If you’ve got more than one type of christmas cactus, it’s a good idea to label them. Make sure to choose something translucent that allows some light to reach new roots. Glass can generally be cleaned a little better, but plastic is just as good. It’s up to you whether you want to use glass or plastic, but it doesn’t make a difference one way or another. It should be wide, shallow, and allow plenty of airflow to prevent algae, bacteria and fungi from setting up shop. If water propagation is what you’re after, then you’ll need something that you can dedicate to growing your cuttings in until they mature. Most plastic pots and terra cotta pots have sufficient drainage for cacti like this one. If there aren’t lots of holes for water to escape, you’ll end up with a root rot situation that could end in disaster. The best type of soil is a succulent or cactus blend that’s heavy to porous and sandy materials.Ĭhristmas cactus pots should always have good drainage. Pots & soilĬacti need soil in order to grow and survive, and you’ll need it at some point whether you’re propagating in water or in soil. Rooting hormone increases the chances that a cutting will root, which helps out beginners and anyone doing some large-scale christmas cactus propagation. It’s also a great way to help ensure the success of your propagation project. However, the use of rooting hormone allows the plant to get to work on growing new roots faster, which is better for the plant in the long run. Rooting hormone isn’t actually essential here, since christmas cacti are super easy to propagate without any extra help. We don’t want rust or dirt on the blades! Rooting hormone If you don’t have any plant shears, fret not you can also use a new razor blade, or even a sharp knife or kitchen scissors, so long as they meet the same criteria: super sharp and super clean. In fact, using shears that are sharpened and are clean and rust-free is especially important. Here are a few tools that you’ll need for Christmas cactus propagation: Plant shearsĮssential for any plant-related project on your workbench, plant shears are the one staple you can’t live without for propagating your christmas cactus. There are more cells available for other purposes, too, such as rooting new cuttings! Tools for Christmas Cactus Propagation This way, most of the energy is now being redirected to foliage: repairing any wounds the plant may have sustained during blooming, growing new leaves, and expanding the root system. Once the last bloom falls away, wait a few weeks before you propagate to give the plant a chance to recuperate. Instead of propagating just before or during the blooming season, when energy is primarily used for growing blooms, it’s a better idea to propagate after blooming. Since most christmas cacti bloom in the winter months (depending on where you live), it’s best to work around this. When to Propagate Christmas CactusĪlthough most cacti don’t have a particular season for propagation, christmas cacti have some preferences due to their blooming and dormant seasonal differences. While it’s unusual to find a christmas cactus bloom in a darker color, some hybrids can be found that look close enough to a deep magenta to pass as purple. These days, there are really only a few solid cultivars out there, sporting the same classic bloom colors we’ve grown to love.Ĭhristmas cactus blooms come in shades of salmon, pink, white, red, orange, and even yellow. There was a time during the 1970s and 1980s when nearly everyone had a christmas cactus in their home.Īs the mania spread for new colors and hybrids, people began to collect these plants like trading cards. However, some 100 years later, some straggler cultivars made their way into the United States and Canada, where they became a far more popular indoor plant than ever before. However, by the time the mid-1800s rolled around, growers and collectors had already moved onto bigger, showier things like begonias and violets. These plants were surprisingly popular and highly regarded about two centuries ago, in the early 1800s. It’s fun, easy, and free! History & Culture of Christmas Cactus There’s something fun about cascades of spiky leaves with bright blooms hanging off their ends, and that’s why it’s so much fun to make even more of these plants through propagation at home. Although we may wait around impatiently all year just to watch for signs of their return, these cacti look great in their off-seasons, too. What’s great about the legendary christmas cactus is that it’s not just about the blooms. Christmas cacti are succulent, evergreen perennial plants that produce scores of brilliantly colored, impressive flowers that are unlike any other indoor blooming cactus. If you have one of these plants, there’s a good chance you’ve had it for quite some time.
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