This time of yr, the Christmas cactus is a pure choice for houseplant fanatics. It’s recognized for brightening up the winter with its signature vibrant pink blooms from November to January, subsequently its title.
With appropriate care, chances are you’ll assure these beloved blooms will return yr after yr. Even when your Christmas cactus seems fully content material materials, there’s an usually missed however vital care step you shouldn’t be neglecting should you want to protect the effectively being of your plant.
Learn how and when to accurately fertilize a Christmas cactus, with strategies immediately from a gardening skilled.
Meet the Expert
Jennifer Cassels is president of The Blissful Place luxurious outdoors perform retailer.
Do You Must Fertilize Christmas Cactus?
After we contemplate elementary houseplant care, watering and pruning are generally most likely probably the most top-of-mind duties. Over time, houseplants deplete the nutritional vitamins of their soil, which can depart them making an attempt drab or unhealthy. Even a repotting session may not be ample to replenish an absence of vital nutritional vitamins current in soil like magnesium, phosphorus, or nitrogen. Luckily, this can be a matter that will merely be mounted by frequent fertilization.
Though Christmas cactus can develop with out frequent fertilization, providing nutritional vitamins all through their energetic rising phases is crucial for extra wholesome growth and sustaining these vibrant annual blooms we love.
“For the Christmas cactus to flower and develop vigorously, it is important to fertilize the crops repeatedly,” says Jennifer Cassels, president of The Blissful Place luxurious outdoors perform retailer. “Although they do not require mounted food plan, fertilization does help their nutrient needs, notably all through energetic rising and blooming phases.”
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How and When to Fertilize Christmas Cactus
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Cassels suggests using a balanced, 20-20-20 water-soluble fertilizer notably for houseplants, nevertheless diluting it to 50% energy to stay away from burning the plant.
To utilize a water-soluble fertilizer, fill a watering can in line with the label’s instructions, nevertheless solely mix in half of the helpful amount of fertilizer. Pour the diluted reply onto the soil throughout the bottom of your cactus, making sure the soil is evenly moistened, merely as you’d for a routine watering.
As far as timing, Cassels recommends fertilizing month-to-month from spring to late summer season when the cactus is actively rising. Whereas it’d seem counterintuitive, halt feeding after late summer season to encourage flower bud progress as fall approaches; energetic fertilization outdoor of the rising half can actually be detrimental to the plant.
Totally different Tips to Protect Your Christmas Cactus Thriving
Though it’s a desert plant, vivid, indirect daylight and a warmth setting (70–80°F) is biggest for Christmas cacti for lots of the yr. Cassels emphasizes that darkness is certainly equally as important as ample light with regards to bud formation in your Christmas cactus.
To help with setting buds, she advises transferring the plant to a cooler room (spherical 50–55°F) and placing it in a spot the place it’s going to get 12–14 hours of uninterrupted darkness at evening time for six–8 weeks. After buds begin to sort, chances are you’ll then return it to common lighting and temperatures. As quickly as buds do sort, you need to enhance humidity by placing it on a pebble tray or setting a humidifier shut by.