Maintaining a Christmas Cactus Throughout the Year: 8 Essential Guidelines
Maintaining a Christmas Cactus Throughout the Year: 8 Essential Guidelines
The Holiday Cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) is a popular choice for indoor gardening during the holiday season, appreciated for its brilliant, vibrant flowers and its ease of care. Although it originates from Brazil, maintaining a Holiday Cactus in your home is quite straightforward. Just adjust your indoor temperature to a comfortable range between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, which is quite considerable considering the chilly weather outside. The plant also requires minimal indirect light and appropriate soil maintenance.
Here's a comprehensive guide to ensure your Holiday Cactus thrives year-round, specifically details on how frequently you should water your indoor plant for optimal growth.
Adhere to a Watering Schedule
Mainly, Holiday cacti don't require much water once they've reached maturity. However, they do require more water in other stages of their life cycle, so follow the watering chart below to determine the appropriate watering frequency for your Holiday Cactus:
- During the Spring-Summer period, water your cactus once or twice per week.
- During Fall, water your plant weekly until buds begin to form.
- During Winter, water every month or every other month.
Holiday cacti grow better with moisture in the soil but not to the point of being waterlogged. You should only give your Holiday cactus between 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water each time you water. Unlike other houseplants, Holiday cacti prefer their soil to be drier compared to others. You'll know it's time to water your cacti when the top 2 inches of soil are completely dry. If it's moist, your plant can wait for its next watering.
Prepare Your Holiday Cactus for the Next Season
Holiday cacti start blooming between November and December, but proper preparation is required for optimal growth. Introduce the houseplants indoors starting in September or October to encourage soil growth after pruning them during the Spring, immediately after their growth period has finished.
Additional Holiday Cactus Care Tips
Apart from maintaining consistently moist soil and sticking to a regular watering schedule, keep in mind these additional tips for the optimal growth and care of your Holiday Cactus:
- Provide the plant with indirect, bright sunlight.
- Increase the humidity levels of the plants by regular misting and raising the temperature.
- Keep the indoor temperature between 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Pot your Holiday Cactus in well-drained, slightly acidic soil.
- Fertilize the plant during the Spring and Summer months.
- Prune the plant immediately following its growing season to prepare for the next season.
Utilizing the insight from this guide, you might consider exploring different Gardening Ideas for incorporating Houseplants into your SouthernLiving space. The Holiday Cactus, with its vibrant flowers and easy care, could be an excellent addition to your indoor garden. Adhering to its watering schedule ensures its growth and survival throughout the year.