Gardening - Q&A: Timing Christmas Cactus Bloom

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Q&A: Timing Christmas Cactus Bloom

National Gardening Association

Question: How do I encourage Christmas cactus to bloom in December? Mine always blooms in November.

Answer: Seems to be a common problem/complaint of Christmas cactus owners. Perhaps it should be called simply a Holiday Cactus to cover all bases. To encourage blooms on your Christmas cactus for the next holiday season, there are a few things to keep in mind. First of all, the plant needs a rest period (a period when growth slows or ceases). To force it to rest, cut back on moisture so the soil stays just barely moist. Keep the plant in a spot where the temperature never exceeds 65F (18C) and allow only ten hours of light each day. As a native of South America, Christmas cactus is a short-day plant requiring about fourteen hours of complete darkness each day to encourage bud development. From the onset of buds it takes about 12 weeks for blooms to appear.

Content provided by the National Gardening Association