Do I need to remove the new leaves of Christmas cactus (do I need to pinch off the new leaves that grow)?

After Christmas cactus blooms, it will enter the stage of growing leaves and new buds. During the normal growth period, its new buds can be retained normally. However, in some cases, its new buds should be pinched off to preserve the nutrients of the plant or allow it to bloom.

Should the newly grown leaves of Christmas cactus be removed?

① Leaf picking during dormancy

In fact, the pruning of the stem nodes of Christmas cactus needs to be done during its growth period, not just the newly sprouted small leaves .

Especially after the flowers have faded, the Christmas cactus is in a short semi-dormant state. After resuming vegetative growth, the newly sprouted small leaves do not need to be pulled out.

② Before flowering

The bud-forming period of Christmas cactus is in November and December. At this time, it will differentiate a large number of flower buds. If new leaves grow at this time, they should be pinched off in time to allow it to preserve nutrients and promote the growth of flower buds.

Because it is the vigorous growth period in autumn, it is the time when Christmas cactus is about to differentiate flower buds and produce flower buds. At this time, in order to concentrate the supply of nutrients for flower bud differentiation and bud formation, the newly sprouted small stem nodes should be thinned out as appropriate.

In particular, those with too dense nodes should be thinned out, and too many weak flower buds should be removed to avoid excessive supply of nutrients to the nodes, and insufficient nutrients during flower bud differentiation, which will affect bud formation and flowering .

③Root damage

If the roots of Christmas cactus are slightly rotten and the leaves are wilting, check for root rot. If the root rot is not serious, you need to pinch off some leaves.

Then repot the soil and let it take root slowly. If there are too many new shoots at this time, it will consume too much nutrients and cause its rooting to be unfavorable.

Daily care tips for Christmas cactus

When caring for Christmas cactus, the worst thing to do is to water it too much, otherwise the roots will easily rot and die. Wait until the soil in the pot is dry before watering it, so that it can grow well.

In spring and autumn, when Christmas cactus grows vigorously, it is advisable to apply granular compound fertilizer 1-2 times a month, such as Huaduoduo No. 2 and Meiluoke flower compound fertilizer. However, if the temperature exceeds 30°C or is lower than 15°C, fertilization should be stopped.

After flowering and when it enters dormancy during the hot summer season, try not to water or fertilize it, but you need to spray the stem nodes with water mist every day.

When caring for Christmas cactus in summer and winter, you need to pay attention to not letting the room temperature be too high or too low, and it is best to keep the temperature around 15°C~25°C. Too high a temperature will slow down the growth of Christmas cactus and put it into a semi-dormant state; too low a temperature will need to prevent frost damage.

The most suitable growth temperature for Christmas cactus should be maintained at around 20~25°C. When the air is relatively humid, it will grow very fast. The overcrowded stem nodes need to be thinned out in time to facilitate its reproductive growth and lay a good foundation for flowering and budding.