How to grow Christmas cactus to make it more vigorous?

Christmas cactus is a favorite potted plant among many flower growers because of its bright colors and wide variety. So how can you grow Christmas cactus to make it grow more vigorously? Let’s learn more about it below.

1. Soil

The soil for Christmas cactus is best made of loose, breathable pine needle soil or leaf mold, which can be mixed with some coal slag and perlite . If there is no pine needle soil or leaf mold, you can use garden soil and sand in a ratio of 4:6. In addition, a layer of expanded clay, coal slag, pine needles or the like must be put on the bottom of the pot to drain water and prevent water accumulation and root rot.

2. Moisture

When watering Christmas cactus, you should water it thoroughly when the soil is dry. Do not water it too heavily, otherwise water will accumulate and the roots will rot. In addition, during the flowering period, water along the edge of the pot and do not let the water drip onto the flowers. Note that Christmas cactus generally has two dormant periods, dormancy after flowering and dormancy in summer. Do not water heavily during the dormant period. Just give a little water for about half a month. You can also spray around the plant every day to increase the humidity. Pay attention to sun protection in summer and avoid excessive exposure to the sun.

3. Fertilization

Christmas cactus needs a lot of nutrients during the growth and flowering periods. It will definitely not bloom when there is insufficient nutrients. During the bud formation period, which is in autumn, it is necessary to apply fertilizer to the Christmas cactus to promote flowering. In daily care, it is necessary to apply thin fertilizers frequently. Some microbial agents should be applied before and after flowering to increase its nutrients, and the pot will soon be full of flowers.

4. Pruning

After the Christmas cactus flower blooms, remove the withered flowers in time and prune it appropriately and promptly, shortening the three or four nodes below the flower to facilitate ventilation and future maintenance. Christmas cactus grows very fast. Sometimes 4 to 5 new branches will grow from one node. You need to cut off 2 to 3 nodes and leave only 1 to 2 nodes. Sometimes there will be many small flower buds on a stem node, and you should pinch them off. This will make the flowers uniform and of the same size, and they will bloom more vigorously.

5. Lighting

The lighting for Christmas cactus should be reasonable. In spring, autumn and winter, it should be placed in the place with the most sufficient light. In summer, it can be placed directly in a bright light environment, because Christmas cactus is very light-loving, and sufficient light can allow it to grow flower buds and bloom. It is a typical short-day plant.

6. Repotting

Christmas cactus is generally repotted every other year in March-April. Loose, fertile, well-permeable and slightly acidic soil is best. A layer of fine sand should be spread on the bottom of the pot to facilitate water seepage. When repotting, you can thin out the weak and dense branches, and prune them appropriately to facilitate the growth of tender and strong new branches and profuse flowering.

That’s it