christmas cactus

Things to Know About Growing Christmas Cactus

Dan Specialty Crops, This Land of Ours

christmas cactus

Cathy Isom fills you in today about some things to know about growing a Christmas Cactus. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. 

Things to Know About Growing Christmas Cactus

Christmas cacti are native to humid, jungle-type woodlands, and often grow attached to a tree. This means that they do best in a semi-shade position, out of direct light.

Christmas cacti are normally grown as houseplants. In the warmer, summer months you can place the Christmas cactus outside on the porch. Just remember to bring the plant inside when the temperatures start to drop towards 50F.

Christmas cacti are easy to care for.  However, because of their name, many people wrongly assume, that these plants love arid conditions. This misconception often leads to the plant being under-watered and struggling to thrive. The holiday cacti also make ideal houseplants for pet owners. They’re just one of the many houseplants that are neither toxic nor harmful to your furry friends.

Christmas Cacti. Water as soon as the top inch of the soil feels dry. Soak the plant until water is running out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the container. Discard the water and never let your plants sit in water for a prolonged period. This can cause the roots to become overly soggy and rot. A well-cared-for plant that sits in good soil will happily grow without any plant food. However, if you want to give your cactus an extra boost, and encourage flowering, apply a well-balanced houseplant feed. Reduce feeding to once a month during the fall and winter months.

I’m Cathy Isom…