How to Grow Christmas Cactus? A Complete Guide to Care Methods
Christmas cactus is an ornamental plant in the cactus family. Its stems look very similar to those of a cactus, but the surface has no spines. It is a new type of plant introduced to China from Brazil and is cultivated all over the country. It was originally mostly planted in national parks and similar places, but changes in market demand have led to the emergence of many Christmas cactus growers who specialize in growing Christmas cactus for economic benefit. So how should Christmas cactus be grown? Let's learn about its growing methods below.
1. Growing environment
Christmas cactus is suited to living in a warm, humid environment. It needs a certain amount of light, but the light must not be too strong, so the growing site is generally in a semi-shaded, semi-sunny area. Christmas cactus is extremely intolerant of cold; the lowest growing temperature must not be below 10 degrees, and the temperature suitable for its growth is generally between 20 and 25 degrees. The soil at the growing site should be rich in fertility, rich in organic matter, and have strong drainage and aeration. Note that careful and intensive cultivation is needed; an appropriate amount of peat, coarse sand and sufficient fully decomposed organic fertilizer should be spread into the soil and mixed evenly.
2. Propagation methods
There are mainly two methods of propagating Christmas cactus: cuttings and grafting. Grafting is best done from the end of March to mid-June each year, or from mid-September to mid-October. Grafting is generally done in the morning, and the best grafting rootstock is cactus, with a survival rate of about 95 percent. Cutting propagation is generally carried out in spring each year, so that the survival rate can be well guaranteed.
3. Care and management
The care and management of Christmas cactus is very critical. Care and management mainly include watering, fertilizing, weeding, light and temperature. Chemical fertilizers must not be used on Christmas cactus, so later topdressing can only use organic fertilizer or farmyard manure. The amount of fertilizer should not be too large; too much will cause the plant to die. After planting, we cannot water immediately; we must wait until the graft union has healed before watering. Field humidity should be kept between 50 percent and 60 percent. Water should not be excessive, otherwise it will cause root rot. Generally, water demand is greatest only during the flowering period, when the water supply can be appropriately increased. Fertilizing needs to be decided according to the growth of the Christmas cactus. If the Christmas cactus is relatively weak and malnourished, then topdressing fertilizer is needed.
4. Building supports
When Christmas cactus grows to a certain height, a support frame needs to be built to support its growth, because its stem cannot bear such a heavy weight. Without the support of a frame, it will break or fall over, affecting its economic value and ornamental value. Moreover, building a support frame can also enhance field ventilation, which is beneficial for bud formation and flowering. So we generally wait until the Christmas cactus has grown to about 30 cm before starting to build a support frame.
5. Pruning and shaping
When flower growers plant Christmas cactus, they prune it at the appropriate time, so it can be pruned into a shape they consider attractive. This can attract consumers' attention, thereby increasing purchasing power, and can also immediately raise its economic value. Secondly, pruning is also for the benefit of the Christmas cactus's growth. If pruning is not carried out, then nutrients cannot be supplied adequately, causing malnutrition, failure to bloom, and even gradual withering. So when farmers plant it, they often prune here and there in the flower field.
6. Pest and disease control
The most common diseases of Christmas cactus include anthracnose, rot and wilt. Their main harm is to the leaves and stems of the Christmas cactus, and the peak period of disease onset is generally in summer when it is hot and rainy. In the early stage of disease, carbendazim can be used for control, but in severe cases the diseased plants need to be pulled up and burned, and the growing site must be disinfected and sterilized to avoid affecting the growth of other healthy plants. The most serious insect pest is scale insects. In the early stage of infestation, the parts damaged by scale insects can simply be cut off, but in severe cases, phosmet emulsifiable concentrate is needed for spraying and killing. Finally, there are also pests such as red spider mites and moths, which can be controlled with omethoate.
At present, Christmas cactus is also a relatively common flower crop on the market, and it is also a planting project that many flower growers are very enthusiastic about. However, many people still encounter many problems when growing Christmas cactus, and most of the reasons are that care and management and later-stage management have not been done properly. So everyone needs to pay more attention when growing it in the future. That is the end of today's sharing. I hope it can be helpful to everyone.