Also known as schlumbergera, the Christmas cactus is an easy-care plant but does not tolerate temperatures below 10°C, as well as drafts. Discover how to make your Christmas cactus bloom during the winter with advice from Laurent Genton, a florist in Paris.
The Christmas cactus is a succulent that can bloom again every year if you know how. Here are some tips to help you do just that.
How to make a Christmas cactus bloom?
Although the plant is easy to care for, getting the Christmas cactus to bloom is no easy feat. You need to know the steps and the right actions to take to ensure it blooms properly.
Learn how to make a Christmas cactus bloom
This winter cactus only produces flowers once a year, when it is subjected to a temporary lack of water for about three weeks. Watering should be reduced from the end of October to allow the stems to produce buds. The stems will wilt and the plant will then turn red . When the buds appear, you can water the plant as usual. Then, feed the plant with liquid fertilizer once a month, from February to September. In addition, repot the Christmas cactus every 3 years using a light potting soil other than that of the garden.
How to propagate Christmas cactus?
To take a Christmas cactus cutting, detach 10 centimeters of the branch and root it in water or moist sand. Be sure to cut the stem into two equal sections. Schlumbergia cuttings produce roots every three weeks. To transplant them into a pot, wait until spring to place them in an individual pot. It is important to take a cutting from the branch that does not have buds. Otherwise, you will have to remove them and take them in water.
Christmas cactus in bloom. Source: spm
