Autumn cuttings propagation of Christmas cactus has its tricks: doing this one extra step makes rooting twice as fast

Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera) is a plant loved by many flower growers, with thick, emerald-green leaf segments, single flowers borne at the tips of the branches, and a variety of flower colors, giving it high ornamental value.

In autumn the Christmas cactus enters the bud-setting stage, but it is also the best time for cuttings propagation. Christmas cactus is a succulent, and most cuttings can take root, but by adding this one extra step when taking cuttings, rooting is twice as fast and every cutting you insert survives. You can give it a try too!

From the Christmas cactus you have pruned, choose some healthy, plump stem segments, either single segments or 2-3 segments together; first leave them in a shady spot to air-dry for about half a day, until a thin film forms on the cut end.

Christmas cactus likes loose, breathable soil with good drainage. You can use a sand bed, vermiculite, etc. as the growing medium, and insert the cuttings about 1/3 of the way in.

After taking the cuttings, water them thoroughly, then move them to a shady spot with a little scattered light for care. At this point you need this step: seal them up to simulate a greenhouse and maintain relatively high temperature and humidity. During care, water and mist every 2-3 days. Christmas cactus will sprout root tips in about ten days, and when the roots reach 3-5cm and new shoots emerge, they can be transplanted into pots.

Using plastic film makes the Christmas cactus cuttings root about twice as fast as normal cuttings, and even after transplanting and settling in, they grow especially fast. Apply a diluted liquid fertilizer every 5-7 days; you can use homemade fermented organic fertilizer, such as rice-washing water, fish intestine water, soybean cake water, etc., to give the Christmas cactus plenty of nutrients for growth and flowering.

That is all for Christmas cactus cuttings propagation. If you have anything to add, flower growers, you can share it with everyone in the comments section below. To learn more about plant care, you can follow Huajianke!