7 Christmas Cactus Care Tips
- Opt for a warmer climate. Although they are called a Christmas Cactus, these plants still prefer warmer air like most cacti do.
- Let your plant enjoy a variety of light. Christmas Cactus enjoy a variety of lighting options. ...
- Keep the plant misted. ...
- Be sure to take the time to repot. ...
- Use a hummus mix. ...
- Beware of dropping buds. ...
How do you take care of a Christmas cactus?
Once the soil is dry, you will have to water your cactus to keep it alive and healthy. It would be best to water your Christmas Cactus from the base so that the water can soak down into the soil and fully hydrate the roots. With proper watering and care, your cactus can last several years and brighten up every holiday season!
Did you get a Christmas cactus as a gift?
If you have been lucky, you might have received a Christmas cactus as a gift around the winter holidays. There are a couple of varieties of Schlumbergeria blooming cacti that tend to come into flower during certain holidays.
Can you cut the end of a Christmas cactus?
If you are trimming Christmas cactus plants to make them grow in more fully, you only need to trim the end one to two segments from the stems. The really fun thing about trimming a Christmas cactus is that you can easily root the Christmas cactus cuttings and give the new plants to friends and family.
Should I use fertilizer for Christmas cactus?
Using a fertilizer for Christmas cactus is only part of the care ritual. These plants rarely need repotting since they like a crowded environment, but every few years it is necessary to replace the soil. A mixture of half potting soil and half sand or perlite is adequate. Prevent the bottom of the pot from standing in water or root rot may occur.
When should I stop watering my Christmas cactus?
How should I plant a Christmas cactus?
How to get humidity in cactus?
Why are Christmas cactus so popular?
What happens if you overwater a cactus?
Why do you water a cactus from the bottom?
When should I water a cactus?
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How often should you water your Christmas cactus?
every 2-3 weeksHow to Care for Christmas Cacti. Plan to water every 2-3 weeks, but only water when the top one third of soil feels dry to the touch. For example, if the plant is in 6 inches of soil, water when the top 2 inches feel dry.
Do you water a Christmas cactus from the top or bottom?
Water the Christmas Cactus from the bottom so the water can get down to the plant's roots. Keep pouring water into the soil until water is dripping through the holes in the bottom of the pot. This soaks the soil. Once the soil is completely soaked, make sure that there's no standing water underneath the pot.
Do cactuses like misting?
Don't mist desert cactus. They are not native to regions where surface moisture and humidity is prevalent. Instead, they reach deep into soil to harvest moisture left over from the rainy season.
Can you spritz Christmas cactus?
Christmas Cactus Care Year-Round. Here's how to care for a Christmas cactus all year long. December, January, February: Dry, heated air can deplete moisture. Spritz often to keep the plant hydrated.
How long can a Christmas cactus go without water?
The soil should feel evenly moist for most of the week drying slightly on the surface before the next bout of watering. Christmas cactus are also somewhat more drought tolerant then most houseplants and can go 2 weeks without watering as long as it is not in an air current or if the air isn't too dry.
How can you tell if a Christmas cactus is overwatered?
In case you didn't remember to do this, one of the first overwatering symptoms on Christmas cactus will be limp leaves, which will start to drop off. Then the stems and branches will soften and get mushy. Severe cases will manifest with a foul odor and the stem will rot completely off. Prevention is simple.
Should I spray my cactus with water?
So should you mist succulents and cacti? You should not mist your succulents and cacti for watering because it can cause a weak root system and fungus. Do not use a spray bottle to mist succulents and cacti. Not only does spray misting not provide enough water, but it also can cause the plants to rot.
Should I mist succulents?
Full grown succulents don't actually like to be misted. They thrive in arid climates, so when you mist them, you are changing the humidity around the plant. This can lead to rot as well. Use misting for propagation babes to lightly provide water to their delicate little roots.
How often should you mist plants?
one to two times per week“Misting is one of the top things that you can do for your houseplants. I advise my clients to mist their houseplants one to two times per week.”
Why are the leaves on my Christmas cactus limp?
Wilted or limp Christmas cactus is sometimes caused by a lack of water or too much direct sunlight. If you've neglected to water the limp Christmas cactus, begin by giving the plant a limited drink. Continue to water sparingly every few days until the soil is lightly moist.
Why do the buds on my Christmas cactus fall off?
Dropping buds can be a result of overwatering, temperature extremes or lack of light. Your plant was given special treatment to make it bloom at Christmas, and it was provided with perfect growing conditions during this time. Somewhere in transit, or perhaps in your home, it encountered less than ideal conditions.
Do I water my Christmas cactus when it's blooming?
Whilst the plant is in bloom, continue to water it as needed, and add some cactus plant feed.
How often should I water a Christmas cactus? | Extension
A Question of the Week. Holiday cacti are incredibly popular gifts throughout the winter and spring and can be purchased just about any place that sells plants, from the grocery store to the flower shop.
How to Water a Christmas Cactus
A vital key to keeping a Christmas Cactus alive and healthy is to not overwater it. While Christmas Cacti need more water than their desert counterparts, it’s still very easy to overwater. An overwatered cactus will have soft and limp leaves and branches and will eventually die.
How to Maintain Humidity for a Christmas Cactus
A way to “water from the bottom” for a Christmas Cactus is to make an environment where humidity naturally surrounds the plant. You can do this by planting the cactus in a pot with a tray underneath. Many planters come with lids that you can flip over and use as natural humidifiers for your plants. See our guide on DIY Christmas Cactus Humidifiers
Final Thoughts
It would be best to water your Christmas Cactus from the base so that the water can soak down into the soil and fully hydrate the roots. With proper watering and care, your cactus can last several years and brighten up every holiday season!
What Soil Works Best for a Christmas Cactus?
A mix of sand and an all-purpose potting mix works best for a Christmas cactus. Also, you can use coffee grounds as soil for this plant if you want. If you want to learn more about the relationship between coffee grounds and plants, you can visit that link.
How Much Sun Does a Christmas Cactus Need?
Placing a Christmas cactus in front of an east-facing window or west-facing window works best for this plant. However, be careful leaving this plant in front of a south-facing window. Since a south-facing window receives the sun’s strongest rays, you run the risk of burning out this succulent.
What Temperature Works Best?
Christmas cactus plants do well with room temperatures between 55-80 degrees Fahrenheit. During the fall and the winter months, you can keep this succulent in a cooler environment. You can have a cooler home environment during the fall and winter since this plant has a slowdown of growth during this time.
Does this Plant Like Humidity?
Being native to Brazil’s tropical rainforests, this cactus naturally enjoys humid environments. However, this is not a desert cacti since it comes from a tropical climate. With that being the case, this cactus prefers having slightly moist soil over being completely dry.
How Often Do You Need to Water a Christmas Cactus?
It is best to water the soil of this holiday cactus when the top inch or two becomes a bit dry. To help with humidity and water, you can place a few pebbles in the soil. As you topwater (or mist) the plant, the gravel will create additional humidity, which this plant enjoys.
Most Common Bugs
The best way to prevent bugs or diseases is to give this plant adequate sunlight and water the top two inches when dry, but sometimes bugs and diseases can impact this plant. Common bugs that attack a Christmas cactus include Aphids, fungus gnats, mealybugs, and red spider mites.
Most Common Diseases
The most common disease for this holiday plant is excess water build-up from overwatering. Signs of overwatering include the following
When should I stop watering my Christmas cactus?
This is also the time for your Christmas cactus to show its beauty. Watering sparingly will stimulate blooming to your cactus. When October comes, you should stop watering your cactus all together because there will be too much water in the soil.
How should I plant a Christmas cactus?
Always plant your Christmas cactus in a pot with drainage holes. You should consider the type of potting soil you have under your plants. Check how large the potting container is as well as the sunlight and the temperature reaching your plants.
How to get humidity in cactus?
If you do this, your plant will get the desired humidity from the water that evaporates into the air. Another way to increase humidity for your cactus is to put gravel on the tray and fill it with water, then put the potted plant. You can also mist your cactus with water once in a while to increase the humidity around.
Why are Christmas cactus so popular?
When it’s winter or springtime, the Christmas cactus becomes popular because many people use it as a gift. You can see the plants sold everywhere in flower shops and grocery stores. This hybrid cactus produces bright flowers that come with a variety of colors sure to captivate anyone. If you grow this cactus at home, ...
What happens if you overwater a cactus?
If you over-water your cactus, it will develop fungal infection and rot. If you notice that the leaves of your cactus are dropping, those are signs of white rot. Apart from dropping leaves, a cactus that has been attacked by the white rot seems to have white spots on the leaves.
Why do you water a cactus from the bottom?
Watering from the bottom ensures that enough water gets to the roots and reaches the plant. If you water from the top, the water will not saturate the soil. The water will trickle down from the plant, and only a small amount will reach the roots of your cactus.
When should I water a cactus?
You should water even less in winter and fall if you want it to bloom. Watering will also depend on where you place your cactus. If your cactus is exposed to a lot of sunlight, the soil will dry off faster, and your plant will need much more watering. If it’s in a humid and cool place, you’ll have to water it less.
When should I feed my Christmas cactus?
Christmas cactus feeding takes place monthly during the growing season, generally April through October. This will keep your plants in tip-top condition to form buds and eventually that fully bloomed look in time for Christmas. If you don’t want to keep your cacti gift, you don’t necessarily need to fertilize it.
How long does it take for a Christmas cactus to set buds?
Christmas cactus set buds in fall during cooler days with shorter daylight hours. They need 12 hours of darkness to trick the plant into pushing out buds.
What causes a sage plant to turn red?
Once autumn arrives, a punishing routine of darker periods, cooler temperatures, reduced water, and no additional food, drive the plant to form brilliant hot pink to red flowers.
Where do Christmas cacti grow?
Christmas cacti produce trailing jointed stems and wonderful flowers. These plants are epiphytes native to Brazil and make perfect houseplants. For the most part, the cacti are easy to care for and thrive in indirect, bright light, well-draining soil, and average moisture. Christmas cactus feeding takes place monthly during the growing season, ...
Do cactus bloom during the holidays?
If you have been lucky, you might have received a Christmas cactus as a gift around the winter holidays. There are a couple of varieties of Schlumbergeria blooming cacti that tend to come into flower during certain holidays. These popular plants, which include Easter and Thanksgiving cacti, often come from the nursery bursting with blooms, but getting them to flower the next year can be tricky. This is where the importance of Christmas cactus feeding comes into play. Fertilizing Christmas cactus at just the right time can help ensure your plant is filled with brightly colored tubular blooms.
Do you fertilize Christmas cactus?
Fertilizing Christmas cactus at just the right time can help ensure your plant is filled with brightly colored tubular blooms.
Do Christmas cactus need fertilizer?
Using a fertilizer for Christmas cactus is only part of the care ritual. These plants rarely need repotting since they like a crowded environment, but every few years it is necessary to replace the soil. A mixture of half potting soil and half sand or perlite is adequate.
When to Prune Christmas Cactus Plants
The best time to prune a Christmas cactus is right after it has bloomed. At this time, the Christmas cactus will be entering a growth period and will start to put out new leaves. Pruning a Christmas cactus right after it blooms will force it to branch out, which means the plant will grow more of its distinctive stems.
How to Trim a Christmas Cactus
Because of the unique stems, pruning a Christmas cactus is perhaps one of the easiest pruning jobs there is. All you need to do to prune a Christmas cactus is give the stems a quick twist between one of the segments. If this seems a bit harsh on your plant, you can also use a sharp knife or scissors to remove the segments.
When should I stop watering my Christmas cactus?
This is also the time for your Christmas cactus to show its beauty. Watering sparingly will stimulate blooming to your cactus. When October comes, you should stop watering your cactus all together because there will be too much water in the soil.
How should I plant a Christmas cactus?
Always plant your Christmas cactus in a pot with drainage holes. You should consider the type of potting soil you have under your plants. Check how large the potting container is as well as the sunlight and the temperature reaching your plants.
How to get humidity in cactus?
If you do this, your plant will get the desired humidity from the water that evaporates into the air. Another way to increase humidity for your cactus is to put gravel on the tray and fill it with water, then put the potted plant. You can also mist your cactus with water once in a while to increase the humidity around.
Why are Christmas cactus so popular?
When it’s winter or springtime, the Christmas cactus becomes popular because many people use it as a gift. You can see the plants sold everywhere in flower shops and grocery stores. This hybrid cactus produces bright flowers that come with a variety of colors sure to captivate anyone. If you grow this cactus at home, ...
What happens if you overwater a cactus?
If you over-water your cactus, it will develop fungal infection and rot. If you notice that the leaves of your cactus are dropping, those are signs of white rot. Apart from dropping leaves, a cactus that has been attacked by the white rot seems to have white spots on the leaves.
Why do you water a cactus from the bottom?
Watering from the bottom ensures that enough water gets to the roots and reaches the plant. If you water from the top, the water will not saturate the soil. The water will trickle down from the plant, and only a small amount will reach the roots of your cactus.
When should I water a cactus?
You should water even less in winter and fall if you want it to bloom. Watering will also depend on where you place your cactus. If your cactus is exposed to a lot of sunlight, the soil will dry off faster, and your plant will need much more watering. If it’s in a humid and cool place, you’ll have to water it less.