The Christmas cactus is an iconic plant that you see everywhere during the holidays. With their beautiful, serrated petals and exotic-looking flowers, these beautiful plants can live for decades and some live up to 100 years. Of course you are happy when the flowers bloom profusely for the holidays. You can find out how you can make the Christmas cactus bloom and what care the popular houseplant needs in this article.
Making your Christmas cactus bloom: pay attention to the most important growing conditions
This flower prepares for flowering and fruiting when the night lasts 12-14 hours.
- Preparation time in the summer months is very important - sufficient light, but protecting plants from direct sunlight and regular but moderate watering. In summer the temperature should not exceed 25 degrees.
- The autumn season is characterized by an extension of the night regime, and the plants receive a signal for the formation of buds. We can support you by:ensure favorable conditions.
- If watering is more frequent but less frequent in summer, watering should be reduced in September and kept to a minimum in October.
- The best location you can provide the plant is west or east, south requires shading. In summer it is better to take them outside but out of direct sunlight. It can also grow in partial shade. In insufficient light, the flower becomes weak or chlorosis occurs.
- When the first flower buds appear, the plants should not change their location, and rotating the vessels around their axis is also undesirable. Then the first signals come to feed the plants and regular watering gradually begins.
- Feeding continues with nitrogen-free nutrients throughout the flowering period.
Provide low temperatures for the flower
Due to their distribution area, these plants actually prefer low temperatures. They feel most comfortable at 15-19 degrees during the day and 10 degrees at night. So keep the plant at home in as dark and cool a room as possible.
Getting Christmas cactus to bloom with many hours of darkness
Bud formation begins between September and November. During this time, it is important that the plant receives bright, indirect light during the day. At nightDo you need a Christmas cactus?12 to 16 hours of complete darkness, even without lamps or streetlights shining into the room. You can put it in a closet or bathroom if you can't find a dark room.
What is important for watering the Christmas cactus
During the budding and flowering phase, the plants are watered thoroughly - the substrate must be kept constantly moist. After flowering, the Christmas cactus is transplanted and the soil is kept moderately moist until April. Watering is carried out from April to September when the surface layer of the substrate has dried. Cool rooms and dry soil are recommended in September and October.
Why prune the plant after flowering
Once your plant has bloomed again, break off some of the green branches in mid-winter to encourage blooms next season. This technique also prevents the stems from breaking under their weight. Only water when the soil is really dry.
Also read:Caring for your Christmas cactus: The best tips for a healthy and blooming Schlumbergera
