The leaves of your Christmas cactus are thin and skinny because these few things weren't done right

Do many flower lovers always feel that the Christmas cactus they grow has thin, skinny leaves, while the ones others grow are plump and thick, and they don't know why? Today let the editor tell you: your Christmas cactus's thin, skinny leaves are because you didn't do these few things below well.

1, Unreasonable watering. Many people think that because the Christmas cactus is drought-tolerant it doesn't need much water, and it is precisely too little water that causes the Christmas cactus's leaves to become thin and skinny. Although the Christmas cactus is very sensitive to water and too much watering easily causes root rot, too little watering is likewise very unfavorable to its growth. Because the Christmas cactus's root system is very fine and small, if the soil lacks moisture, the roots simply don't have enough ability to deliver sufficient water and nutrients to the leaves. But to protect itself, when drought occurs, aerial roots grow between the stem segments of its leaves, absorbing water and nutrients from the air through these aerial roots. However, the moisture and nutrients in the air cannot satisfy the growth of the branches and leaves, so they slowly become thin and skinny. Therefore, proper watering and spraying are the key elements in promoting thick, plump leaves. So, the soil should be kept moist but not overly wet, and the leaf surfaces should be sprayed with water frequently to keep them clean and shiny.

2, Insufficient nutrients. The Christmas cactus needs plenty of nutrients during growth; when nutrients are insufficient its leaves become thin and skinny, and in severe cases become as thin as a sheet of paper, which means it needs a nutrient supplement. Combined with watering, apply a 0.2% compound fertilizer solution once a month, and in spring you can also bury an appropriate amount of slow-release fertilizer or organic fertilizer in the pot. About every 10 days, dilute foliar fertilizer with water and spray it on the leaves once; after being fertilized this way, the Christmas cactus's leaves will gradually become thicker and plumper.

3, Compacted soil. The Christmas cactus likes loose, breathable, soft soil. If the soil used for growing the Christmas cactus is too clayey, after being grown for a period of time the potting soil becomes hard, and when the soil texture hardens the roots grow poorly and the leaves become thin, skinny and yellow. Therefore, when growing the Christmas cactus you must choose good soil, preferably loose, breathable sandy soil, as only this is favorable to the growth of the Christmas cactus.