Christmas Cactus Care Indoors: Best Window, Water and Cuttings (Video)

Transcript

Did you know Christmas cactus needs 13 dark hours each night?

Did you know Christmas cactus needs 13 dark hours each night?

Christmas Cactus Care

Stick around and I’ll share the one simple habit that makes your Christmas cactus bloom beautifully every winter, plus quick tips on light, water, soil and propagation you can start today, so you’ll enjoy festive flowers without guesswork and a little patience.

Choose the right window

In a Pakistani flat the best spot is an east-facing window where gentle morning sun kisses the plant and the harsh midday heat stays out. North windows work too if they’re bright and directly on the glass. West windows need a sheer curtain to soften the afternoon blaze, otherwise the stems can bleach.

Dark nights needed

To coax buds, give it at least thirteen uninterrupted hours of darkness each night from mid-September onward.

Water like a cactus-fern hybrid

Watering a Christmas cactus sits between a desert cactus and a fern. Let the top two to three centimeters of the mix dry, then give it a good soak until water drains out, and always empty the saucer. In the hot months you may need to check every two to three days; during bud set water a bit less, and keep it evenly moist while it’s flowering.

Airy, quick-draining soil

In the wild the cactus grows on tree branches surrounded by leaf litter, so it craves an airy, lightly rich mix that drains in seconds. A good recipe is two parts cocopeat or well-rotted leaf mould, one part compost, and one part coarse sand or perlite. Avoid garden soil, it packs hard and can rot the roots.

Trigger bud formation

To get those pretty pink buds, give the plant long, dark, cool nights. Starting mid-September, aim for at least thirteen hours of uninterrupted darkness each night, cover it with a box or move it to a room where lights are off after sunset. Keep bright daylight during the day, water a little less, and stop feeding. After four to six weeks you’ll see tiny buds appear at the segment tips.

Keep it facing the light

Once buds start forming they turn toward the light, so rotating the pot can twist them and cause drop. A simple trick is to tape a small piece of paper on the side of the pot that faces the window. When you lift it for watering, just place it back exactly the same way, and the buds stay happy.

Easy cuttings

Christmas cactus is one of the easiest houseplants to propagate. In spring, pick a healthy segment with two or three joints and twist it off, never cut through a segment. Let the cut end dry for a day or two, then plant it about one and a half centimeters deep in a damp, sandy mix. Keep it in shade and moist, and you’ll have a new plant in a few weeks.

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Read the full guide

Read the complete guide on thecareonline.com. This is general information, not medical advice.