Caring for your Christmas cactus

The Christmas cactus is unlike any other. They are available in several colours, the flowers produced by these plants are bright and captivating. While most cacti are are known for preferring warmer weather, Christmas cacti enjoy cooler conditions. It’s also great news for anyone with pets since these plants are non-toxic to dogs.

Important Christmas cactus care

A Christmas cactus can live for 20 years if they are properly cared for. As far as temperatures are concerned, it’s best to keep this plant at 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. By doing so, you will encourage your cactus to bloom sooner and produce larger flowers. Make sure that you keep your plant away from radiators, heaters, warm windowsills, fireplaces and any other sources of heat. Your cactus might not need heat but they do need light so, make sure that plenty of indirect sunlight. Too much direct sunlight can cause them to dry out which is why indirect light is better.

Blooming and watering

If the buds on your Christmas cactus have not set, you should provide your plant with 12 to 15 hours of complete darkness each day. Once the buds have set, you can then place your cactus in a brighter spot where it will thrive. As for watering, you should mist your cactus regularly but not every day. When the soil is dry, then you can water the base of the plant. If you water too much or too frequently, it can do more harm than good. Once the roots start to rot, there’s no going back. So, take the time to inspect your plant regularly and make sure that it’s getting the right amount of water.

Finally, don’t forget to ensure that your Christmas cactus has nutrient-rich soil. Well-drained soil is important for all types of cacti and it should have plenty of organic matter. You can also toss in some compost for good measure.