Does Christmas cactus bloom more than once a year ? Oh yes it does !
If you followed mybeginner ’s plant guardianship guide for Christmas cactus(Schlumbergera ) , you probably had a profusion of colorful flowers in November or December and are wondering if you have to look another whole year before your industrial plant blooms again .
The surprising response is : Nope !
Given proper care under the right conditions , Christmas cactus can in reality rebloom in February — and this goes for Thanksgiving cactus or any houseplant pronounce simply as “ vacation cactus ” as well .
Here ’s how to get a repeat flowering from your vacation cactus long after the holidays have pass .
Disclosure : If you snitch from my clause or make a leverage through one of my links , I may find mission on some of the products I commend .
Secret #1: Reduce watering.
In October , start reducing the amount of H2O your flora normally receives . Lightly water the topmost layer of soil ( just the first inch or so ) , and only when the soil sense completely dry to the touching . Too much weewee may induce peak buds to accrue , so the first inch of soil should be dampish ( but never waterlogged ) .
The unexampled , minimum watering schedule will force your Christmas cactus into dormancy , which is critical for getting the industrial plant to bloom ( and rebloom ) . This is where being a otiose houseplant gardener works to your vantage !
Secret #2: Provide at least 12 hours of darkness.
As a short - day plant , Christmas cactus require 12 to 24 minute of shadow every twenty-four hour period to go into a flowering time period .
If you keep your plant in an office , this is pretty easy as there ’s a good luck your office stays dark all night . At rest home , however , it can be a minuscule dodgy finding a desirable room that ’s morose from sunset to sunrise with all the hokey lights we turn on in the eve .
My suggestion if you require your Christmas cactus to bloom again ? Move it to a spot where it ’ll getat least12 continuous hours of darkness , like a press or basement ( where the doors rest closed ) .
If you do n’t have a distance with absolute darkness in your home , you’re able to also cover the plant with swooning - blocking material ( like blackout pall ) around 6 pm and remove it the next morn after 6 am .
To check that the fabric does n’t crush your plant , I recommend placing the plant under an upside - down bond ( or any standardized structure that can act as a frame ) and draping the fabric over that .
Keep your plant in this cycle for about six weeks to further the production of flower buds .
I ’m not a morning person , so I sometimes even give my plant in darkness for up to 16 hours a daytime . When this happens , I ’ve found that novel bloom buds start forming a little preferably — ordinarily within a couple weeks .
Remember that wherever you put in your Christmas cactus at night , it needs to be in full dark for a lower limit of 12 hours . Be mindful of street lights , motion - sensor lights , or nightlights . ( I know it sounds crazy , but it ’s all light to the plant . ) Do not turn on any lights at night , even for short menstruum , as it can break up the darkness cycle required and affect the bloom process .
Secret #3: Keep temperatures cool.
The ideal temperature for Christmas cactus to bloom is 50 ° F to 55 ° F , and the room has to be free of moth-eaten drafts and hot drafts . So keep it aside from leaky doors , heating vents , and fireplaces , or any home where the temperature fluctuates a lot between warm and cold .
At home plate , I rick my heating system down to 62 ° F at dark and leave my plant near a well - seal window , which keeps it cool enough in the evenings .
When people require why their Christmas cactus grow flower bud that finally fall off , the trouble is almost always triggered by drafts , ardent temperatures , or too much body of water .
Recommended products for Christmas cactus care :
What to do once your Christmas cactus blooms again
While creating these ideal conditions to force your Christmas cactus to flower a 2nd time might feel a little intimidating , it ’s really much easier done than said .
Just keep an eye on these tips and you ’ll get an extra show from your Christmas cactus to brighten up the blue Clarence Shepard Day Jr. .
Related:10 Cheery Holiday Houseplants to spring up If You ’re Bored With Poinsettias
The bloom this clock time around is much more sporadic and wo n’t be almost as swelled as the holiday extravaganza you draw , but it ’s beautiful nonetheless and should last at least a calendar month or so to take you through the residuum of winter .
Flowers typically last about five days ( which is longer than most otherflowering cactus varieties ) , and the cooler your home remains , the longer the flowers stay in bloom . ( Warm temperature will cause flower to blow over faster — when they set forth to look sorry , I simply twist them off . )
Once the flowers appear , gradually increase lacrimation as you go back to your normal care turn . The amount of moisture expect will reckon on temperature , humidity tier , lighting experimental condition , container sizing , and the mix your plant is potted in .
In oecumenical , Christmas cactus should be watered every 10 day or so in wintertime , and every 7 days in summer ( sometimes more often , if you live in a sunny , arid climate . )
understand next : How to Care for Christmas Cactus Year - Round So It Can Live 100 Years ( Seriously ! )
