Christmas Cactus

[Richard OFfill]

Betty and I have a beautiful Christmas Cactus. We have it on the back patio (we are in Florida). It blooms this time of year like a poinsettia. We have bought a couple more. Anyone know anything about them or has had experience with them?

[newbie]

I've got one too and it is in full bloom right now....beautiful!!   Years ago I had an easter cactus and it would start blooming in early spring.

it blooms depending on the amount of daylight it receives as a trigger....  look up photoperiod and it will tell you exactly how much day light and darkness it needs to flower.

[Raven]

They seem to like a cool period before they bloom.  We have a number of them, a couple of which are almost 25 years old.  We stick them outside in the summer and then bring them in right before the first frost.  They all seem to do well and bloom with that regimen.  Sometimes they bloom twice in the year.

You folks down in the tropics might have trouble finding a cool spot for them. 

[Ed Sutton]

an alternating dose of 1/2 strength sugar sweethened gingerale still with the fizz (CO2) and a few drops of 1/2-1/4 strength diluted miracle grow bloom formula in that ginger ale / water mix will feed their ability to bloom.   They are one of the few cactus's that like a slightly moist soil with drainage.    Partial shade for the most intense part of the day preserves the color of the flowers while blooming.

Broken parts of the cactus greenery can be rooted - keep in moist soil out of direct sun till putting out new growth.

[Richard OFfill]

I have tried to root them but have not been successful. I was putting them in water. Thanks for the information. We have cool winters which seem to be just right. We are supposed to have a frost on Sabbath evening so I will bring them in . I will also have to cover my winter garden.

[Raven]

I have tried to root them but have not been successful. I was putting them in water. Thanks for the information. We have cool winters which seem to be just right. We are supposed to have a frost on Sabbath evening so I will bring them in . I will also have to cover my winter garden.

Am I reading this correctly?  I believe I just read that a man who lives in Florida is trying to get us to believe that he lives in a place with cool winters.  Those of us in Maine have a hard time wrapping our minds around that.    Maybe it's all relative.  It was 3 below 0 at my house this morning, and it was windy.  I think it reached a balmy 10 degrees this afternoon.  Are you by any chance having an open house in January?  I know some folks up here who would like to come down and advise you on your cactus, and maybe check and see just how cool your winter really is. 

[Ed Sutton]

In the Apopka FL area , cool is 50-60's,  cold is upper 40's.    Ohio cool is 40's, cooooolld is -20.     Similiar with Bangor Maine ( btw-going out the front of the public library in Bangor heading left - across the street - at the corner - is the nicest little resturant pizzaria that has been making homemade pizza from scratch for 30 yrs +   .....  just had to add that in - was there winter 2006 - into 2007 a ways. )



BTW - if anybody has access to weeping williow trees - take an old empty water holding empty bucket and break off enough stems and twigs to fill it half way, then fully fill it with water.   let it set a week, then pour off the water into another container and save - loaded with natural rooting hormones, some professionals do this also to create cheap rooting hormones.   Might be better to use spring and summer twigs - I don't know.     But it's worth a try.      

Asprin is an older way to root cut long stemmed roses, cut the heads off or shorten and vase the shorter stems with heads, put other cut off stems in a clay pot with sand, peat moss or spanish moss, sit in a larger bucket with a few (1-2) inches of willow water and 1-2 dissolved asprin - light tight cover and put in the house where it is cool but not cold.   Do another just like it and put in the house where it is warm.  the light tight water tight enviroment should stay moist  but not soppy.   In 10-14 days check the leaf stem junctions for any budding, put the covering back and wait 7-10 days and check again - if dead and dry or moldy chuck um out.    

[Ed Sutton]

Any jpg's of your christmas cactus ?   How is it doing ?