Christmas Cactus

[Mamu]

My Christmas Cactus is ready to bloom. I have this huge Christmas Cactus that I've had forever. One of the few houseplants I managed not to kill.

It is loaded with buds and should be blooming this weekend, but I want it to bloom in December not the beginning of November. Any idea how to hold off the blooming time? By the time the holidays roll around it's just another, not very pretty green plant.

 

[TigH]

Gotta love a plant with a "mind of it's own"!

I don't think there is anything you can do to prevent the blooms from opening. Just enjoy them now! Maybe next year you can delay the setting of buds by keeping it in a room where there are lights on for a longer duration?

Our cactus should be setting blooms by Thanksgiving. When we lived in Maryland it was a house plant and was doing ok, but not thriving. It would set buds but they'd drop off before they ever opened. It now lives outside (in a pot) and has taken off like crazy! We have had some gorgeous displays from this lovely little plant. Of course, I do wish it would wait until Christmas to flower, but I will take anything I can get!

Good luck with yours! I'd love to see some pictures of it when it's in it's glory!

 

[Snowwark]

I saw these on the weekend and bought one that's full of little pink buds. It's not that big, and I put it in my little greenhouse window. None of them had info tags with them, and from reading your post Mamu, I've got a feeling it's not going to fit in that window for long.

 

[Mamu]

The cactus is in full bloom and it's just lovely. It's a double red with white centers. It's planted in a 10" pot and measures 24" across from bloom to bloom. I have it hanging in my kitchen window and it takes almost the whole window.

Kim these plants do grow well but maybe only a 1" a year. I've had my for 10 years. They are very easy to grow and if I forget to water it for weeks it does just fine. I do put it outside in the summer on the front porch, that never get sun. Once it goes outside it takes off, each stem grows a new addition sometimes branching out. I do have to make sure I water it more outside it dry out much faster. I usually take it in around the beginning of September, it's starting to set buds by then. Around November it's blooming.

Two thunbs up for the Christmas Cactus, easy to grow and beautiful when in bloom.

 

[Snowwark]

That's huge Mamu!! At 1" of growth a year, I guess I have time to figure out where the heck I'm going to put it later, assuming it lives that long!

I think I would of preferred the double red, but they only had the pink.

Thank you for the info!

 

[TigH]

Wow! What did you name the cactus, Mamu? Sounds like it should be called Godzilla!

Mine is just starting to set buds. I should have fed it a few weeks ago. The cactus segments have a red tinge to them. Hopefully it will be full of flowers just like yours is!

 

[Tulirose]

Congratulations on what sounds like a gorgeous plant! One little question, however..... if it is so easy to grow, how come I killed one a number of years back? LOL - Black thumb thing - that's me at times. Maybe time to try again?

 

[Snowwark]

Look at the colour of this Christmas cactus, very cool!!

Go for it Tulirose!! If mine makes it through the holiday season I'll be happy..lol.

 

[TimNDansMom]

I just bought a little Christmas cactus, covered with bright pink buds, from WalMart. It says to place it in a room where there is bright direct light. There isn't much of that these days so I hope the buds will still open. Let the soil dry out, water thoroughly and discard excess.

The instructions go on to say that after flowering is over, allow the plant to go nearly dry. When active growth starts again, water regularly and feed once a week. A dry cool period during July and August is necessary to promote flowering. Restart watering when buds emerge.

Well, I just lost a prickly cactus (of some sort), that I'd had for a few years, so we'll see how long this one lasts!

 

[amid chaos]

mamu...you DO have a digital camara on santa's list...right?

i want to see pictures!

 

[Snowwark]

Thanks for the info Julie!

Mine bloomed like made about 3 weeks ago, very pretty. Not a bud left for Christmas though.

I hope she does Vanessa!

 

[Mamu]

My cactus is way past bloom. It put away in the basment, not a very attractive plant during the holiday's if it not in bloom.

Amid sorry to disappointment you. No camera on My Christmas List. I have just purchased new den furniture, and a new carved rug. My budget is way over drawn for a few months.

Hoping to purchase one before our February Trip. You buds may be sorry when I finally do get my camera. I may be one of those pic nuts, pic's of everything and anything.

 

[TimNDansMom]

About a half dozen flower buds dropped off my CC overnight! The soil seems to be damp enough. It's in the brightest window I have, on these dull days. Do you think it's because it's getting used to it's new home? I'm going to be so sad if they all drop off before they open up.