Cultivate and multiply Christmas cactus
So you cultivate and propagate Christmas cacti and let them bloom every year.
Many buy new Christmas cactuses every year because they may not start to flower again next year, or because they may not know how easy it is to grow one.
A few days ago, my sister asked me how I manage that my Christmas cactuses are really thriving every year, because she's always unlucky and just wanted to buy a new one. One year he flowers something, the other does not. I just said, you do not have to go buy a new and then I showed her how to cut off an offshoot. For this you have to see as in picture 3, a piece of the bottom, which is already grown out laterally, cut off and not as you usually do with other offshoots, first in water until it roots, but you dries the cut surface about 2 -3 hrs. And immediately sets the offshoot in soil. It is best to use 3-4 offshoots in a few cm intervals next to each other, so you will get a big cactus later. One should also mix some of the soil of the mother cactus below. One of my cacti is already 10 years old and really blooms every year in full splendor.
I take care of the cactus as follows:
- I put him in a bright window seat, in summer on hot days, however, I put him in another bright place near the window, as these cacti bear no direct sun
- Unlike most cacti, they need more water, so I only water about every 4 days. However, it is best to spend less than usual between October and December.
- If someone has a pot with saucer, they should see if there is any water there, because standing in would not be good and the roots would start to rot. Drain immediately and allow to dry for a few days.
- If you have a garden, you can put it on warm days in the shade outside.
- If I do not know if my cactus needs new water, I press my index finger a few inches deep into the ground and then see if the earth is already dry or just slightly damp.
- Once every 6-7 weeks, I put the entire pot in the shower and shower it well everywhere.
- Fertilization is sufficient once a year, but I will not do that from September until they start to bloom. After the flowering phase you can fertilize again.
- What you should not do is change the pot every few weeks to another place. The Christmas cactus may not like frequent moves, preferably always in the same place. I did that once and it did not bloom.
If you do it that way, then you can look forward each year to new beautiful flowers and need thanks to the offshoot buy no more. I hope I could give you some tips and wish your Christmas cactus a lot of beautiful flowers.
