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Temperature: Maintain an optimal climate of 65 degrees. 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.
Does Christmas cactus like sun or shade?
They prefer bright, indirect light. Full sun can cause the leaf segments to turn dark red as the plants begin to burn. The “trick” to getting Christmas cactus to bloom in the following years after purchase comes down to two things: light and temperature.
How often do you water Christmas cactus?
How 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?
In general, water a Christmas cactus when the top inch or 2 of soil is dry. To help increase the humidity around your plant, fill the pot saucer with pebbles and add water to just below the tops of the pebbles (the pot shouldn’t be sitting directly in water). The air will become more humid as the water evaporates.
Where should I put my Christmas cactus?
Holiday cacti grow best when they are placed in a location with partial shade, such as an east or west facing window, with a temperature between 70° and 80℉.
Are coffee grounds good for Christmas cactus?
Your Christmas cactus will enjoy a coffee as much as you do! Coffee grounds are a good source of potassium and nitrogen, two things the cactus needs to keep it healthy. Don’t use the grounds straight away, as moist grounds can go moldy, so you need to dry them first by spreading them out.
Should I mist Christmas cactus?
Instead of watering it like you would a traditional plant, you should be misting your cactus every day. A few squirts from a spray bottle is all you need to keep your cactus happy. The only time you should be watering the base of the plant is when its soil is completely dry to the touch.
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.
Do you water a Christmas cactus when it is 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.
How long do Christmas cactus live?
The Christmas cactus is everywhere during the holiday season, with good reason. It’s a blooming succulent that is easy to care for, has gorgeous blooms, and when properly tended can live up to 100 years! That’s right! This plant can survive for decades, adding color to your holidays for generations.
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. Poor drainage and soggy roots can make Christmas cactus very limp.
How long can Christmas cactus go without water?
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.
When can I repot a Christmas cactus?
The Christmas cactus should be repotted after its blooming ends, but you don’t need to rush the process, according to Keira Kay, Bloom & Wild plant expert. She says: ‘Christmas cactus should be repotted soon after the plant has stopped blooming, and the flowers have wilted, typically in late winter or early spring.
Should you deadhead Christmas cactus?
While not necessary for all cacti since some cactus flowers drop from the plant once they are spent, deadheading cactus flowers can promote additional blooms and encourage growth while also tidying up the cactus. Deadheading can be done throughout the growing season while the Christmas cactus is in bloom.
Can you water Christmas cactus with ice cubes?
According to Reader’s Digest, all it takes is placing two large ice cubes at the base of your plant once a week to keep them happy and hydrated. This way the plant gets to suck up all that H2O slowly, but surely. Moreover, this will also help stave off any messy watering overflow that may occur.
How do you take care of a cactus indoors?
Cactus can be grown indoors as long as you place them in a spot where they receive at least 4 to 6 hours of daily sunlight. We recommend putting them in your brightest windowsill, which is often a southeast-facing window and rotating them every day to ensure they are etiolated.
Do Christmas cactus need drainage holes?
Christmas cactus needs good drainage. In their native environment, they grow as an epiphyte, clinging to trees rather than growing in soil. They’ll be ok in most any pot as long as it has drainage holes.
