The Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) is a popular holiday plant that originates from the tropical rainforests of Brazil. It is fairly easy to take care of, but knowing how often to water your Christmas cactus can be tricky.
If you live in a normal household with moderate humidity, your Christmas cactus should be watered about once a week. However, if your home is particularly dry or if the plant is placed in a sunny spot, you may need to water it more often. Be sure to check the soil before watering to make sure it is dry to the touch.
Over-watering is just as bad as not watering enough, so make sure you don’t give your Christmas cactus too much H2O. If the leaves start to turn yellow or brown, that’s a sign that you’re watering too much.
In general, it’s best to err on the side of underwatering rather than overwatering. Your Christmas cactus will be just fine if you forget to water it for a week or two. Just make sure you don’t let it completely dry out, or it may start to drop its leaves.
A Christmas cactus should be watered every one to two weeks.
Does Christmas cactus like sun or shade?
Holiday cacti are a type of cactus that grow best in partial shade with a temperature between 70° and 80℉. They are typically placed in an east or west facing window.
To ensure your cactus blooms beautifully, keep the soil evenly moist and mist it frequently. Place the cactus in an east-facing window for moderate light and some direct sun. Apply a high-potassium fertilizer every two weeks once buds form.
How can you tell if a Christmas cactus is overwatered
A Christmas cactus is a succulent, so it absolutely can’t tolerate soggy feet. Water only when the surface feels dry to the touch. If the flat stems get soft and mushy, you’re overwatering. If the stems look shriveled, you’re probably under-watering.
A Christmas cactus can usually survive without water for two weeks before it starts to dry out. Like many succulents, a Christmas cactus has a wonderful ability to retain water, making it a plant that can actually thrive even with a little neglect.
What triggers a Christmas cactus to bloom?
To encourage bud set, provide bright light, temperatures between 55 F and 65 F, and 13 hours or more of continuous darkness each day. For flowers during the winter holiday season, long nights should be started in late September or October and continued for eight weeks.
To ensure your Christmas cactus blooms, it’s important to plant it in a potting mix specifically designed for cacti and succulents, like Miracle-Gro® Cactus, Palm & Citrus Potting Mix. Be sure to water when the top 1 to 2 inches of soil are dry, and increase humidity around the plant by misting it regularly or setting the pot on a tray of pebbles and water. From after blooming until fall, feed your Christmas cactus with Miracle-Gro® Succulent Plant Food.
When should you put a Christmas cactus in the dark?
This will help to stimulate the formation of buds on the cactus. Once the plant has been in the dark for a few days, you can begin to reduce the amount of time it spends in the dark, gradually returning it to its regular light schedule.
Watering a cactus from the top is the best method, and the one I recommend. It’s a good way to ensure that you don’t overdo it. Slowly pour it over the potting medium, so it is moistened evenly and thoroughly.
Why do the leaves keep falling off my Christmas cactus
Christmas cactus needs porous, well-drained soil, but if it is compacted or dense, the water does not drain perfectly, making it vulnerable to root rot or leaves falling off. Soil serves as a growth medium for Christmas cactus, and poor soil conditions lead to the dropping of the leaves. To achieve optimal growth, loosen the soil around the plant and add organic matter to improve drainage.
If your Christmas cactus is wilting or limp, it may be due to a lack of water or too much direct sunlight. If you’ve neglected to water the plant, begin by giving it a limited drink. Continue to water sparingly every few days until the soil is lightly moist. In the meantime, move the plant to an area with more indirect sunlight to prevent further stress.
Why are the buds on my Christmas cactus drying up and falling off?
Dropping buds can be a result of overwatering, temperature extremes or lack of light. Your plant was given special treatment to make it bloom at Christmas, and it was provided with perfect growing conditions during this time. Somewhere in transit, or perhaps in your home, it encountered less than ideal conditions.
If your cactus is affected by rot, it is important to act quickly. The roots will display blackened tips and the plant may be slimy with black or brown decay. If the disease is severe, the plant may die.
How do you keep Christmas cactus blooming
If you want your Christmas cactus to bloom again in spring, you can try placing it in an east-facing window that gets plenty of sunlight during the day and is in complete darkness for 12 hours each night. This should encourage the plant to flower again.
A Christmas cactus can bloom up to two times per year if they’re given the proper care and dormancy conditions. It’s normal for them to bloom in December, and sometimes they will flower again in the spring.
What does a healthy Christmas cactus look like?
A Christmas cactus is healthy when it has plump green leaves and plenty of blooms. An unhealthy Christmas cactus will have wrinkled, puckered leaves, which is a sign of under-watering. Leaves that are brown or dotted with black or red spots is a sign of over-watering.
The flowers of the Christmas cactus are usually pink or white and bloom in December But don’t be surprised if you also see blooms between March and May on these plants.
Warp Up
At least once a week, during the growing season. Allow the top of the soil to dry out before watering.
A Christmas cactus should be watered about once a week, or when the top of the soil is dry.
