bolivianbaby

My mother gave me a Christmas cactus two years ago. It's never bloomed and it seems to be getting smaller. I don't want to give up on it because it has sentimental value. I keep it on the kitchen table because that's where we have the most natural light.

Can anyone advise me on care? Hers blooms twice a year and she really doesn't have a green thumb.

Beeker

How often do you water it?
Unlike regular cacti, a christmas cactus does need to be watered.
Do you have any pics?

bolivianbaby

I water it with a small amount once a week. I'll get some pics today.

redlessi

What kind of pot is it in? Are the roots showing from the bottom of the pot? You may need to repot it using a good soil. I have a christmas cactus that did the same thing until I repotted it.

bolivianbaby

It's in the same pot she gave it to me in. The roots aren't showing through the bottom. I've had it for two years, so that's probably not a good sign, huh?

I REALLY like the re-potting idea. Nice fresh soil, it'll kinda be a like a water change Surely, they sell potting soil year round at Home Depot.

I just looked at it and I'm almost embarassed to post a pic of it. It looks pitiful.

But I will take a pic after we get the house clean. The kitchen table it's on looks HORRIBLE at the moment.

aquarist48

Hello. I believe a Christmas Cactus needs temperatures below 52 degrees for a couple of weeks to force it to bloom. However, I wouldn't recommend letting it freeze either
Ken

click

I love Christmas cactus, I used to have some pots. From what I remember they don't like direct sunlight and you should only water them when the soil is dry and never add too much water, just enough for the soil to get moist.

bolivianbaby

Really? Huh, I never thought of that. The laundry room and my bathroom get kinda chilly, but don't get freezing temps. Surely I can find room in one of those rooms for it.

You guys are awesome!

aquarist48

I've had them in the past. I always left mine on the screened porch, no direct sun, until the temperature was going to drop to 32 at night. Then I brought it in. As long as the temperature was above 32 I put it back on the screened porch the next morning. Once it started blooming then I would bring it inside. They did really well.
Ken

lorabell

lol...hey i leave mine out on the front porch all year and just cover it up if the temps go down...its been bloomin for weeks....try puttin it outside...its even warmer for u

bolivianbaby

Aaahhh, so direct sunlight could be part of my problem as well.

Thanks everyone! Maybe I need to do the same research on plants that I do on my animals before I bring them home.

DRock914

There's a Christmas cactus in my house that never blooms either but it hasn't died. We have had it for years.

bolivianbaby

Here is the pic. It looks pretty pitiful, doesn't it?

Attached Images

Christmas Cactus 1.JPG (603.6 KB, 43 views)

Tigerlily

Here's a site about holiday cacti. It's a bit old but the pictures and descriptions are good. The information about their care is quite detailed. I can, however, assure you that at least three of these plants (belonging to my mother) have done well for years and bloom prolifically despite minimal care... just watering.

http://cactus.biology.dal.ca/paulS/c...christmas.html

Beeker

The Christmas Cactus, like the Poinsetta, is a tropical plant. It prefers temps around 60-70 degrees and needs humidity. The roots should not be kept wet because that will cause root rot, but it should not be allowed to dry out.
This link might help:
http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/popl...actus-care.htm

DRock914

I take back my last statement. Our Christmas cactus blooms every easter.

TedsTank

All the different Christmas Cacti are epiphytes...like many orchids...don't keep them too wet...ie: don't let the water puddle under the pots. In the wild they grow in trees...and in the tropics it rains every day and the water runs right off during their grow season.

I leave mine out all spring and summer in moderate sunlight under a tree. In the fall (shorter daylight hours) it sets buds and we bring it in to bloom.

critter_fritter79

My Mom forces hers to bloom by putting them in the dark bathroom for 5-6 weeks. Her bathroom has a small window so they aren't completely in the dark but very little light. Hers have bloomed EVERY year

Beeker

By the picture, it looks like you need some fresh soil.
Moisten the soil and carefully pour the plant out of the pot, carefully removing as much of the old soil as possible. Check the roots. By the way your plant is drooping, you may have some dried out, dead roots. When repotting, you may have to size down the pot. That is not a bad thing. You want the plant to be happy and healthy. A snug fit in the pot is like a protection blanket for this plant. Use a potting soil that says on the bag that it is for Christmas Cacti and African Violets, and don't pot too far up the stem. Do not use any fertilizer after repotting the plant. You only want to fertilize when there are already flowers in bloom. Regular water will be good. If you use tap, let it sit out overnight to let the chemicals evaporate out, like for your fishtank. Don't add dechlorinator or any chemicals to the water. Just let it sit. You want the water to be chemical free and room temperature.
Here are a couple other links I just found:
http://hortchat.com/info/christmas-cactus
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/...942145705.html

I hope this info is helpful.

bolivianbaby

Thanks everyone

I've read through the links and I'm sure I'll have some questions after I get it re-potted in the correct soil, temperature, and lighting. I'm pretty sure that root rot is part of this.

In regards to the water Beeker, I've used water from water changes on my outside plants before we started getting so much rain. Would that be a good source of water for the Christmas Cactus as well? It would be dechlorinated and the nitrates did a fabulous job on my outside plants. All of my tanks are cycled. I usually do water changes when the nitrates hit 20.

I really appreciate everyone's help!

Beeker

At this point, plain water is best.
Too much fertilizers can burn the roots. Also, the plant thinks it needs to keep working to use up the ferts and causes the plant to be weak and overworked. Let it slow down and rest. Fresh soil, plain water, indirect sun, and comfortable humidity levels are key right now.

One thing I am still learning about is the fertilizer mix. N-P-K requirements are different from plant to plant. Understanding N-P-K ratios and requirements and how often to fertilize is just as important as knowing about the Cycle and how often to change your tank water with fishkeeping.
I know that it has to be a very weak solution for Christmas Cacti and you only want to fertilize when the plant is in bloom. A K level of 10 is recommended with lower N and P ratios. Here are some links explaining the fertilizer ratios:
http://www.mostlyorganicgarden.com/NPK_explanation.html
http://www.houseplantsngardening.com...Explained.html

Keep me informed on your progress.

bolivianbaby

Wow, those are some interesting articles. I'm glad I won't be needing to fertilize it for awhile. It's like understanding the nitrogen cycle all over again

I'm hoping to go to Home Depot in the am. They're going to be slammed right now. Too close to Christmas and they're in a MAJOR shopping center.

I'm thinking a smaller pot (but not too small), the new soil (for Christmas Cacti and african violets), anything else? I saw in one of the articles posted earlier something about rocks. Should I be getting them as well?

Beeker

What I usually do is put the plant in a cheap plastic pot (the flimsy ones with the holes in the bottom) and put that in a decorative pot without holes that will catch any water that drains out. If you decide to do that, that is where the rocks come in. You can put some rocks in the bottom of the decorative pot, and put your plant (in the cheapo plastic pot) on top of the rocks in the decorative pot. The rocks will keep the plant from sitting in the water. Remember, you don't want the roots sitting in the water. That will cause root rot and kill your plant.

bolivianbaby

I like the sound of that. That's what I'm going to do.

Thank you I'll keep you posted.

Toddnbecka

IMO that one's pretty far gone, likely beyond redemption. I "inherited" one from my mother a couple years ago that looked similar, and it continued to decline even after it was given proper care. I like plants, actually have a small collection of odd succulents and cactus, but I'd simply set that one outside to freeze rather than watch it die slowly.

bolivianbaby

I guess it's a good thing I'm better with fish than I am plants, huh? Lately, my fish have been "blooming" all over the place and I have several spawns to prove it

gremlin

I wouldn't give up on your plant just yet. Over the years, we have revived many plants that were in worse shape. We had a Christmas (Easter) cactus for several years that did fairly well. I had it in a terrarium type set up - a plain pot inside a decorative pot with a clear acrylic "dome" (fishbowl turned upside down) over it to provide humidity. I used some decorative rocks around the rim of the pot to hold the dome up enough to let some of the excess moisture to escape so the plant would not mold. That way it had the humidity it needed, but it also allowed air circulation. A friend of mine admired it and said she had always wanted one but they kept dieing on her. Since I really didn't have a place to keep it, I gave it to her. that was a couple years ago. As of last Tuesday, the plant is still going strong. She was here for our crochet class and said it is starting to bloom again.

aquarist48

My mom has a red Christmas Cactus that is going on 20 years old. It's in a giant steel wash tub. She keeps it in the basement, still getting bright light but no direct sun. The basement isn't heated at all yet it doesn't freeze in the winter. As I mentioned in a previous post the cooler temperatures will force it to bloom. All of my photo albums are packed away for the holidays. I'll try to remember to find a photo and post it when I pull all the albums back out. You won't believe it! lol It's HUGE!
Ken

bolivianbaby

Oh no, I'm not giving up on it, not with all the wonderful advice I've received Since I pulled my mother's betta "back from death's door", I have to give the Christmas Cactus the same effort

That would be AWESOME! I'd love to see it.

bolivianbaby

UPDATED: I just re-potted it in a "drain" pot inside a decorative pot with rocks in between. I've attached a picture.

For the new fishkeepers-the betta bowl does not have a betta in it. I'm re-habilitating my mother's betta in a 5 gallon tank and I promised her I wouldn't kill her plant. Pretty ironic for this thread, huh?

So considering what this poor little plant has been through, what type of lighting, watering, temperature should I be keeping it in to help it grow nice and strong from this point? There was A LOT of rot, so I think it's a bunch of little baby Christmas Cactus plants now.

Attached Images

Christmas Cactus Repotted.JPG (557.2 KB, 28 views)