One of my favorite holiday plants, the Christmas Cactus puts on a display of showy blooms right around the holidays. However, if you want your cactus to bloom in time for the holidays, you’ll need to make sure that you’re caring for it properly now. Here’s everything you need to know about Christmas Cactus care.
In Early October
Beginning in early October, make sure that your Christmas cactus plant is receiving extended periods of darkness. To ensure it’s dark enough, cover your plant with a paper bag for at least twelve hours every day, for four weeks. When the four week darkness period is up, you no longer have to keep the cactus covered.
After The Dormancy Period
After the dormancy has ended, you should begin to see buds forming on the cacti. When they begin to grow bigger, move your Cactus into an area that will receive 6 hours of indirect light every day. Keep the soil regularly moist, but never allowing the cactus to sit in wet soil.
Other Christmas Cactus Care Tips
To keep your Christmas cactus healthy all year long, make sure your plant is potted in loose sandy soil. Any kind of cactus variety will do. Temperature levels should hover around 70 degrees every day, and shouldn’t dip below 50 at night. Additionally, this cactus does love a bit of humidity. Pair it with other plants for increased humidity levels.
In the Springtime, fertilize your plants after they have finished flowering. This will give them the oomph needed to produce again next year.
In the summer, move the plant outdoors to a shady location and maintain healthy water levels. Fertilizer regularly throughout the summer as well.
Move it back inside toward the end of August and prepare it once more for its dormancy period. Christmas cacti are incredibly easy to care for and their blooms are so worth the wait.
