How to care for Christmas cactus in summer? Pay attention to these points when repotting and watering so it blooms well in winter and spring

The Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera) is actually a tropical rainforest cactus plant native to Brazil. These plants originally grow on trees or rocks, prefer a warm and humid environment all year round, and are usually cultivated in locations with relatively high ambient humidity. In summer, when the temperature is too high, the Christmas cactus easily runs into problems.

1. When is the most suitable time to repot a Christmas cactus?

The Christmas cactus is best repotted after it has flowered. Avoid repotting in winter, and do not choose autumn for repotting either. Its flowering period is in winter and spring, so it can be repotted after the weather warms up in spring. It grows relatively slowly and does not need frequent repotting; generally it is repotted once every 3~5 years. If your Christmas cactus does not bloom, you can choose to repot it in late winter.

For repotting, it is best to use a terracotta pot. The container should not be too large; a size that fits just right is fine. The growing container must have fairly large drainage holes to avoid water accumulating in the soil.

Terracotta pots also have good breathability, which can help the Christmas cactus roots grow better and prevent root rot.

2. Choice of potting soil

To grow a Christmas cactus, you must use a loose, well-draining sandy soil. You can mix perlite or coarse sand with some peat moss, or use compost soil instead. You can use 1/2 peat moss mixed with 1/4 perlite and 1/4 coarse sand; this kind of soil is a very good choice for growing a Christmas cactus.

3. Notes on repotting and transplanting

Do not water the Christmas cactus before transplanting. Do not water for 1~2 weeks before transplanting, letting the soil become slightly dry. This can prevent root rot. When planting, use a new flower pot and new soil. Old soil must be sterilized and disinfected before use. You can spread a layer of granular stones or broken tiles at the bottom of the pot, and only then transplant the Christmas cactus into it.

Hold the base of the Christmas cactus stem and carefully take it out of the old pot. You can poke along the rim of the pot a little, which helps pull the Christmas cactus out more easily. Then carefully remove the old soil without damaging the roots.

When planting, you can hold the stem base with one hand, then add soil, and after planting, press it down lightly.

After planting, do not water the Christmas cactus at first. Place it in a ventilated, shaded spot, and water it after 5~7 days, because damaged roots cannot absorb water, and watering immediately can easily cause root disease.

4. Watering precautions:

Most cacti are very drought-tolerant and heat-tolerant, but the Christmas cactus is exactly the opposite. It is a tropical rainforest plant that likes a humid environment all year round and prefers relatively high air humidity. Although it cannot be watered frequently, the soil should still be kept moist during the growing season.

The most important thing in caring for a Christmas cactus is summer. When the temperature is relatively high in summer, the Christmas cactus goes dormant, and too much water easily causes root rot, so watering needs to be controlled appropriately. Water thoroughly after the potting soil has dried out.

In summer, also maintain a good ventilated environment and avoid keeping it in a stuffy, hot environment. In summer, do not place it directly against a window, otherwise the leaves are easily scorched.

5. Dry and wet conditions of the soil

Apart from summer and the flowering period, when watering needs to be controlled appropriately, the soil should be kept moderately moist in spring and autumn. When the soil about 3 cm below the surface has dried out, it needs to be replenished with water. Do not let the soil dry out completely, otherwise the plant will wither. The watering frequency should also vary with changes in ambient temperature, light and relative humidity.

6. Placement for care

The environment for caring for a Christmas cactus is very important. The care location should be ventilated, have good air humidity, and ideally provide 4~6 hours of scattered light every day.

To encourage flowering, in autumn it needs complete darkness at night. It cannot be kept in a location that has light both day and night. In autumn, keep it in complete darkness for about 12 hours at night, with the temperature kept between 12~18 degrees, so as to promote flowering.

7. Fertilizing

In addition to proper watering and a suitable environment, fertilizer also needs to be replenished regularly. Generally, fertilizer is replenished in spring and autumn. After flowering, you can appropriately apply a dose of monopotassium phosphate once. In other seasons, as long as the temperature is not too high, you can give a dilute balanced fertilizer once every 2~3 weeks. In autumn, when flower buds are forming, replenish with a monopotassium phosphate solution once every 1~2 weeks, which will effectively promote flowering.