Tip 3: Don’t Put It in Plant Jail
Before you take Tip 1 too literally and send your Christmas cactus into solitary confinement, remember that the darkness is only for nighttime.
During the day, it still needs bright, indirect light. An east-facing window is usually a great spot, or anywhere it gets plenty of light without being blasted by harsh afternoon sun.
If yours spends summer outdoors, keep it in partial shade or filtered light. Too much intense sun can scorch the green segments, but too little daytime light won’t help those future blooms either.
And if yours is starting to look pale or washed out, we also wrote an article explaining whether light is actually the problem or if something else is going on.
Tip 4: Give It the Cold Shoulder
Your Christmas cactus actually likes things a little chilly when it’s getting ready to bloom.
Night temperatures around 55 to 65°F can help encourage bud formation. And no, this does not mean squeezing it between the milk and leftovers in the fridge!
A cooler room or corner of the house works perfectly, as long as it still gets bright light during the day. If nighttime temperatures stay above about 70°F, bud formation can become much more difficult.
If you’re like me and your feet turn to ice the second the house drops below 70°F, I feel you… Unfortunately, your Christmas cactus has other plans. For a few weeks, one of you is going to have to be uncomfortable. And unless you’re planning to bloom in December, I’m afraid it’s you.
Finding that sweet spot can be tricky, so we also put together a guide on exactly where to place a Christmas cactus for the best chance of blooms.
Tip 5: Don’t Drown It or Forget It Exists
Don’t let the word “cactus” fool you. Christmas cactus is not a desert cactus at all. In fact, it naturally grows in the humid forests of Brazil, which is about as far from a hot, dry desert as you can get.
That means it likes more moisture than you might expect. While buds are forming, water when the top inch of soil feels dry, then let the excess drain completely.
I like to water mine from the bottom. I let the pot sit in a shallow tray of water for about 10 to 15 minutes, then take it out and let it drain thoroughly. It gives the potting mix time to soak up what it needs without leaving the roots sitting in water.
Quick tip: The trick is consistency. Let it get bone-dry and developing buds may drop. Keep it soggy and the roots can suffer. Basically, don’t drown it and don’t ghost it either.
If watering these plants still feels like a guessing game, we have a
full guide on how to water a Christmas cactus without ending up with root rot.
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