6-8 weeks before you want your Christmas Cactus to bloom begin dark treatments. They also require 12 hours of darkness and less water. Short, cooler days are needed to bring Christmas Cactus into bloom. Plants should not be pruned while blooming. Pruning: To encourage new branches, prune plants after their rest period. When plants begin to put out new growth, fertilizing should resume. When plants stop blooming they will enter a 4-6 week resting period and should not be fertilized at this time. Keep your plants in a spot away from cold drafts, heating ducts, and fireplaces.įertilizer:Christmas Cactus that are growing and blooming benefit from all-purpose fertilizer applications. Temperature: To set flower buds, Christmas Cactus needs cool 60-65 F days and 45-55 F nights. Place the pot on top of a dish of wet pebbles. Humidity: Christmas Cactus prefer 50-60% humidity. Mix 1 part potting soil with 1 part fir bark, or 3 parts potting soil to 1 part sand. ![]() ![]() Soil: Potting soil should be well drained. After flowering, stop watering for 30 days. Water: Christmas Cactus prefer moist soil, but not soggy. Bring plants back inside before the first frost. During summer months place plants outside in a shady location. Place near a window, but away from direct light. Light: Indoor plants prefer bright, indirect light. *Ephiphytes are plants that grow on other plants but are not parasitic, such as ferns, bromeliads, air plants, and orchids growing on tree trunks in tropical rain forests. They enjoy high humidity, along with consistent moisture.Īs houseplants, replicating their home environment is the key to happy Christmas Cactus. They are at home growing in tree limbs with their roots in decaying leaves. Unlike desert cacti, Christmas Cactus are epiphytes* native to tropical Central and South America and grow in the same environment as orchids. Easy to grow and long-lived, they can be easily forced into bloom. ![]() Beloved by generations of houseplant lovers, Christmas Cactus delight us with bright-colored blossoms in the dark days of winter when little else is in bloom.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |