christmas cactus

‘Tis the Season for Special Care of Your Christmas Cactus

Dan Specialty Crops, This Land of Ours

How to care for a Christmas cactus.  That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.

christmas cactus

The Christmas cactus is a long lived plant with flat, segmented stems. Most of the year its appearance is fairly unassuming — around Christmas, however, something magical happens. With care, this plain looking plant will blossom with flowers of red, white, pink, purple or orange.

If you live in a dry climate, make sure a source of humidity like a shallow tray of water is kept nearby. The plant will not tolerate dry soil and requires regular watering. Conversely, too much water will cause leaves to spot and fall off. Allow the top layer of soil to dry completely before watering.

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A few weeks before Christmas, place the plant in a completely dark space where the temperature is 60 degrees (such as a closet or garage) for 12 hours each night. You could put a box over their plant each morning, and remove it at night. Be sure to bring the plant out to a sunny spot for the other 12 hours each day.

Water only when the top inch or so of the soil feels dry, and you should get flowers just in time for the holiday. A few weeks after the flowers have faded, prune stems back to encourage new growth.

Listen to Cathy Isom’s This Land of Ours program here.

‘Tis the Season for Special Care of Your Christmas Cactus