How to Water a Christmas Cactus? Latest Tips Explained in Detail
The Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera) is a plant of the genus Schlumbergera in the cactus family. It gets its name because the joints where its stem segments connect resemble the secondary claws of a crab. It has extremely high ornamental value and is often grown as an indoor ornamental plant. Moreover, indoor-grown Christmas cacti can have their flowering period regulated by controlling light. Cultivated varieties include bright red, pink, apricot yellow and pure white, etc. Now let us take a look at how to water a Christmas cactus!
The Growing Environment of the Christmas Cactus
The Christmas cactus is commonly cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. It likes a cool, warm environment, is relatively tolerant of drought, fears the high heat of summer, and is relatively shade-tolerant. The optimum growing temperature is 20-25°C, and the temperature during the dormant period is around 15°C. It prefers a loose substrate rich in organic matter with good drainage and aeration. The Christmas cactus is a short-day plant. Under conditions of 8-10 hours of sunlight per day, it can bloom in 2-3 months, and its flowering period can be regulated by controlling light.
How to Water a Christmas Cactus?
Watering a Christmas cactus should vary with the seasons. Although winter is the growing season, because the temperature is low, watering should not be excessive; it is enough to keep the potting soil moist, generally watering once every 4-5 days. In summer, when the temperature is high, although it is shaded, the potting soil still dries out easily, so generally water once every 1-2 days. In summer, you can frequently spray water on the leaves, which not only prevents heatstroke and lowers the temperature but also helps the plant grow well. In spring and autumn, water once every 2-3 days.
How to Grow a Christmas Cactus
1. Choosing a flower pot: For a Christmas cactus, you can use a clay pot, plastic pot, porcelain pot or ceramic pot, but a clay pot is best. To coordinate with home decor, you can use plastic flower pots in various colors for cultivation. It is best to choose a pot whose diameter is 2/3 of the plant's crown diameter.
2. Soil preparation: The Christmas cactus likes fertile, loose soil. At home, you can use 3 parts garden soil, 4 parts leaf mold, and 3 parts sand, or 4 parts peat soil, 2 parts leaf mold, 2 parts sand, and 2 parts perlite (or volcanic rock). After mixing the soil, it is best to sterilize it at high temperature before use, or you can expose it to the sun to sterilize it.
3. Timely fertilization: The Christmas cactus likes fertilizer. When fertilizer is sufficient, it has more branches and more flowers. Start topdressing after the leaf buds sprout. During the growing season, you can apply a topdressing of diluted 10-fold liquid fertilizer mixed with an equal amount of 1000-fold potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution or 1000-fold “Huaduoduo” general-purpose fertilizer once every 15-20 days. In late autumn, the number of fertilizations should be reduced, and fertilization should stop when the temperature is below 10°C. Do not fertilize when the summer temperature is relatively high or the winter temperature is relatively low.
4. Light control: The Christmas cactus fears hot, high temperatures and should avoid exposure to the sun and rain, so in summer it should be placed in a ventilated indoor spot or on a balcony facing away from the sun. After the Start of Autumn, the Christmas cactus gradually recovers its growth momentum and should be placed in a spot that receives 50% light, such as a shade shed or a sunny window, to receive light and promote flower bud differentiation. As the weather turns cooler, gradually increase the light, and from late autumn to winter it should be given sufficient light.
5. Flowering period regulation: The Christmas cactus is a short-day plant, and the flowering period can be controlled by regulating the light duration. To force flowering, begin short-day treatment 60 to 70 days before the desired flowering time, with 8 hours of natural light per day and light-blocking treatment for the rest of the time. Keep shading continuously without interruption, and flower buds can generally be seen after 20 days.