Place the mature plant in a dark room or keep it covered (under a box or bag works good) for at least 12 hours a day in late September or early October.
How do you force a Christmas cactus to bloom?
We’ve all had those moments when we want our garden to look its best, with all of the feature plants blooming and everything looking lovely and healthy.
Fortunately, there are a few simple things you can do to ensure that your Christmas Cactus blooms when you want it to. To get those blossoms out in the open, you only need to provide the correct habitat for the Christmas Cactus.
Step 1 Reduce/Limit Watering
The first step is to cut back on the amount of water you give your Christmas Cactus.
Before watering the succulent, wait until the top inch of soil around it is dry, and then only give it enough water to get the soil slightly damp.
Step 2 Reduce Light Received
We all know that plants enjoy light, right? Well, not in this case. To encourage the Christmas Cactus to bloom, keep it in the dark for 12-14 hours a day (overnight), and when I say dark, I mean dark as little indirect light as possible is ideal.
This is the most critical step in the process since it promotes bud development.
Step 3 Reduce Environment Temperature
The next step is to keep the Christmas Cactus cool; the temperature should be about 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the day.
As a result, ensure sure the area where your plant is kept is within this temperature range.
Should I put my Christmas cactus in the dark?
To induce a Christmas cactus to bloom, you must first understand the Christmas cactus bloom cycle, which includes a lack of water, dormancy, light, and temperature.
Begin by reducing the amount of water given to the plant. This normally happens in the fall, towards the end of October or the beginning of November (in most places).
Reduce the amount of water you use just enough to keep the soil moist. Only water when the top layer of soil, about 1 inch (2.5 cm), is dry to the touch. The plant will be able to enter dormancy as a result of this. For a Christmas cactus to blossom, it must be dormant.
To encourage a Christmas cactus to bloom even more, relocate it to a location where it will have 12 to 14 hours of darkness. Although bright, indirect light is OK during the day, Christmas cactus requires at least 12 hours of darkness at night to enhance bud growth.
When should I put my Thanksgiving cactus in the dark?
If you have a Thanksgiving cactus from last year, start temperature and light treatments in mid-September to ensure it blooms on time. To create buds, it will require 12 to 14 hours of complete darkness, as well as cold overnight temperatures of 60 to 65 degrees (F) for three to four weeks.
How much darkness does a Christmas cactus need?
Thanksgiving cactus, holiday cactus, and crab cactus are all names for the Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera truncata). The leaf-shaped stem segments with curled, sharp teeth or claws around the margins are known as crab claws. The leaf segments of the Easter cactus (Schlumbergera buckleyi) have rounded edges. They all originated in the gloomy, damp forests of southeast Brazil. They’re called epiphytes because they thrive on trees above ground, in places where branches meet and decomposing fallen leaves and mosses collect.
Despite the fact that this plant is called a cactus, the care it requires has little to do with its desert cousins. It’s a cactus that grows in the forest. Its requirements can be traced back to their source. The optimum time to plant a Christmas cactus is when it is warm “I’m stuck in a pot.” This entails keeping it in a small container for as long as possible before transferring it to a little larger pot. They prefer a nutrient-dense organic potting mix and should not be allowed to dry out. When the plant is blossoming, increase the amount of water it receives. They enjoy indirect light that is bright. As the plants begin to burn, the leaf segments might turn a dark crimson color.
‘The’ “The “secret” to getting your Christmas cactus to bloom in the years after you buy it boils down to two factors: light and temperature. These two are the keys to the kingdom of flowers. Flowers are produced by Christmas cacti in a chilly, short-day cycle. It takes at least eight days of 16 hours of darkness and 8 hours of light every day to start the creation of flower buds. Do not turn on the lights at night, even if only for a brief time, wherever the plant is put. This violates the required dark cycle. It should be around 61 degrees Fahrenheit. Avoid placing the plant in an area where it will be exposed to cold or hot air drafts.
It’s as simple as putting the Christmas cactus on the window sill in a chilly room and not turning on the lights. If the plant was in a brightly lit room, the side closest to the window often grows buds, but the plant’s illuminated side does not. If the plant produces flower buds but then loses them, it’s usually due to either too much or too little water or a lack of air humidity. The good news is that if their temperature and light needs are met, Christmas cacti are reasonably straightforward to re-bloom.
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.
Should I water Christmas cactus while blooming?
- Watering: Mist your plant frequently while it is blooming to keep the soil uniformly moist.
- Light: For moderate light and some direct sun, place the cactus in an east-facing window.
- Fertilize every two weeks once buds have formed with a high-potassium fertilizer.
Should you remove dead flowers from Christmas cactus?
Deadhead all wasted blooms to keep your cacti looking their best throughout and after the Christmas season. The plant will also continue to blossom as a result of this. You can continue to enjoy your cacti after Christmas is past until it stops producing flowers. But don’t let it go after it’s done! With or without blossoms, these cacti make lovely houseplants. And there’s a good possibility it’ll blossom for you again next year, and sometimes even in the middle of the year. (Bonus!)
What conditions do Christmas cactus like?
Schlumbergera can be found in jungle-like forests connected to trees in their natural habitat. They prefer a semi-shade environment versus the full light of desert-dwelling cacti. A well-lit, but out of direct sunlight, environment with a humid climate would be excellent. Use gravel-filled saucers to place your plants on and keep them moist to improve humidity.
To sustain healthy growth, repot once a year (or at least every two years). This can be done at the end of March, when their growing season begins. To help with drainage, use a regular cactus compost or a loam-based compost like John Innes No 2 with additional leafmould (or peat substitute) and grit. Choose only a slightly larger container for potting on, as they prefer to be tight in a compact pot.
Aftercare
- A time of rest is required after blossoming. Restrict the temperature to 12-15°C (55-59°F) and reduce the watering to only once or twice a week from late January to late March to avoid the compost drying up altogether. Moving to a cooler environment is a simple way to accomplish this.
- Increase the watering and start feeding with a houseplant liquid feed during the growing season, which runs from April to September. Maintain a temperature of 18-20°C (65-69°F) during the growing season if possible.
- They can be placed outside throughout the summer months, once the risk of frost has passed. This promotes flowering and helps to ripen new growth. Keep them in a shady area away from snails.
- With the shorter days and cooler temperatures, flowering buds begin to form around mid-September. With a second resting period, the watering and temperature should be reduced (as before). Increase the temperature to 18-20°C (65-69°F) and begin regular watering just until the flowering buds have formed.
- After that, your plant should bloom and provide you with a stunning display. If there are two resting periods with a reduction in watering and temperature, exact temperatures are not required to encourage flowering.
Why has my Christmas cactus never bloomed?
Drought stress or too much light, as it is a short-day plant, are the causes of Christmas cactus not blooming. The Christmas cactus has evolved to thrive in humid, rainy environments. If it’s too dry or there are too many hours of sunshine during bloom creation, it won’t flower.
There are a number of other reasons that can hinder the Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera) from blossoming, which I’ve included below:
Continue reading to learn why your Christmas cactus isn’t blossoming, as well as the best methods and strategies for getting it to bloom…
When should I bring my Thanksgiving cactus indoors?
The Thanksgiving cactus is Schlumbergera truncata. Although it is known as a leaf cactus, it is not a genuine cactus. It’s an epiphyte, or a plant that lives on another plant. The Thanksgiving cactus features large, flat leaves with small serrations on the edges, as opposed to the Christmas cactus, which has smoother edges. Flowers that bloom in the fall are comparable to fuchsia blooms and come in yellow, white, pink, and red hues.
Zygocactus is the scientific name for these plants, which some researchers dismiss as a misnomer while others proclaim it from the rooftops. The Thanksgiving holiday cactus, whatever species it is, is a proven winner, with blooms that last 2 to 4 months and a laid-back personality. The plant’s only significant issue is that it has to be duped in order to bloom again the next year.
Cool temperatures and shorter sunshine hours are required to force Thanksgiving cactus to bloom. If you reside in an area where there is no frost, you can leave the cactus outside to see what happens organically. Those of us who live in colder climates will have to construct artificial circumstances to keep warm, but we can expect temperatures as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius) and reduced light, especially artificial light. Late summer to early fall is the best time to start coaxing Thanksgiving cactus to bloom.