Propagate Christmas cactus this way: roots in 10 days, fills the pot, and blooms outnumber the leaves
Many people love the Christmas cactus. It has many varieties and quite diverse colors, with unique flowers that often bloom in clusters, very spectacular and beautiful! If you love growing flowers, I believe you will also enjoy propagating them by cuttings!
If you want to propagate the Christmas cactus, you can take cuttings this way: it roots in 10 days, grows quickly to fill the pot, and blooms outnumber the leaves!
If you already have a pot of Christmas cactus at home, you can absolutely use the leaves trimmed off it for cuttings.
Take healthy, emerald-green, plump Christmas cactus segments with 3-5 nodes, let the cut ends dry thoroughly, and before planting it is recommended to apply some rooting powder, which can speed up rooting!
The substrate can be peat soil + coarse sand, which is even better for helping the Christmas cactus root. Insert the prepared segments into the substrate and place them in a cool spot with indirect light. To speed up rooting, you can cover them with a plastic bag to keep them warm and moist. Water as needed during this period, and in about 10 days they will root! (How to tell if they have rooted: pinch the segments with your fingers; if they are no longer soft, it means they have survived.)
After the roots have grown a bit more, repot them (potting soil: garden soil + decomposed pine needle soil + a small amount of organic base fertilizer).
Daily care after repotting
After the Christmas cactus has fully resumed growth, place it in a spot with plenty of sunlight. The Christmas cactus is a short-day plant (short-day: light duration less than 12 hours). You must ensure 8-10 hours of light each day so its segments grow smoothly and become even more emerald-green and plump.
Not only should light be sufficient, but after growth resumes, nutrients must also be replenished. From spring to early summer, mainly use nitrogen fertilizer (urea is a very good nitrogen fertilizer; you can bury a few granules in the soil every 10 days) to speed up segment growth. Entering July and August, when temperatures are higher, it is not suitable to fertilize!
In September and October, resume fertilizing. At this time, mainly use phosphorus and potassium fertilizer so the Christmas cactus can successfully form buds and bloom! You can spray a 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution every 10 days, for 2-3 times in a row, and the effect will be obvious.
After buds appear, do not repeatedly move the pot (buds are prone to dropping), and maintain sufficient light. By the end of the year you will have flowers to enjoy!
That is all for today's sharing about the Christmas cactus!
Do fellow flower lovers have anything to add?
Feel free to leave a comment below!