My leukemia's back.

[N F C]

Sorry, it's there in print along with the threats to Ken. We will be watching you!

I watch @Blooie all the time...she's my role model

 

[lazy gardener]

I've got a question for you plant-type folks. Anyone got advice for a Christmas cactus?

A friend gave us some cuttings (I guess that's what they are with this plant?). Out of the 4, one looks really good. It's been over a month now, the other cuttings look dying or dead but this one is bright and perky and has new growth on it. She put them in soil in a yogurt container and I'd like to move it to a nicer planter. Is now a good time, should I wait a while longer for it to be stronger? does it matter?

And then, I was at the store and going to buy some cut flowers (cause I can have flowers now

) but saw another Christmas Cactus with the prettiest salmon/orange blossoms. It's simply stunning! It's in a little 4" pot, with the paper stuff wrapped around it. I'm thinking to remove the wrapping and just set in in a saucer. I'd love to repot it into a bigger, nicer container but I'm thinking not until it's done blooming, right? I don't want to mess up these beautiful blossoms. Do these things like to be root bound, does it help them bloom better? Any advice would be appreciated.

Rachel, I do think they like to be a bit pot bound. Pop that yogurt cup into a nice little pot. Be sure to let them get nice and dry before you water them again. They also love to get chilled. I move mine out every spring after threat of frost, and don't bring them in until fall frost threat. They love those cool nights, and put on a theatrical display of blossoms.

Oh, I didn't mean it. I'd never shoot any of ya........I'd just have to clean up the mess and I have enough of those around the way it is.

Got chickens? No clean up required. Just drag the body into the chicken run.

 

[Blooie]

I have the Christmas cactus that belonged to Ken's great-grandmother, then his grandmother, then his aunt. It's old, old, old. Some years it blooms at Christmas time, other years not until Easter. She's a persnickity old thing with a bit of an identity crisis. Every once in awhile the stems (leaves?) will get a papery looking covering on them and not look so good. That's usually when I haven't been as diligent about watering as I should be. They like to be slightly root-bound, and watered when the top of the dirt is dry. I also don't resume fertilizing it until about mid-October, and I stop during the summer months when the light in the east window gets intense. I don't have any idea if that's right or not, but that's what I do - mostly because I'm not as careful with it as I should be. Sometimes I'll whack it way back if it looks too spindly.

The one thing I learned about them for sure that has held true in the 19 years that plant has been with me.....once they get buds, they do NOT like to be moved. One by one, every single bud fell off the two times I moved it. I finally looked it up and there it was, in black and white. Well, DUH, Diane!

 

[LittleLakePhil]

I killed my Christmas cactus

 

[3goodeggs]

To make more from your plant you have to let the stems dry out. break them off and set them aside for two weeks.Don't plant them until they start sending out little white roots.
The stems are the green crab like flippers that you'd think were leaves, but the spines are the leaves.

they are also photo periodic, which means that long days will keep them from blooming. Keep them away from indoor light and porch lights.
There are some that will bloom around thanksgiving and a more spiked type that blooms as the days lengthen and they call it Easter cactus.
I can not keep those alive. I think the Christmas cactus must tease it for not blooming and they die of humiliation.


I have to anthropomorphise my plants or I'd go nuts... oh- wait.... that explains a good bit doesn't it?

 

[3goodeggs]

I killed my Christmas cactus

If you were closer I have a bench full.

 

[LittleLakePhil]

I just transplanted my prickly pears....I should have worn gloves!

 

[3goodeggs]

Phil!
Try duct take or that black gorilla tape. It might pull out some of those smaller spines.

 

[LittleLakePhil]

Wow never thought of that...thanks

 

[LittleLakePhil]

Gorilla tape did it!