Christmas cacti are popular plants to give as gifts or bring into the home during the holiday season, thanks to their pink, red, or white flowers that bring cheer to drab winters. With optimal care, they can live for 100 years. However, forcing them to flower indoors can be challenging, but one important task in November can encourage abundant blooms by December.
This task involves adjusting the routine to include more time in uninterrupted darkness, as Christmas cacti are short-day plants that require longer nights and shorter days to set buds. The bud-to-bloom cycle typically takes six to eight weeks, which is why many plant parents place their Christmas cactus in a dark area by mid-October.
Encouraging Blooms
November is not too late to encourage blooms by the end of December. To do this, it is essential to protect the plant from any kind of light, whether artificial or natural, for a minimum of 13 hours a day. This can be achieved by placing the plant in a dark area or covering it with a box or black plastic trash bag.
Alongside this change to the daily lighting, Christmas cacti also need cooler temperatures and an adjusted watering schedule to produce healthy buds and blooms. The expected range of nighttime temperatures is around 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, with daytime temperatures set relatively higher, but no greater than 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Care and Maintenance
To control light, temperature, and watering for December blooms, it is necessary to keep the cactus in an unused cool place, like the basement, or cover it with a box or black plastic trash bag. The plant should continue to receive bright yet indirect or diffused light during the day to bloom. It is also essential to stop fertilizing as the buds start to develop and adjust watering to induce some water stress without leaving the plant parched.
Once the buds start to open, the plant can be moved to its final display location, hopefully in a room that stays cool, around 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. After the blooms appear, it is possible to return to the normal watering schedule to keep the plant thriving and enjoy the flowers for weeks to come.
