The 2 little things that Christmas cactus loves most: bury a bit in the pot and it will grow explosively without spending a penny

Many friends want to keep a Christmas cactus at home, because its flowers are very beautiful, and it is also very suitable for indoors, since it is after all shade-loving, and even in the living room it grows just as well, but during the growing period it also needs fertilizer, and we can bury a little something in the pot so that the Christmas cactus has enough nutrients and grows better.

The 3 kinds of "little things" that Christmas cactus loves most: bury "1 bit" in the pot and it will grow explosively just the same without spending a penny!

1. Using vermicompost to grow Christmas cactus

Christmas cactus can be grown using vermicompost soil; vermicompost is light in texture, uniformly fine in grain, free of odor, clean and hygienic, retains water and fertilizer, and is comprehensive in nutrition, and using it to plant Christmas cactus benefits its growth and flowering. Christmas cactus is a short-day plant, and under short-day conditions flowering can be promoted. During cultivation, some Christmas cacti grow well but bloom little or not at all, and the main reason is an inappropriate placement location.

Fertilizer is the source of nutrients needed for flower growth and directly affects the growth and development of flowers. For different plants, at different growth stages, timely and appropriate application of the needed nutrient elements is what enables flowers to grow with luxuriant branches and leaves and to bloom in abundance. When repotting flowers, shake off the original soil from the plant, then remove the old and withered roots, surround it again with vermicompost or plant it directly in it, so that the vermicompost fills the gaps around the roots, and just water thoroughly.

Applying vermicompost as a top dressing to the surface layer of the flower soil at 1~2 cm can give full play to its fertilizer effect, and while keeping the vermicompost moist regularly it can also play a very good role in absorbing indoor formaldehyde, benzene, and volatile organic compounds. Before the Christmas cactus blooms, the nighttime temperature should be kept at 10-13°C. To ensure normal flowering, from early autumn until before frost it is best placed outdoors, and during the day the light should be controlled.

2. Using beer to grow Christmas cactus

Beer can be poured into Christmas cactus, but it needs to be fermented first, otherwise it will cause the flower to die, because the beer concentration is too high and it has not been fermented, which should count as applying raw fertilizer and concentrated fertilizer; after application the roots are scorched, causing the plant to die. If the beer is fermented, it can be diluted with 5~10 times water before use and then applied.

Christmas cactus generally has its pot changed once every other year in March-April; the potting soil should preferably be a loose, fertile, well-aerated slightly acidic soil, and a layer of fine sand should first be spread at the bottom of the pot to facilitate drainage; in conjunction with repotting, thin out the weak and overly dense branches, and cut them back moderately, so as to promote the sprouting of tender, strong new branches and abundant flowering.