You can learn how to graft Christmas cactus in this way at a glance, and the flowers will increase dramatically without root rot!

Grafted cactus with Schlumbergera

1. First, choose a cactus that is over one year old. The yellow thorn cactus is most suitable for grafting with Christmas cactus, and the survival rate is very high. If not available, other varieties can be used instead.

2. If you want to graft at the top, use a sterilized knife to make a horizontal cut at the top.

3. After cutting, you will see that the cross section is divided into two parts, the outer circle is the epidermis, and the middle is the pith. The best place to insert Christmas cactus is between the epidermis and the pith, where the wound will heal faster.

4. Use a knife to make a cut in the cambium. Don’t make it too wide. Make it about the same width as the inserted Christmas cactus. This way the grafting wound will be small and recovery will be quick.

5. Prepare Christmas cactus cuttings, with 2 to 3 leaves in each section. Do not use new leaves or too old leaves. The strongest leaves in the middle are best.

6. Use a sterilized blade to shave the bottom of the leaf, leaving a little bit of white part. Try to complete it in one go.

7. Insert the Christmas cactus leaf into the cut, and try to align the midline of the leaf with the areole of the cactus. The areole is the growth point of the cactus, which will make it easier to survive. After insertion, secure it with a toothpick or clip.

8. In addition to horizontal insertion at the top, you can also insert it vertically. Use a knife to cut a hole about 1.5 cm deep above the thorn seat, put the cuttings in, and then fix them.

9. If you want to graft multiple layers of Christmas cactus, you can also make incisions on the side of the cactus leaves for grafting. First, use alcohol to disinfect the area where you want to graft.

10. Use the tip of a knife to cut a small inverted triangle shape, insert the cuttings and secure them.

11. Do not water the newly grafted cactus. Stop watering for 10 days. If the leaves of the Christmas cactus do not wilt after more than ten days, it means the grafting is successful.

12. The picture below shows a Christmas cactus grafted by a flower lover. The comparison between the first graft and more than three months later shows that the growth rate is very fast.

Things to note when grafting Christmas cactus

1. Pay attention during the grafting process and disinfect the knives, cuttings, and incisions. Many flower lovers fail in grafting and their cactus wounds rot because they are not well prepared for disinfection.

2. It is best to choose a sunny morning for grafting. Rainy days will cause slow wound healing and infection, and it is even more important not to get exposed to the rain.

This is the introduction to some basic knowledge about grafting.

Isn’t it easy to learn?

If you like it, you might as well give it a try!