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| Christmas Cactus (Sabine at Pixabay) |
Holiday
Cacti Care
Holiday Cacti are indoor ornamental plants that flower from early November and through the holiday season in December. They add bright spots of color indoors and work well in containers and hanging baskets. There are many choices for flowers with colors from white, red, lavender, pink, and salmon-orange. They are non-toxic and can be safely displayed in homes with pets and children. With proper care, a holiday cactus will reward you with beautiful blooms year after year, adding a festive touch to your home during the holiday season.
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Thanksgiving and Christmas Cacti
Light: These cacti are short-day plants (days shorter, nights longer). They need 12-14 hours of uninterrupted darkness per day to set buds for flowering. Flower buds will not set if the darkness is interrupted for 2 or more hours. Once flower buds have been set, day/night length will not affect flowering. Place your plant in an area of bright, indirect light.
After
temperatures warm up in the spring, plants can be set outside in light shade.
Too much light can sunburn the plants.
Temperature:
These plants prefer temperatures between 60-70°F with 68° during the day and a slightly
cooler 60°F at night as optimum. Keep them away from drafts and heating vents.
Watering: Test the top of the soil for dryness. Water
from the top down, wetting the potting soil thoroughly. While budding and
flowering keep the soil evenly moist but avoid overwatering. If conditions dry
out too much while in flower, the buds or flowers will drop off prematurely. Be
sure there is proper drainage to prevent root rot.
Humidity: Holiday
cacti appreciate humidity, and bathrooms are a popular spot for containers..
You can increase humidity by misting the plant.
Fertilization:
Feed your cactus monthly during the growing season (spring and summer) with a
balanced, water-soluble fertilizer. Reduce feeding during the fall and winter.
Flowering:
To encourage blooms, provide a period of darkness (12-14 hours) each day for
about six weeks starting in the fall. This mimics the natural shortening of
days and stimulates flower buds to form.
After
Bloom Care: Once flowering ends, plants can be pruned to encourage new growth
and maintain shape. Move the plant to a cooler area and water less frequently.
Thanksgiving
and Christmas cacti can rebloom with proper care. After blooming let the spent
flowers fall off or gently remove them. After blooming, water less frequently.
These plants can be easily
propagated. For information on propagation go to the Penn State Extension:
Holiday Cacti Care site (https://extension.psu.edu/holiday-cacti-care)
NO BLOOMS?
Holiday
cacti are short-day plants and need at least 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness.
Darkness means no artificial light from indoor sources and even nearby
streetlights. To ensure the plant is in darkness while it is setting flower
buds, cover the whole plant with a box or dark cloth allowing for ventilation.
To avoid
premature bud drop, don't move holiday cacti to a new location until the first
flowers start to open. Any sudden change in environmental conditions can cause
flower buds to drop off. Once the first flowers begin to open they can be
moved.
Temperature
may also cause flowers to fail. They need to stay in the range of 60°F to 65°F
at night and no more than 70°F during the day.
Easter Cacti
The Easter cactus differs from other holiday cacti primarily in its season of bloom. Plants bloom from March through May with pink or red flowers. It occasionally blooms again in early fall. The stem segments of Easter cacti are smoother than the other holiday cacti, with 4-6 slight ripples along their edges, and brownish hair-like bristles at their tips.
It has a more regimented temperature and light requirement to produce blooms. During the short days of fall plants require temperatures of 60-70°F for 3-4 weeks followed by temperatures of 47-55°F for 4-6 weeks. After this short day and cooling requirement have been met, plants should be grown under longer days in a room with a temperature of 60-70°F. This complicated series of day-length and temperature requirements can sometimes happen naturally through the winter months to allow for bloom in spring. However, if these conditions and timing are not met, the Easter cactus will not likely flower.
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HERB SAMPLER Second Edition
Buy one for yourself and consider getting a few more as the winter holidays approach – hostess gifts, housewarming and holiday presents.
Copies available locally at the Hip Gypsy Emporium in Duffield.
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