At a temperature of 50 to 55 degrees or slightly lower, these plants lose their short-day requirement for flower bud setting, and become day length neutral. Christmas cactus plants bloom when you give them long, uninterrupted dark periods. The Christmas cactus is perhaps the most common type of cacti grown worldwide. Christmas cacti need humidity, which can be hard to come by indoors as the air is often very dry, particularly during the winter. If you follow the tips in this post, you will eventually have your very own, gigantic Christmas cactus that will bloom for months during the dreary winter season! For the rest of the day it is OK to place the plant in bright, indirect light. If maintained well, it can even bloom again from one year to another for years. Whichever way you do it, the good news for gardeners is that getting a Christmas cactus to bloom again is fairly easy as long as you meet their temperature and light requirements. Do not fertilize while forcing. Here’s what you do to get your Thanksgiving or Christmas Cactus to bloom again: 1- 12 – 14 hours of darkness per day. Treasurer Fitzpatrick Launches Annual 12 Days of Unclaimed Property on Social Media. 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. If you are buying one after October, choose one with visible buds on it. The best time to move your Christmas cactus is before the flower buds start to form. You can take it outdoors during the summer, too, then back in before it gets too cold. Find out how to water Christmas cactus, how to make it bloom and much more. How do you get a Christmas cactus to bloom? Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus bloom best when slightly pot-bound. While properly watering your Christmas cactus is important, it's also important for it to live in the correct environment. It gets fertilized once in awhile and watered when I remember to do it. Knowing how to make a Christmas cactus bloom will help you to enjoy the lovely flowers on this popular plant. I happen to like them even when they’re not in bloom and think they make fine houseplants. Comment below! You can tell if you are overwatering a Christmas cactus if the buds fall off before they bloom. Once the Christmas cactus has ceased blooming (usually by fall), or about 6 to 8 weeks before you want the plant to bloom again, allow the plant to begin its dormancy cycle by reducing light, water, and temperature. Here are 5 common solutions you can try before you give up on your poor Christmas cactus. at night. Christmas cacti bloom just in time for the holidays (hence their name), and they're pretty stunning too. In mid-October, reduce watering. It’s pretty large as you can imagine. Christmas cacti take well to propagating, so it is easy to get lots of plants from just one starter plant. Christmas cactus also needs relatively high humidity, which replicates its natural, tropical environment. These are attractive plants to have all year, but the real magic comes from when they bloom. All Rights Reserved. Required fields are marked *. You can also make an easy DIY humidity tray to keep Christmas cacti happy when they are in a dry environment. The plant should also be relocated at this time. For the plant to form flower buds for holiday blooms, it needs extended darkness for at least four weeks prior. We hate spam. Each flower will last from five to seven days, whereas the flowering period of the plant lasts for three to six weeks. Move the Christmas cactus to a sunny, draft-free area. Garden Therapy is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. The sight of a Christmas cactus blooming is one of the joys of the season, for me. Start by planting your cactus in the right pot. layer of soil is dry to the touch. More Advice. It needs to go into a dormant cycle to get it to bloom again. It blooms pretty faithfully each year, usually in December, with double white flowers shaded in pale pink. Christmas Cactus Care. Giving the plant more bright, indirect sunlight will produce more blooming. Christmas cactus plants should continue receiving dark, cool treatment for at least 6-8 weeks, or until buds begin forming. The Christmas cactus announces its flowering season through its name. Colorful flowers make the Christmas cactus a showstopper, and it will bloom more than once with the proper care. Flowers: The flowers of the Christmas cactus are usually white or pink and bloom in December.But don’t be surprised if you also see blooms between March and May on these plants. How To Care For a Christmas Cactus In Bloom Once the buds have formed you will need to … Therefore, make sure the location will accommodate both light and temperature requirements. Typically, the bloom season for this plant comes during fall- in the last days of October and the early days of November. Christmas cactus are prolific bloomers and produce flowers at the end of the leaves. Plant them into a well-draining pot in a soil mix made especially for succulents and cacti (see how to make your own here). I discuss the tricks to forcing your cactus to flower during the holiday season! I have had my Christmas Cactus for 43 years – same plant – bought in the grocery store in a little pot. More Advice After-Care for Holiday Plants 13 Photos. Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera) Schlumbergera truncata and S. × buckleyi are the two species of epiphytic cacti that are both commonly known as Christmas cactus. When you force a Christmas cactus to bloom by giving it the proper care in the right place, receiving the right light and temperature conditions, the plant will not only bloom but may also surprise you by continually producing blooms several times throughout the year. AN UNCONVENTIONAL METHOD TO RE-BLOOM A CHRISTMAS CACTUS. The best and most fun part of caring for a Christmas cactus is getting it to rebloom. Learn More, © Garden Therapy, 2009-2020. Thanksgiving cactus is commonly found everywhere, but Christmas cactus…much less so. These two are the keys to the flower kingdom. The plant can be fed during the growing season, but not use food during the fall and winter, which is the blooming season. This should average out to about 50-55 degrees F. (10-13 C.). Flowers: The flowers of the Christmas cactus are usually white or pink and bloom in December.But don’t be surprised if you also see blooms between March and May on these plants. Christmas Cactus Buds Falling Off – Preventing Bud Drop On Christmas Cactus, Leaves Dropping From Christmas Cactus: Fixing Leaf Drop On Christmas Cactus, Dividing Plants As Gifts – Giving Plant Divisions To Friends, Regional To-Do List: December Tasks For Central States, Hard-To-Shop-For Gardeners: Ideas For Unconventional Garden Gifts, Repotting Houseplants: How To Repot A Houseplant, Poinsettia Care – How Do You Take Care Of Poinsettias, Christmas Tree Care: Caring For A Live Christmas Tree In Your Home, The Act Of Giving – Crafty Ways To Give Back, Grateful To Give Back: Sharing The Garden With Others In Need, We’re All In This Together - Passing On Gratitude In The Garden, Recipes From The Garden: Pressure Cooking Root Vegetables. And if you can do the same, you can encourage your Thanksgiving cactus to bloom for Christmas. Given that Thanksgiving cacti bloom in late fall, they are often erroneously marketed as Christmas cacti. I’ll explain more about that in point number five. It needs to get this reduction in light approximately 8 weeks before you want it to bloom. Related Posts. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! This generally takes place sometime during fall, usually around October or the first part of November (in most places). The Christmas cactus announces its flowering season through its name. For example, keep it away from drafts from fireplaces and heat vents, and place it in a well-lit location. For about six weeks prior to blooming, the holiday cactus requires between 12-14 hours of dark to set buds. Start by planting your cactus in the right pot. If this happens, reduce watering and misting. For more detailed instructions on propagating, see this article. Stubborn Christmas cactus bloom will help you to enjoy the lovely flowers on popular. This will hinder its ability to bloom in December just around the Christmas period cactus between... 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