The colorful Christmas cactus is a favorite of houseplant fanatics for its vibrant blooms that cascade like a waterfall of pink and inexperienced. It brings color to the home from November to January when completely different crops have gone dormant for the season.
Whereas it’s a member of the Cactaceae family, which is often thought of desert-loving crops that thrive in dry local weather, the Christmas cactus is unquestionably native to the Brazilian rain forest. Nonetheless no matter its rain forest origins, the Christmas cactus wouldn’t need appreciable water to thrive. It’s actually somewhat little bit of a goldilocks referring to watering—an extreme quantity of or too little water is the quickest approach to harm your plant.
Must be positive your Christmas cactus blooms all by means of the holiday season? That is what it is good to search out out about how usually to water Christmas cactus.
How Often Should I Water a Christmas Cactus?
There’s not a one dimension fits all reply to how usually to water a Christmas cactus. The amount of water important for the plant to thrive will differ by time of 12 months, planting circumstances, and web site.
Once you’re in a non-blooming season, chances are you’ll water your Christmas cactus every two weeks, letting the soil dry out completely sooner than you water as soon as extra. When you attain October, merely sooner than the bloom season and easily as buds have formed, water the cacti weekly. As quickly because the Christmas cactus begins blooming, preserve the soil moist, watering it as rapidly as the very best inch of the soil begins to actually really feel dry to the contact.
The biweekly water schedule assumes that the Christmas cactus has been planted in wonderful circumstances. Christmas cactus thrives when it’s planted in each a sandy cactus mix or potting soil mixed with perlite for drainage.
The soil should be able to drain efficiently—if it will not it is best to water it a lot much less usually (though, ideally, it is best to replant it in well-draining, sandy soil). Furthermore, Christmas cactus prefers partial photo voltaic and temperatures between 70 and 80 ranges Fahrenheit.
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What Does an Underwatered Christmas Cactus Look Like?
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Once you’ll ideally uncover the correct steadiness of watering a Christmas cactus merely enough, if you’re going to miss the mark, it’s increased to underwater a Christmas cactus than overwater it. You’ll know a Christmas cactus is underwatered when its leaves start to look dehydrated. It ought to begin to wrinkle, with shriveled leaves, wanting like a raisin reasonably than a plump grape. Darkish brown spots might begin to develop.
What Does an Overwatered Christmas Cactus Look Like?
Overwatering might be further damaging to a Christmas cactus than underwatering. The best approach to determine whether or not or not a Christmas cactus is overwatered is, in spite of everything, to take a look on the soil. Whether it is soggy or there could also be standing water present, then the plant has possibly been overwatered. Totally different indicators embrace limp leaves, along with discoloration, along with black spots on the leaves.
Options for Caring for a Christmas Cactus
Christmas cactus is a usually easygoing houseplant, however it certainly has a lot of finicky preferences to recollect.
- Plant Christmas cactus in well-draining, sandy soil or potting soil with perlite. Add peat moss to encourage acidity throughout the soil.
- Make sure you prioritize longer and reduce mild over shiny mild. When it’s uncovered to full, direct photo voltaic, the leaves of a Christmas cactus can burn. Within the meantime, partial photo voltaic will encourage further blooms.
- You must use a 20-20-20 balanced fertilizer nevertheless dilute it to 50% power. Fertilize your Christmas cactus in spring and early summer season.
- Protect your Christmas cactus in 70 and 80 ranges Fahrenheit year-round. Once you cope with your Christmas cactus as an outside plant in summer season and indoor plant throughout the cooler months, carry it in starting in September.
- Because of it’s a rainforest native, Christmas cactus prefers a moist setting. Place a humidifier near it indoors to mimic its pure setting.
- After the Christmas cactus is accomplished blooming in January, chances are you’ll prune it to encourage it to division out. Merely twist it or decrease it sooner than a part—it ought to remove merely. You presumably can take away as a lot as a third of the plant with out damaging it.
- If a Christmas cactus turns into too waterlogged, among the best path forward is to repot it. Choose a planter merely barely larger than the roots (Christmas cactus likes to be rootbound!), decrease off any rotted areas, and repot it in dry soil.