Last updated on October 24th, 2024 at 01:57 pm
How to Grow Christmas Cactus (cacti Schlumbergera). This plant is grown for its colorful blooms from white, bright pink, and deep dark red blooms and because the blooming season is right around Christmas time, thus its name. It will also bloom again in mid-spring… it’s then called a spring cactus.
The Christmas cactus is in the succulent plant family. Like most succulents, they like less water than other plants. They like indirect sunlight too much direct sun and the foliage will burn. Too much water and they will develop root rot and I’ve done this more times than I would like to admit!
In many homes across the United States, this plant is commonly regarded as a popular houseplant. Homeowners often look for it at local nurseries or large retail stores, especially during festive seasons such as Christmas or the springtime. During these times, the plant is usually available in full bloom, showcasing its vibrant colors and striking appearance, which makes it a favorite choice for adding beauty to indoor spaces.
However, the situation changes once the blooming period ends. After the colorful flowers fade away and the plant returns to its regular state, many people find themselves uncertain about the next steps to take. This lack of understanding about how to care for the plant after it has stopped blooming can lead to confusion and frustration among plant owners.
How to make this plant bloom again?
You can make it bloom again by following this simple hack. Try placing it in a darker area or a room with low light. Preferably about 10-12 hours of darkness during the night. A small amount of light during the day is ok.
Try to keep the soil moist but only at the bottom of the container. Basically water about every ten days or so. Keep the top portion of the pot dry. Do this for about six weeks or until you see new buds. It’s also important to keep the room temperature at about 50-60 degrees f.
Once you see new buds it’s time to place them in a room where there is more indirect sunlight. Water about once per week and you will be rewarded with new blooms. It may take up to 3 months before it blooms, again.
What we are trying to do is make the plant go dormant. Like all plants once the dormant time is over it should bloom again.
The hardest part of making the Christmas Cactus bloom again is forgetting that you put it in a dark spot or a closet. You could write in the date (six weeks from the start date) you want to remove it from the dark area.
Where to place this plant
When your plant is in full bloom, it can be a beautiful addition to your dinner table or any area in your home where there is plenty of natural light. It is important to ensure that the location is not too windy or exposed to direct sunlight, especially if the sun shines in through a large window. This will help to keep the plant healthy and vibrant. Additionally, it is best to keep the plant in the same pot for as long as you can. The roots of the plant prefer to be snug and tightly packed within the pot. If you need to repot the plant, always use cactus soil, as this type of soil is specifically suited to meet the needs of the plant’s roots and promote proper growth.
When to fertilize
Try using a liquid fertilizer at half the recommended usage. I have had good luck using organic fertilizers such as fish emulsion or bat guano. Cactus Juice works well also. Do this about once per month starting in September and ending just before December, again do this at half the recommended ratio.
Cactus juice is another way to fertilize this plant it contains an abundance of minerals Plus Nitrogen – 1.0% Available Phosphate, 7.0% Soluble Potash, 6.0%, and Calcium, 1.0%.
The Poinsettia for Christmas decoration. Other houseplants for the Holiday Seasons.
The Christmas Cactus is native to Brazil in areas where there is lots of shade and humidity learn more over at Wikipedia.
