grown too large for her home.