One trick I discovered with large holiday cacti is to put the pot in a container but place large stones in the container for the pot to sit on; that way you can water it often but the water doesn't stay around the bottom of the pot which is what causes wilt and if too long rot.
My apparently Thanksgiving cactus that I got last year is starting to bud. It's in the window in the living room so it's getting that artificial light, I didn't know it needed dark like a poinsettia does! But it looks like we'll get a few blooms at least. TBH in my home, as much as I love having many plants, they need to be able to survive under benign neglect 😁 to some extent
Nice! Luckily these cactus do fairly well with some neglect 😅 as long as you don't do anything drastic in the next month those blooms will stick around 🌼
I only buy plants that can handle neglect and the only time I have any issues with them it's because I'm giving them too much attention😂 I've got dozens of pothos, philodendron, and snake plants.
Thank you for this video. I have my Mom’s Holiday cactus and it’s 30+ years old. It’s doing very well. And I didn’t know that it’s common for them to live so long. It’s nice to still have it 🙂
I got mine from a lil ol lady who said she always had it. You could barely get your arms around it, so beautiful thick and even tall. I've taken many starts in my thirty years with it.
Thank you!!! Exactly what I needed. All of your detail and actually showing all the steps was super helpful! I need to save my mother’s Christmas cactus. She passed away 2 years ago and I didn’t take care of it correctly. Now I can try to make 3 plants out if what’s left and each sister can have one to help keep a part of our mom with this us
Good timing that this video showed up on my feed! My neighbor just gave me her cactus...I'll need to see what kind it is from you leaf sample (thank you for that!). Now, I'm going to go get it out of the full sun! Thanks for the info!❤
Glad to help! If the plant isn't used to being in full sun, I'd recommend to gradually move it into the sun to get it used to the exposure. Best of luck and fingers crossed you get some good blooms ❤️
December 3, 2024 Just picked up the last little Thanksgiving cactus at my checkout at grocery store. My Mama brought hers from Dallas when she and Dad retired to Kerrville in 1968. When I graduated high school in 1982, that plant was still blooming. She grew it in a ceramic pot shaped like two quail in grass. Thanks for the refresher. Have a blessed day.
I am from the Philippines and I sm really glad I found you here and learned much anout the christmas cactus. ATM I only have a few potsu and is starting to propagate them. May I know dear, what fertilize solution you are using?
I have a thanksgiving zygo cactus. He sits in an east window in my meditation room. He blooms incredible red flowers twice a year. I absolutely love him. Yesterday I got a white one. Can’t wait to see how she adapts. Thanks for your information. I too am a plant scavenger 😊
I loved this video, and learned alot. I have 1 mother Thanksgiving cactus, and 2 baby plants that I propagated from the mother. All are doing well in my dining room. The mother sits on the dining room table year round, and the 2 babies are in the dining room bay window. They are the hot pink color, and all 3 bloom in November. I do notice that they don't hold the flowers as long as I would like, but I think that's because the room stays at about 64-70 degrees. Maybe, if I kept it a bit warmer the flowers would last longer.
just received one as a gift...never had seen one before...so i am very grateful for your video,and hope that i will be lucky with it,cause i am not a natural green thumb ,
The purple also means that the plant is low on magnesium, in that case, probly because of too much water. I took a plant like that and mixed epsom salts and water and misted the leaves a little every day and had it away from other plants in indirect light. After the purple was gone, I went ahead and repotted it in a pot only about 2" bigger than the one it was in. It was rootbound like none other. They like to be rather rootbound but this was way too much. A couple little squirts of succulent fertilizer once a week until the end of August. It's a Thanksgiving cactus but has bloomed 3 times this year.
I’m so glad this video popped up on my home page. I have a small Christmas (I think) cactus that I’ve had for almost 2 years now. It was one that someone had just put a small cutting into soil so it’s not grown very much. After watching your video, hopefully I can get it to bloom in a couple years. I had one about 10-15 years ago that never bloomed either because it was in a window and always got lots of light pretty much all year round.
It definitely depends on your climate. Here in Southern California outdoor winter would be fine, but, like most cactus/succulents I don't believe they are frost resistant. I would bring them indoors if the temperatures are going to dip below 30 degrees F.
Thank you for very informative video. I am new to this cactus care, and tend to over-water and kill the plant. 😥 So... when just the bottom segment seems brown and wilted (I now think of it as a sign of over-watering, not the lack of), do I leave it dry so it will recover (would it recover?)? Or, cut the still-healthy-looking top and start over? I got a bag of cactus potting mix and read more about how to water, so I got a better idea for care, thanks to you. I am hoping to save my plant. Thank you!
Thank you so much. This is my Christmas Cactus 2 or 3 yr. With me. I am not sure I fertilized it much. I placed in my garage. I think it naturally gets dark but we do have outdoor lights. It’s looking great. Like a beautiful plant. Not sure about darkness though???
Usually they plants get to know your climate and will naturally flower when the days get shorter... unless you're somewhere close to the equator. I've never changed the location of my plant and it does naturally start to bloom once the autumn arrives.
Thank you so much for your video. I’m going to share this with my mom who has a green thumb all the way up to both of her elbows! I’m on the lookout for Christmas cactus cuttings too. One day I really hope to have a Christmas cactus the size of the one my father’s sisters have… it’s immense!… its foot print is at least 4 feet long by 2 1/2 feet wide and with the pot it stands about 3 feet tall… I don’t know how old it is… but if its size is any indication of how happy it is… the silly thing is positively over the moon ecstatic! #Christmascactusgoals!
I have never, ever put one of those in a closet to get it to bloom. Never. If it’s not blooming, you’ve got it in the wrong spot, or it’s the wrong time of year. I also pinch dead bloom ends off to slightly extend blooming season. Learned a lot about how to revive a plant I thought was dead, though! I’m going to get it out of the trash right now!
Yes, same, mine generally just blooms during the darker months, but good to know about the light changes in case people have them in front of grow lights or if they live closer to the equator 😅
When do you recommend fertilizing if you live (like I do) in a place where you don't really have much of a winter season. I live in Southwest Florida. "Winter" weather is as rare as a few days each year or sometimes as long as 2 to 3 weeks, in mostly January. The temps will drop down to 40 or below - sometimes we might get down into the 30s but then the sun comes out and during the day we are back to 60s/70s. The rest of the year we are in mostly in the 80s to mid/high 90s. We are considered "sub-tropical", with a rainy season from June to the end of October and LOTS of humidity. My succulents are mostly in my screened lanai where they get about 8 hrs of very bright filtered sunlight and lots of humidity - they are thriving. But not sure if my Thanksgiving cactus would be happy there.
Do you have any suggestions on how to repot a Christmas cactus that has been in the same pot for 15+ years? The pot has 2 different varieties of cactus in it and I thought it would be good to separate the plants into 2 new pots with fresh soil. I hesitate to disturb it but the dirt is rock hard and the plant has never bloomed well. Any ideas?
@Tammy-1979 UA-cam video from Garden Answers titled Repotting 200 Year Old Christmas Cactus. Laura takes you through repotting a humongous one. Hope this helps.
I came here looking for tips on propagation of holiday cacti because I read that it's good to prune them right after they bloom. I had bought one for my daughter four years ago. It grew but never bloomed. She finally gave up on it and gave it back to me. I first repotted it. I put it in a clay pot with a mixture of potting soil and perlite. Then I put on the table with an indoor plant light. It's not a fancy light. It generally just gives plants enough light to keep them happy. I was so afraid that none of this would help it. Then, in early November, I started giving it less light. It bloomed for the first time this year. I wasn't sure when I should increase the light again, but I did that when I saw the flowers opening. Several flowers were open. Anyway, the flowers are almost gone now. As I said, I read that you should prune after they finish blooming. I know also that you can prune whenever you choose. I don't know if I will prune at this time because the temperature in the room is lower than it will be in the Spring. I might wait until then. Anyway, this is a good, informative video. Thanks so much.
Would it be ok to put the catci outside in weather above 70? What is too hot for the plant? I’m in East Tennessee, where it’s in the 90’s in July and August (and very humid).
I'm in SW Missouri now, I received one in a mixed pot. At the time one of the plants had some sort of bugs so I set it on an old stump under a bush and promptly forgot about it. This fall after the leaves fell I found it. The other plants in the pot had died but it was thriving!! It has buds and might bloom soon😂
I would check the soil. Usually thin and limp leaves are a sign that it needs water, but if the soil is wet then it could be root rot. If it's in soggy soil the plant should be removed from the soil and any rotten or soggy roots and branches should be cut off, and dried out to re-propagate. I hope that helps!
Sounds like spider mites! They can be really destructive. There are a few different methods to control them, I like creating a mix of 50% isopropyl alcohol 50% water and a few drops of a liquid soap like castille soap. Then I spray down my plant, and wipe it off. You'll likely have to keep looking at the plant and treating it mulitple times to really get rid of these pests. There are other products such as insecticidal soaps and neem oil that can also be effective. Good luck!!!
Why do my flowers come out all at once, but only stay out for two to three days, and all drop at once? I have three Thanksgiving cactus and all three of them do the same thing…all different colors.
I ordered this Thanksgiving cactus online. I replanted it. I am worried about the color of the first segment. It is gray. The rest of the segments look good. It came three little stalks in soil wrapped in clear Syran wrap. I live in Arizona. It is hot summer here. The soil was very hot. It took nine days to arrive. I took it out of box, unwrapped it and left it on counter to cool down. Then I gave it a drink and planted them. They had roots. Do you think it will be okay or is that first segment no good. I have kept it under a grow light and our house is cool. I tried to post a picture but it seems I can’t post pictures here.
Hopefully it's just taking time to adjust to it's new surroundings and didn't get too hot. If the first segment starts to go squishy, it may have rot and you might want to cut it off and just keep the healthy looking segments since they propagate really easily. Keep an eye on the segments and keep feeling them to make sure they stay firm. If they're squishy, that's when you take action.
It might be suffering from root rot. If the potting mixture stays wet too long, or is so compact the roots can't get enough oxygen, they'll begin to rot. If that's the case, you can gently pull the plant and soil out of the pot, rinse all the soil off the roots with room temperature water, cut off all the brown and mushy roots and leaves that it may have, then repot what remains in a chunkier soil mixture like what was shown in this video. If all or almost all of your roots have rotted, take the healthiest parts of the plant, and propagate 1 or more new plants like she showed in this video. Good luck!
I'm not sure from just the description, but it's possible that you have hard water if you've been watering from the tap - I have this issue in my house. Some plants don't mind it, and if the rest of the plant looks healthy, I wouldn't worry too much. You could wipe it down and try watering with distilled or rain water and see if that helps.
My cactus blooms in January and February. My 150 year old cactus was looking really sad after IDIOT movers abused it. I gave it some Pepsi and she perked right up! Not sure how often I would do that, but I did it a couple of times over 2 months and only about 8 Oz each time.
I have a Thanksgiving cactus. I have had it for about 3 years and it does not grow. It is healthy, gets flowers every year no problem but it looks just about the way it did when i bought it. I seem to be caring for it appropriately. I thought i would have have a good size by now. Any suggestions or idea why this is happening?
I had this happen. Try changing the soil. Unless you've used the same soil with other plants that seem fine. Some potting mixes got contaminated with persistent herbicides. Some plants will survive but not thrive. I took cuttings at the same time and rooted them into the 'new' soil and into older planters with bare spots. All the transplants in the 'new' soil did this.
I wish I could propagate mine. Every time I try they either wilt or dry up. I have tried every techniques. And my big one I have had for years are dropping limbs. I transplanted it back into a clay pot because it was in one of those self watering plastic pots. Not my favorite. Maybe I used too big of pot?
Clay is the best for them. Also they like a smallish pot. I have made the mistake of overpotting them and it really makes them decline in health. The new pot should be just a little bigger than the root ball.
I bought a Xmas cactus 2 months ago, watched you video, now again. VERY disappointed my cactus has done practically NOTHING since I got it!😢 I even repotted it into a slightly larger pot w/cactus mix. Nothing is happening. I expected it 2b huge by now. My portulacaria afra Ive propagated and grows like crazy 4me. I have a forest of them. I'm watching ur video & getting exasperated even more. Y r they going 4u not me. I even put outside for a while on my balcony so maybe they can take hint from my Dwarf jade monsters!
Are you hoping for more growth, or flowers? It grows relatively slowly, and repotting might actually slow the growth as it can send the plant into a little bit of shock. Be patient - if it's a Christmas cactus it might not flower until later in December - if it's an Easter cactus, it will be Spring. Also, be aware of the light they are getting, if they are in a grow light situation, they will start to need longer stretches of low light to remind them that the seasons are changing. Hope that helps!
I'm not disagreeing with you about the Styrofoam and soil quality. However, I recently read that Styrofoam makes a "good," inexpensive potting soil additive because it's inert and doesnt absorb water (this was in an aeroid forum). Several folks claimed to bave had great success with it. I've never used or seen it as a soil additive myself, so I can neither support nor refute those claims. I just wanted to pass that on for your consideration.
Did you watch the video? I'm guessing you didn't. Have you heard of Thanksgiving cactus? Easter cactus? I discuss those plants along with Christmas cactus in this video. Life could be better if you stop worrying about a non-existent "agenda."
Hi Cynthia, did you watch the video? Either way, in the video I describe the different varieties of Schlumbergera: Thanksgiving cactus, Christmas cactus and Easter cactus, all named based on the time of year they generally bloom. Since I discuss all these varieties INCLUDING CHRISTMAS CACTUS, I titled the video Holiday cactus care. It's really worth taking the time to watch and learn about something before you jump to any conclusions and make reactionary comments. And MERRY CHRISTMAS to you. No one is cancelling your holiday, don't worry.
Hey Sharleene - if you actually watch the video, you'll learn that there are a couple of varieties, Thanksgiving Cactus, Christmas Cactus and Easter Cactus - the different names refer to the times of year that the different varieties bloom. Three holidays, two of which are religious. Please don't make this a "woke" thing. It's not.
That purple is unhealthy!!! It needs fertilizer, especially magnesium or epsom salt, in your Mom’s old cactus, the one you are repotting is not a good color either. I haven’t heard you mention using Epsom salts in the fertilizer, actually don’t give them at the same time.
One trick I discovered with large holiday cacti is to put the pot in a container but place large stones in the container for the pot to sit on; that way you can water it often but the water doesn't stay around the bottom of the pot which is what causes wilt and if too long rot.
Good tip!
I do that with my African Violets. They thrive doing that.
@@tammytoth5874 Yeah, exactly the type of plant this trick works with.
@@tammytoth5874 I also do that with my African Violet, and it is thriving!
Thank you for this tip! Enjoy 🎉@@tammytoth5874
My apparently Thanksgiving cactus that I got last year is starting to bud. It's in the window in the living room so it's getting that artificial light, I didn't know it needed dark like a poinsettia does! But it looks like we'll get a few blooms at least. TBH in my home, as much as I love having many plants, they need to be able to survive under benign neglect 😁 to some extent
Nice! Luckily these cactus do fairly well with some neglect 😅 as long as you don't do anything drastic in the next month those blooms will stick around 🌼
I only buy plants that can handle neglect and the only time I have any issues with them it's because I'm giving them too much attention😂
I've got dozens of pothos, philodendron, and snake plants.
It's decided to start blooming again which is awesome!
Thank you for this video. I have my Mom’s Holiday cactus and it’s 30+ years old. It’s doing very well. And I didn’t know that it’s common for them to live so long. It’s nice to still have it 🙂
Yes! I've heard some amazing stories about heirloom holiday cactus, how wonderful that you have your mother's cactus. So special.
@@FreePlantsForever
Thank you 🙂
I have a Christmas (x Buckleyii) which is like 40 years old. But there is some footage on youtube of ones much older, like 200 years old.
I got mine from a lil ol lady who said she always had it. You could barely get your arms around it, so beautiful thick and even tall. I've taken many starts in my thirty years with it.
Thank you!!! Exactly what I needed. All of your detail and actually showing all the steps was super helpful! I need to save my mother’s Christmas cactus. She passed away 2 years ago and I didn’t take care of it correctly. Now I can try to make 3 plants out if what’s left and each sister can have one to help keep a part of our mom with this us
Good timing that this video showed up on my feed! My neighbor just gave me her cactus...I'll need to see what kind it is from you leaf sample (thank you for that!). Now, I'm going to go get it out of the full sun!
Thanks for the info!❤
Glad to help! If the plant isn't used to being in full sun, I'd recommend to gradually move it into the sun to get it used to the exposure. Best of luck and fingers crossed you get some good blooms ❤️
Yes, I am grateful for your knowledge. I enjoyed your advice. Thank you so much.
Glad it was helpful!
December 3, 2024 Just picked up the last little Thanksgiving cactus at my checkout at grocery store. My Mama brought hers from Dallas when she and Dad retired to Kerrville in 1968. When I graduated high school in 1982, that plant was still blooming. She grew it in a ceramic pot shaped like two quail in grass. Thanks for the refresher. Have a blessed day.
Awesome.
Do you change the soil?
I am from the Philippines and I sm really glad I found you here and learned much anout the christmas cactus. ATM I only have a few potsu and is starting to propagate them. May I know dear, what fertilize solution you are using?
I have a thanksgiving zygo cactus. He sits in an east window in my meditation room. He blooms incredible red flowers twice a year. I absolutely love him. Yesterday I got a white one. Can’t wait to see how she adapts. Thanks for your information. I too am a plant scavenger 😊
That is awesome! How exciting to see it change 🌸
Twice a year!
How did you accomplish to get it to bloom again in the same year?
@@cajunlady4893 I wish I knew. I don’t do anything special. Perhaps it’s because I close the shade more in hot months and he gets shorter days.
I loved this video, and learned alot. I have 1 mother Thanksgiving cactus, and 2 baby plants that I propagated from the mother. All are doing well in my dining room. The mother sits on the dining room table year round, and the 2 babies are in the dining room bay window. They are the hot pink color, and all 3 bloom in November. I do notice that they don't hold the flowers as long as I would like, but I think that's because the room stays at about 64-70 degrees. Maybe, if I kept it a bit warmer the flowers would last longer.
just received one as a gift...never had seen one before...so i am very grateful for your video,and hope that i will be lucky with it,cause i am not a natural green thumb ,
One of my favorite plants. Appreciated what you did to your moms plant. Good to know you saved it.
4:32 i remember watching your video before..❤❤❤ Who doesn't love free plants😜
This explains so much. Thanks.
Very informative, thank you for explaining it to me. I'm going to go take some clipping and start some new plants.
The purple also means that the plant is low on magnesium, in that case, probly because of too much water. I took a plant like that and mixed epsom salts and water and misted the leaves a little every day and had it away from other plants in indirect light. After the purple was gone, I went ahead and repotted it in a pot only about 2" bigger than the one it was in. It was rootbound like none other. They like to be rather rootbound but this was way too much. A couple little squirts of succulent fertilizer once a week until the end of August. It's a Thanksgiving cactus but has bloomed 3 times this year.
Good to know... thanks!
Thanks!
Wow, thank you so much! 🙏
Thanks for this video I have a Thanksgiving Cactus that should bloom soon. Happy Holidays 🎄🙂
Happy Holidays to you too! 🎄
I’m so glad this video popped up on my home page. I have a small Christmas (I think) cactus that I’ve had for almost 2 years now. It was one that someone had just put a small cutting into soil so it’s not grown very much. After watching your video, hopefully I can get it to bloom in a couple years. I had one about 10-15 years ago that never bloomed either because it was in a window and always got lots of light pretty much all year round.
Nice! It should be easy to get it to bloom by next year 🤞
I am in North texas, zone 7, can i leave my christmas cactus outdoor to over winter after it bloomed.?
Thank you so much for your wonderful video. Would they survive outdoor winter? THANKS!
It definitely depends on your climate. Here in Southern California outdoor winter would be fine, but, like most cactus/succulents I don't believe they are frost resistant. I would bring them indoors if the temperatures are going to dip below 30 degrees F.
Thank you for very informative video. I am new to this cactus care, and tend to over-water and kill the plant. 😥 So... when just the bottom segment seems brown and wilted (I now think of it as a sign of over-watering, not the lack of), do I leave it dry so it will recover (would it recover?)? Or, cut the still-healthy-looking top and start over? I got a bag of cactus potting mix and read more about how to water, so I got a better idea for care, thanks to you. I am hoping to save my plant. Thank you!
Thank you so much. This is my Christmas Cactus 2 or 3 yr. With me. I am not sure I fertilized it much. I placed in my garage. I think it naturally gets dark but we do have outdoor lights. It’s looking great. Like a beautiful plant. Not sure about darkness though???
Usually they plants get to know your climate and will naturally flower when the days get shorter... unless you're somewhere close to the equator. I've never changed the location of my plant and it does naturally start to bloom once the autumn arrives.
Good video 🎉🎉🎉. I want to try this year with a thanksgiving cactus ❤🪴🍃🍀🎶🎶🎶.
Hi. I enjoyed your video on holiday cacti. What kind of fertilizer should I give the cactus?😊
Thank you so much for your video. I’m going to share this with my mom who has a green thumb all the way up to both of her elbows!
I’m on the lookout for Christmas cactus cuttings too. One day I really hope to have a Christmas cactus the size of the one my father’s sisters have… it’s immense!… its foot print is at least 4 feet long by 2 1/2 feet wide and with the pot it stands about 3 feet tall… I don’t know how old it is… but if its size is any indication of how happy it is… the silly thing is positively over the moon ecstatic!
#Christmascactusgoals!
I have never, ever put one of those in a closet to get it to bloom. Never. If it’s not blooming, you’ve got it in the wrong spot, or it’s the wrong time of year. I also pinch dead bloom ends off to slightly extend blooming season. Learned a lot about how to revive a plant I thought was dead, though! I’m going to get it out of the trash right now!
Yes, same, mine generally just blooms during the darker months, but good to know about the light changes in case people have them in front of grow lights or if they live closer to the equator 😅
When do you recommend fertilizing if you live (like I do) in a place where you don't really have much of a winter season. I live in Southwest Florida. "Winter" weather is as rare as a few days each year or sometimes as long as 2 to 3 weeks, in mostly January. The temps will drop down to 40 or below - sometimes we might get down into the 30s but then the sun comes out and during the day we are back to 60s/70s. The rest of the year we are in mostly in the 80s to mid/high 90s. We are considered "sub-tropical", with a rainy season from June to the end of October and LOTS of humidity. My succulents are mostly in my screened lanai where they get about 8 hrs of very bright filtered sunlight and lots of humidity - they are thriving. But not sure if my Thanksgiving cactus would be happy there.
A friend of mine gave me cuttings a year ago they are growing and doing well I water once a week no blooms yet
My Thanksgiving cactus is full of blooms!
Amazing! I love this time of year...
Is it normal for dome of the growth near the top to start growing roots?
Great video ❤❤❤
So glad you found it helpful!
What's the best soil mix for Thanksgiving Cactus?
Thank you for the informative video.❤
I find it does best in a cactus and succulent mix. Something with a lot of good drainage and not too much organic material.
I purchased my first Thanksgiving cactus today from Meijer. I have been looking for this plant for over a year.
Do you have any suggestions on how to repot a Christmas cactus that has been in the same pot for 15+ years? The pot has 2 different varieties of cactus in it and I thought it would be good to separate the plants into 2 new pots with fresh soil. I hesitate to disturb it but the dirt is rock hard and the plant has never bloomed well. Any ideas?
@Tammy-1979 UA-cam video from Garden Answers titled Repotting 200 Year Old Christmas Cactus. Laura takes you through repotting a humongous one. Hope this helps.
@@simplydee4522Laura is amazing!
Do you put it in a dark closet just once? How often?
What kind of fertilizer?? I have a really old Xmas cactus. Maybe 30 plus years. I’ve never repotted it. Should I??
Helpful video, about placing in the dark for 14 hours, how often (daily, weekly?) and for how long (like a month before Thanksgiving?) thank you.
14-16 hours of darkness each day for 4-6 weeks
How often do you water these plants? What does it mean if the leaves are wilting and a little wrinkly/shriveled?
Have a good guess.
My Thanksgiving cactus looked like that one time and I was told to water it. The segments puffed back up in no time. I water once a week.
😊
What' is your fertilizer recommendation?
I came here looking for tips on propagation of holiday cacti because I read that it's good to prune them right after they bloom. I had bought one for my daughter four years ago. It grew but never bloomed. She finally gave up on it and gave it back to me. I first repotted it. I put it in a clay pot with a mixture of potting soil and perlite. Then I put on the table with an indoor plant light. It's not a fancy light. It generally just gives plants enough light to keep them happy. I was so afraid that none of this would help it. Then, in early November, I started giving it less light. It bloomed for the first time this year. I wasn't sure when I should increase the light again, but I did that when I saw the flowers opening. Several flowers were open. Anyway, the flowers are almost gone now. As I said, I read that you should prune after they finish blooming. I know also that you can prune whenever you choose. I don't know if I will prune at this time because the temperature in the room is lower than it will be in the Spring. I might wait until then. Anyway, this is a good, informative video. Thanks so much.
Would it be ok to put the catci outside in weather above 70? What is too hot for the plant? I’m in East Tennessee, where it’s in the 90’s in July and August (and very humid).
I'm in SW Missouri now, I received one in a mixed pot. At the time one of the plants had some sort of bugs so I set it on an old stump under a bush and promptly forgot about it. This fall after the leaves fell I found it. The other plants in the pot had died but it was thriving!! It has buds and might bloom soon😂
How do you care for a small yellow rose?
Mini size
When do you prune the blooming cactus?
I have a Christmas plant and the leaves are very thin and limp what can I do to bring it to life
I would check the soil. Usually thin and limp leaves are a sign that it needs water, but if the soil is wet then it could be root rot. If it's in soggy soil the plant should be removed from the soil and any rotten or soggy roots and branches should be cut off, and dried out to re-propagate. I hope that helps!
My Christmas cactus has tiny spider webs and something is attacking the stem. Can you advise me, please, on how to save if? Thanks. 😊
Sounds like spider mites! They can be really destructive. There are a few different methods to control them, I like creating a mix of 50% isopropyl alcohol 50% water and a few drops of a liquid soap like castille soap. Then I spray down my plant, and wipe it off. You'll likely have to keep looking at the plant and treating it mulitple times to really get rid of these pests. There are other products such as insecticidal soaps and neem oil that can also be effective. Good luck!!!
Admire you potting those "freebies"! I'm notorious for pulling seeds from mature plants at the various Botanic gardens😂❤!!
Thank you for the info....great! My Christmas cactus is outside (July) in the shade in Texas! The leaves are turning red...is that o.k.?
No purple is bc to much sun getting to it. Hope to help though its been months since u asked.
Thanks for your video, i am repotting my Christmas cactus that is not blooming.
Perfect time of year. Give it some good plant food and let it build up its energy to give you some great blooms when the winter comes.
How can I get a plant
Just add water once a week and feed monthly. These plants grew out of control in my garden, when I lived in California.
Why do my flowers come out all at once, but only stay out for two to three days, and all drop at once? I have three Thanksgiving cactus and all three of them do the same thing…all different colors.
Easter cacti are not Schlumbergera but Rhipsalidopsis.
Ah, good to know! 🌵
So is the 14 to 16 hour trick a one time thing or do you do it every night until you see blooms?
I do it every night until the blooms appear. You're tricking it into believing the seasons have changed.
I ordered this Thanksgiving cactus online. I replanted it. I am worried about the color of the first segment. It is gray. The rest of the segments look good. It came three little stalks in soil wrapped in clear Syran wrap. I live in Arizona. It is hot summer here. The soil was very hot. It took nine days to arrive. I took it out of box, unwrapped it and left it on counter to cool down. Then I gave it a drink and planted them. They had roots. Do you think it will be okay or is that first segment no good. I have kept it under a grow light and our house is cool. I tried to post a picture but it seems I can’t post pictures here.
Hopefully it's just taking time to adjust to it's new surroundings and didn't get too hot. If the first segment starts to go squishy, it may have rot and you might want to cut it off and just keep the healthy looking segments since they propagate really easily. Keep an eye on the segments and keep feeling them to make sure they stay firm. If they're squishy, that's when you take action.
Christmas cactus!
My christmas cactus have gotten pale green, almost yellow leafs. What should I do to make it happy again?
It might be suffering from root rot. If the potting mixture stays wet too long, or is so compact the roots can't get enough oxygen, they'll begin to rot. If that's the case, you can gently pull the plant and soil out of the pot, rinse all the soil off the roots with room temperature water, cut off all the brown and mushy roots and leaves that it may have, then repot what remains in a chunkier soil mixture like what was shown in this video. If all or almost all of your roots have rotted, take the healthiest parts of the plant, and propagate 1 or more new plants like she showed in this video. Good luck!
My christmas catus won't bloom. I do put it out during the day and about 12 hrs at night. What am I doing wrong?
It's possible it needed a little fertilizer over the year, or it could be an Easter cactus, which is spring blooming?
What is the white film at the base of my Christmas cactus, and do I remedy it if it’s a problem?
I'm not sure from just the description, but it's possible that you have hard water if you've been watering from the tap - I have this issue in my house. Some plants don't mind it, and if the rest of the plant looks healthy, I wouldn't worry too much. You could wipe it down and try watering with distilled or rain water and see if that helps.
Sooo My thanksgiving cactus blooms at every holiday. Any idea why? I'm not complaining about it I just found it to be odd.
I would say it's really happy! I have seen a few videos with tips on how to get them to bloom more often, you must be doing whatever they're doing 🥰
@ thanks I’ve just copied what I remembered my Grandmothers doing with their Christmas and Easter cactus.
My cactus blooms in January and February. My 150 year old cactus was looking really sad after IDIOT movers abused it. I gave it some Pepsi and she perked right up! Not sure how often I would do that, but I did it a couple of times over 2 months and only about 8 Oz each time.
Why are my cactus dropping good amounts of segments
I have a Thanksgiving cactus. I have had it for about 3 years and it does not grow. It is healthy, gets flowers every year no problem but it looks just about the way it did when i bought it. I seem to be caring for it appropriately. I thought i would have have a good size by now. Any suggestions or idea why this is happening?
I had this happen. Try changing the soil. Unless you've used the same soil with other plants that seem fine. Some potting mixes got contaminated with persistent herbicides. Some plants will survive but not thrive. I took cuttings at the same time and rooted them into the 'new' soil and into older planters with bare spots. All the transplants in the 'new' soil did this.
My cactus is blooming, last year it bloomed until May.
That's amazing! You must be doing something really right.💚
I didn’t realize I could root the dropped leaves. I could have had a forest by now, lol
Yes! They grow roots really quickly as well
I do everything to make my cactus bloom but it doesn't bloom at all. Christmas cactus hard to grow for me
What's the secret ?
Oaks pinae leaves
Remove the old soil with water less chance of damage to roots
Oh good advice!
I wish I could propagate mine. Every time I try they either wilt or dry up. I have tried every techniques. And my big one I have had for years are dropping limbs. I transplanted it back into a clay pot because it was in one of those self watering plastic pots. Not my favorite. Maybe I used too big of pot?
Clay is the best for them. Also they like a smallish pot. I have made the mistake of overpotting them and it really makes them decline in health. The new pot should be just a little bigger than the root ball.
Why does my cactus look woody at the base? It’s starting to bloom so I know it’s growing. It actually bloomed 3 times last year.
I would wager that it's a more mature specimen.
❤!!
I bought a Xmas cactus 2 months ago, watched you video, now again. VERY disappointed my cactus has done practically NOTHING since I got it!😢 I even repotted it into a slightly larger pot w/cactus mix. Nothing is happening. I expected it 2b huge by now. My portulacaria afra Ive propagated and grows like crazy 4me. I have a forest of them. I'm watching ur video & getting exasperated even more. Y r they going 4u not me. I even put outside for a while on my balcony so maybe they can take hint from my Dwarf jade monsters!
It is November 12 here .
Are you hoping for more growth, or flowers? It grows relatively slowly, and repotting might actually slow the growth as it can send the plant into a little bit of shock. Be patient - if it's a Christmas cactus it might not flower until later in December - if it's an Easter cactus, it will be Spring. Also, be aware of the light they are getting, if they are in a grow light situation, they will start to need longer stretches of low light to remind them that the seasons are changing. Hope that helps!
Use a chopstick to help get that old soil off. Works great.
Jungle city househ
My bloom all year long
I'm not disagreeing with you about the Styrofoam and soil quality. However, I recently read that Styrofoam makes a "good," inexpensive potting soil additive because it's inert and doesnt absorb water (this was in an aeroid forum). Several folks claimed to bave had great success with it. I've never used or seen it as a soil additive myself, so I can neither support nor refute those claims. I just wanted to pass that on for your consideration.
Really holiday cactus in your thumbnail, please say it like it is. It's A Christmas Cactus!!!!!
Did you watch the video? I'm guessing you didn't. Have you heard of Thanksgiving cactus? Easter cactus? I discuss those plants along with Christmas cactus in this video. Life could be better if you stop worrying about a non-existent "agenda."
Fall lots bloom Oxygen
I didn t understand anything!
That's a Christmas cactus.
In the video I go into detail about the differences between Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter cactus.
Not really a cactus, they are epiphytes, big difference. Choose soil that is for succulents or epiphytes mixed with pumice.
It's called CHRISTMAS CACTUS ‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️
Hi Cynthia, did you watch the video? Either way, in the video I describe the different varieties of Schlumbergera: Thanksgiving cactus, Christmas cactus and Easter cactus, all named based on the time of year they generally bloom. Since I discuss all these varieties INCLUDING CHRISTMAS CACTUS, I titled the video Holiday cactus care. It's really worth taking the time to watch and learn about something before you jump to any conclusions and make reactionary comments. And MERRY CHRISTMAS to you. No one is cancelling your holiday, don't worry.
😊@@FreePlantsForever
It is called the CHRISTMAS CACTUS, not Holiday Cactus.
Hey Sharleene - if you actually watch the video, you'll learn that there are a couple of varieties, Thanksgiving Cactus, Christmas Cactus and Easter Cactus - the different names refer to the times of year that the different varieties bloom. Three holidays, two of which are religious. Please don't make this a "woke" thing. It's not.
@FreePlantsForever 😂🎉❤
That purple is unhealthy!!! It needs fertilizer, especially magnesium or epsom salt, in your Mom’s old cactus, the one you are repotting is not a good color either. I haven’t heard you mention using Epsom salts in the fertilizer, actually don’t give them at the same time.
Good to know, thanks!