If you grow Christmas cactus like this, you will ensure that the leaves are full and the flowers are blooming!

How to fertilize Christmas cactus

Christmas cactus likes fertilizer. Before flowering, apply decomposed liquid fertilizer or compound fertilizer about once a week. During the bud formation period, apply 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution to promote flowering. When applying fertilizer, be careful to apply along the edge of the pot and avoid getting it on the leaves, which will cause leaf burns.

How to water Christmas cactus

Do not water Christmas cactus too much, as it may easily rot its roots. The surface of the potting soil should be completely dry before watering again. Water it thoroughly about once every 1-2 weeks, before 10 am or after 6 pm.

How to sunbathe Christmas cactus

The intensity of sunlight weakens in autumn, so you can give Christmas cactus 6-8 hours of light. At other times, you can move it to a dark place, which can encourage it to differentiate flower buds quickly and nurture flower buds.

How to Thin the Buds of Christmas Cactaceae

Sometimes, 2-3 flower buds will grow at the top of the Christmas cactus stem node at the same time, and they may compete with each other for nutrients. At this time, you need to thin out the buds, keep the largest buds, and remove the rest. This is the only way to ensure that the nutrients of the flower buds at each end are balanced, making the flowers of the Christmas cactus bloom fuller and more beautiful.

How to prune Christmas cactus flowers

After the flowers of Christmas cactus fade, the remaining flowers should be cut off in time. If they are left on, nutrients will only be wasted. Count 3-4 stem nodes down from the flowering point and cut them off. This will allow it to retain nutrients for the next flowering.

What to do if Christmas cactus root rots

Generally speaking, too much water can easily lead to waterlogging and root rot in Christmas cactus. If you encounter this situation, don't panic, just follow the steps below~

① Remove the Christmas cactus from the pot and clean the soil on the roots. Then cut off rotten roots, old roots and weak roots.

② After root pruning is completed, soak it in a carbendazim solution for about 30 minutes, and then place it in a cool and ventilated place to dry.

③ Prepare loose and breathable nutrient soil, put the Christmas cactus back into the pot, water it thoroughly, and then place it in a diffused light and ventilated environment. After 1 week, move it to an environment with sufficient sunlight and carry out normal maintenance.

What should I do if my Christmas cactus becomes soft?

The main factors that cause the Christmas cactus to become soft are: direct sunlight, dry air, poor ventilation, and red spider mite infestation. These reasons will not only cause the Christmas cactus nodes to become soft, but in severe cases may cause it to fall off from the base.

When exposed to direct strong sunlight, move the Christmas cactus to a ventilated and diffused light environment, and spray water on the plant to increase humidity. When red spider mites are found, spray a 1500-2000 times diluted solution of DDT.

How to grow Christmas cactus from one pot into multiple pots

Leaf cuttings are the most common way to propagate Christmas cactus, and they are easy to survive.

① Cut off healthy and plump stem nodes from the Christmas cactus plant, soak them in a carbendazim solution for about 20 minutes, then take them out and place them in a cool and ventilated place to dry.

② Prepare loose and breathable soil, which can be perlite, vermiculite or pine needle soil.

③ Apply some rooting powder to the cut of the Christmas cactus, then insert it into the soil and place it in a cool and ventilated place for about 3-4 days. Spray water on the soil frequently to keep it slightly moist.

④ After about 1 week, roots will grow from the nodes of the Christmas cactus.

⑤ After the Christmas cactus has taken root, it can be transplanted into a flowerpot. After potting, Christmas cactus needs to be placed in a cool and ventilated environment for 1-2 weeks to slow down the growth. Once the leaves grow steadily, normal maintenance can be carried out.