Christmas Cactus Care Guide

While the poinsettia remains the most popular of the holiday plants, a healthy Christmas cactus in full bloom can put on a spectacular show. Follow these tips to keep your Christmas cactus looking its best.

Temperature

Most blooming plants will keep their blossoms longer in cooler temperatures. Keep the plant in a well-lit location away from heat vents, fireplaces or other sources of hot air.

Soil Conditions

Well-drained soil is a must for Christmas cactus. Use a commercially packaged potting mix for succulent plants or mix your own by combining two parts plain potting soil with one part clean sand or vermiculite.

Watering

Watering seems to be the source of most problems with the Christmas cactus. Water thoroughly when the top half of the soil in the pot feels dry to the touch. Discard the excess water, then do not water again until the top half becomes dry. The length of time between waterings will vary with the air temperature, amount of light, rate of growth and relative humidity.

Light Levels

While the Christmas cactus can adapt to low light, more abundant blooms are produced on plants that have been exposed to high light intensity. Keep your plants in a sunny location indoors. Plants can be moved outdoors in summer, but keep them in a shady or semi-shady location. Too much direct sunlight can burn the leaves. When it's time to bring the plants back inside in the fall, slowly adjust the plants to life indoors by gradually increasing the number of hours they spend indoors each day.

Pruning

Pruning your Christmas cactus after blooming will encourage the plant to branch out. Remove a few sections of each stem by pinching them off with your fingers or cutting with a sharp knife. These sections can be rooted in moist vermiculite to propagate new plants.