Every year I’m amazed how many flowers appear almost overnight on my
They bloom their heads off despite little care on my part. The show will continue for a month or more. They are the perfect plant in my opinion.
What’s my secret? Well, I don’t do any heroic moves some garden books recommend like giving them 12-14 hours of total darkness each night from September through November. Nor do I lower the temperature of my house to a brisk 55 degrees or lower each evening. I do fertilize them every couple of weeks during the summer with a liquid fertilizer high in phosphorus ( the middle number ). I use one of those fertilizers with a dropper. It’s easy and I don’t have to drag out a spoon to measure. I’m all for convenience.
I grow mine under a small florescent plant light but a bright window would also be good. Let the soil dry a bit between waterings from spring though September. They thrive on neglect.
Christmas cactus and their relatives, Thanksgiving and Easter cactus, live in trees in their native Brazil. They are true cactus but the spine are so tiny and soft you never notice them. They prefer rich, porous soil like what may accumulate in the crevices of tree branches. Repotting is only necessary if plants become top heavy. Use a course, fast draining mix, such as one that’s suitable for orchids. I haven’t transplanted any of mine for many years. Nearly every outer leaf makes a flowers, so the bigger the plant, the heavier the bloom. Next spring I’m going to transplant mine to the next size pot, I promise.
Now that the plants have set flower buds, though, I don’t let them get too dry. This could cause them to drop their buds. Use room temperature water for all your houseplants. Don’t put Christmas cactus near ripening fruit, the ethylene gas could cause bud drop.
Christmas cactus are incredibly forgiving. They can live for 25 years or more. Pick one up this season an you’ll see why gardeners often treat them like a favorite pet.
