How To Prune A Christmas Cactus

July 09, 2024 Post a Comment

How to prune a christmas cactus

The stem nodes of a Christmas cactus look like interlocking pieces. Simply take a sharp pair of pruning snips and carefully trim between the stem nodes. You can also twist and bend the nodes until a piece breaks off. I use the snips to avoid damaging the plant.

When should I cut back my Christmas cactus?

ANSWER: You may prune your holiday cactus plants anytime from when they finish blooming up until about June. Feel free to prune the plants as much as you need in order to keep them the size you prefer.

How do you fix a Christmas cactus leggy?

If you've got a Christmas cactus that is all legs, you may wish to prune the plant to encourage it to grow fuller rather than longer. To do this, you'll pinch back leggy growth to encourage the plant to grow outward rather than adding more length.

Should I cut dead blooms off Christmas cactus?

Keep your cacti looking its best during and after the Christmas season by deadheading all the spent blooms. This also encourages the plant to continue blooming. Once Christmas is over you can continue to enjoy your cacti until it finally stops producing flowers.

Where do you cut Christmas cactus?

Christmas cactus propagation usually begins by simply taking a short, Y-shaped cutting from the stem tip. The cutting should consist of at least two or three joined segments. When doing Christmas cactus propagating, always be sure that cuttings are taken from healthy foliage.

How do you winterize a Christmas cactus?

They like humidity, so if your house is dry indoors in winter, put it on a tray of pebbles, or place it near other plants. Water when the top surface feels dry, and never let them sit in water. Christmas cacti prefer daytime temperatures of 65 to 70 degrees, and evening temperatures of 55 to 65 degrees.

What month do you not water Christmas cactus?

Christmas cactus has a bloom cycle of dormancy, water, light and temperature. Cut back on how much you water your Christmas cactus during late fall, from October to the middle of November. Let the top two or three inches of soil dry out between waterings.

How many times a year should a Christmas cactus bloom?

How many times a year does a Christmas cactus bloom? A Christmas cactus can bloom up to two times per year if they're given the proper care and dormancy conditions. It's normal for them to bloom in December, and sometimes they will flower again in the spring.

How often do you water a Christmas cactus when it's blooming?

Plan to water every 2 to 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.

How do you make a Christmas cactus bushier?

Pruning. Trim your Christmas cactus to create a fuller, bushier plant about a month after blooming, but never prune a Christmas cactus after late spring. To prune the plant, just pinch off one or more of the sections. Replant them in a separate pots if you want to create new plants.

How do you force a Christmas cactus to bud?

Christmas cacti produce flowers in a cool, environment-short day cycle. To initiate the production of flower buds, there needs to be at least eight days of 16 hours of dark and eight hours of light each day. Wherever the plant is placed, do not turn on the lights at night, even for a short period of time.

Can you break off a piece of Christmas cactus and plant it?

The Christmas cactus is a relatively easy plant to propagate. Take cuttings of one to four segments and let them sit in a cool, dry place for two to four days. Plant an inch deep in new soil, preferably a sand/peat mix. Water sparingly until roots or new growth develop, then water as normal.

Should a Christmas cactus be watered while blooming?

Watering: Keep the soil evenly moist while your plant is blooming, misting it frequently. Light: Place the cactus in an east-facing window for moderate light and some direct sun. Fertilization: Apply a high-potassium fertilizer every two weeks once buds form.

How long do you keep Christmas cactus in the dark to make it bloom?

Put your forest cactus in a dark closet for 14 hours a night, starting six to eight weeks before you want it to bloom. Bring it back out into a bright location during daylight hours. Once buds begin to form, the closet treatment is no longer needed, and the plant should bloom beautifully for the holidays.

Should I water my Christmas cactus when it has buds?

Water the plant well during its active growth in spring and summer, and when the plant is flowering. If a Christmas cactus does not receive enough water, it will wilt and its flower buds will drop. So, ensuring that the soil is kept evenly moist when buds are forming will encourage your plant's growth.

Do Christmas cactus need full sun?

Given its home climate, it won't surprise you that Christmas cacti thrive in indirect light and humid conditions. Growing your Christmas cactus in a north- or east-facing window is ideal, but wherever you end up putting it, make sure to keep it out of direct sunlight.

Do Christmas cactus do better inside or outside?

Place near a window, but away from direct light. During summer months place plants outside in a shady location. Bring plants back inside before the first frost. Water: Christmas Cactus prefer moist soil, but not soggy.

Do Christmas cactus like to be root bound?

Holiday cacti do like to be root bound, but eventually, they get too constricted to stay healthy. If your plant perks up and then wilts again within a few days, or if it doesn't perk up from watering, try repotting it into a new pot with a drainage hole one size bigger with cactus soil.

What triggers a Christmas cactus to bloom?

To encourage bud set, provide bright light, temperatures between 55 F and 65 F, and 13 hours or more of continuous darkness each day. For flowers during the winter holiday season, long nights should be started in late September or October and continued for eight weeks.

How long do Christmas cactus live?

Many people treat Christmas cactus like poinsettia and amaryllis: as a one-time holiday houseplant. But Christmas cactus can be kept as a houseplant year-round, and given good care, it's a long-lasting succulent that can easily live for 20 to 30 years—even up to 100 years or more!