Gardening for Old Folks (Adaptative)

[wyoDreamer]

My cactus used to bloom twice a year, for christmas and for easter . I am not sure if it is a Christmas cactus or an Easter cactus. Unfortunately, it hasn't bloomed for 3 years now.
In fact, I have been neglecting it enough that it is shedding "leaves". Do you think I should re-pot it, fertilize it or what?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The key for me is neglect. They like to dry way out between watering. Too much much water will cause them to drop leaves, flowers, and not bloom. They like being pot bound and dry. So try some tough love. A bright window helps too.

 

[R2elk]

My cactus used to bloom twice a year, for christmas and for easter . I am not sure if it is a Christmas cactus or an Easter cactus. Unfortunately, it hasn't bloomed for 3 years now.
In fact, I have been neglecting it enough that it is shedding "leaves". Do you think I should re-pot it, fertilize it or what?

I keep my bloomer in a north bay window. I let the soil get dry to touch between waterings. The key that I have found to keep them blooming is short daylight hours and cool temperatures.

I had one that was kept in my living room where it had long hours of light and pretty warm temperatures. It never bloomed in those conditions. I moved it into an empty bedroom with the curtains closed and cool temperatures. It bloomed within a month.

Now I keep one in my little bay window in the kitchen on the north side of the house. I blooms heavily for Thanksgiving and Easter with some blooms all winter long. It has had some blooms as late as the first of July and as early as the last of August.

 

[Sequel]

I keep my bloomer in a north bay window. I let the soil get dry to touch between waterings. The key that I have found to keep them blooming is short daylight hours and cool temperatures.

I had one that was kept in my living room where it had long hours of light and pretty warm temperatures. It never bloomed in those conditions. I moved it into an empty bedroom with the curtains closed and cool temperatures. It bloomed within a month.

Now I keep one in my little bay window in the kitchen on the north side of the house. I blooms heavily for Thanksgiving and Easter with some blooms all winter long. It has had some blooms as late as the first of July and as early as the last of August.

I was told to stop watering at the beginning of October and put in a cooler spot, which is what I did and one was in full bloom for Thanksgiving and one is budding up now. They are so rewarding once you get their little quirks.
I have a third one that was given to me years ago which sat in a hot window and all but died. It was huge, with big scarlet red flowers that bloomed around Christmas and again in July. The plant itself did die and I found one little green bract on the floor which I stuck in a glass of water where it sat for probably 10 or 15 years. It didn't grow much but it stayed alive and I just finally potted it up a few months ago. I think I'm going to put it up in the extra bedroom where it's cool and see if it'll do something.

 

[R2elk]

I was told to stop watering at the beginning of October and put in a cooler spot, which is what I did and one was in full bloom for Thanksgiving and one is budding up now. They are so rewarding once you get their little quirks.
I have a third one that was given to me years ago which sat in a hot window and all but died. It was huge, with big scarlet red flowers that bloomed around Christmas and again in July. The plant itself did die and I found one little green bract on the floor which I stuck in a glass of water where it sat for probably 10 or 15 years. It didn't grow much but it stayed alive and I just finally potted it up a few months ago. I think I'm going to put it up in the extra bedroom where it's cool and see if it'll do something.

As dry as it is here, if I stopped watering in October, mine would be dead by spring. You don't want to keep them wet all the time but you don't want them to go without water for too long also. My research and my experiences are that they need cool temperatures and long hours of darkness in order to bloom the best. Too many hours of light and too warm of temperatures can keep them from ever blooming.

 

[Sequel]

As dry as it is here, if I stopped watering in October, mine would be dead by spring. You don't want to keep them wet all the time but you don't want them to go without water for too long also. My research and my experiences are that they need cool temperatures and long hours of darkness in order to bloom the best. Too many hours of light and too warm of temperatures can keep them from ever blooming.

Oh I was told just withhold water until buds form. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[bruceha2000]

Looks like it is harvest time in the living room.

lucky you!!

I am trying to wait patiently for this Christmas Cactus start to bloom.

2 leaf sections and a flower?? Overachiever that one.

Mine have been blooming for about a month already. They are worth the wait.

Maybe it was a Thanksgiving cactus. We have several that bloom at various times from November until April.

 

[cavemanrich]

Not much gardening in the NORTHERN part of the Northern hemisphere,,, so just wanted to share this. A planter we received for the Holidays. It burst into bloom about 2 days after we got it.

Happy New Year to Everyone

 

[sharron]

Not much gardening in the NORTHERN part of the Northern hemisphere,,, so just wanted to share this. A planter we received for the Holidays. It burst into bloom about 2 days after we got it.

View attachment 1990708

Happy New Year to Everyone

beautiful

 

[karenerwin]

Following!