How to prune Christmas cactus?

Christmas cactus, with its diverse colors and blooming flowers, has become the choice of many flower lovers. It is affordable and can be found everywhere in flower markets or online, and more and more people are beginning to try to grow this beautiful flowering plant. However, regular pruning is key to keeping your Christmas cactus growing vigorously. So how do you prune Christmas cactus?

1. Pruning in summer

During the high temperatures in summer, the growth of Christmas cactus slows down and it may even go dormant. At this time, the small and thin leaves on the top should be trimmed off, leaving only the thick and large leaves at the bottom to reduce nutrient consumption and help the plant easily survive the summer.

2. Pruning in autumn

When the temperature is suitable in autumn, Christmas cactus will quickly grow new leaves. Depending on the condition of the plant, prune weak leaves appropriately to promote the recovery of healthy leaves and the growth of new leaves.

3. Pruning

When the leaves of Christmas cactus begin to wilt, it may be due to improper watering. Severe water shortage can damage the root system. At this time, most of the wilted leaves should be trimmed off, leaving three to five leaves above the soil surface to reduce the nutrient transmission distance and promote root recovery.

4. Pruning before flowering

When the Christmas cactus is ready to bloom in autumn, prune the plant appropriately, remove the newly grown leaflets and broken leaves, and adjust the shape according to the crown width of the plant. After pruning in this way, with proper light and nutrients, the plant will sprout more flower buds.

5. Prune after flowering

After the flowers fade, prune off the leaves that have bloomed in time to promote the recovery of the plant and prepare for the next flowering. Even grafted Christmas cactus should be properly pruned to keep the plant healthy.

The correct pruning method can not only prevent the plant from losing leaves, but also promote its healthy growth. After pruning, Christmas cactus will grow a lot of new leaves in spring and autumn. Fertilizing regularly, using high-nitrogen fertilizers during the growing season and high-phosphorus fertilizers when flowering, will help the plant's leaves grow thicker and its flowers profuse.