How to Grow and Care for Christmas Cactus | Gardener’s Path

It’s worth noting that you can’t force a Christmas cactus to flower at a different time of the year – you can simply take these steps to encourage it to bloom.

During this period, keep your Christmas cactus in a room with bright, indirect light during the daytime, with nighttime temperatures at a chilly 55 to 60°F, and 13 to 15 hours of uninterrupted darkness.

Also reduce watering, but do not let the soil dry out completely.

Some Christmas cactus owners solve the need for darkness by placing a brown paper bag over their plants, since even exposure to artificial light can prevent flowering.

Others move their plants in and out of a closet every day, but this is not recommended.

Christmas cacti do not like to be moved frequently, and the stress that this can cause may prevent them from blooming.

For its pre-bloom resting period, I like to place my Christmas cactus in a room on the north side of my house where there is bright, diffused light, and where the temperature remains cool.

This is also a room we don’t use in the evening, so there are enough nighttime hours of darkness.

When your plant begins to produce buds, the first resting period is complete, and you can return it to its normal temperature, light, and watering conditions.

Learn how to encourage your Christmas cactus to bloom.

The second resting period is after flowering. Reduce water again and return your plant to a room with cooler temperatures until the growing season begins in April.

Repotting

Considering the conditions they have adapted to in the wild, it makes sense that these houseplants prefer to be slightly pot bound.

A good rule of thumb is to plan to repot about every three years in spring, at the beginning of the plant’s growth season.

Replant in potting soil with good drainage and aeration – 60 percent potting soil and 40 percent sand or perlite is recommended.

Heavy, waterlogged soils can lead to disease. Read more about selecting the best potting mix for Christmas cactus here.

When repotting, handle with care – this plant does not like having its roots disturbed.

And remember, this plant does not naturally grow in soil, so make sure to move your plant up to a pot size that is only slightly larger than the existing one when you repot.

Get more tips on repotting here.

Propagation

While Christmas cacti can be grown from seed, the easiest and fastest way to propagate them is from cuttings.

Propagation from cuttings should be done in the warm growing months, April through September. Wait until at least a month after flowering to take cuttings.

Cut stems back at the joints between the fleshy segments, shaping your plant so you don’t leave it lopsided as you take the cuttings.

Each cutting should be two to five segments long. Make sure you always cut at the joints and not through the center of a segment, using a clean pair of scissors or a sharp knife.

You can dust the ends of the cuttings with rooting hormone powder, but this is not required.

Place the cut stem segments in a spot with bright, indirect light and good air circulation to let the cuts heal over and dry out for two to four days before planting.

When you’re ready to plant, place the root ends of the cuttings into a container with potting substrate that is moist but not wet.

Plant the cuttings about half an inch to an inch deep, or just deep enough so that they will remain upright.

Place the container in a spot that receives bright, indirect light – not direct sun.

After you see some new growth starting to develop, give them some water. It will take three to 12 weeks for the cuttings to become established.

You’ll need a bit of patience, as this new plant can take up to two to three years to mature and produce flowers.

Find more propagation tips here.

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