A Christmas cactus, which we bring to bloom at the right time, can become an ornament of which we will be rightly proud. Unfortunately, it often happens that the plant sets a lot of buds, but they fall even before they turn into beautiful flowers. What about that?
The Christmas cactus, which the more experienced among us know as Schlumbergera, does have the word “cactus” in its name, but it is significantly different from its desert relatives. It manifests itself not only in appearance, but mainly in the care requirements. It comes from the Brazilian rainforestswhere we can find it on trees as an epiphytic plant. So, if you are also wondering in vain why he doesn’t like your place, compare the conditions in the apartment with those he is used to by nature.
Honzík Lací also advises how to grow a Christmas cactus in a YouTube video:
It needs sufficient moisture
Of course, no one is forcing Christmas cactus growers to set up a rainforest at home. But it is certain that too dry air cannot even remotely suit such plants. Relatively around the cactus is essential for its prosperity, and if we cannot give it to him, we cannot even wonder that he fails to bring the buds to full bloom.
Find the right place for him
So what can we do for the Christmas cactus to ensure at least the basic necessary conditions for growth and flowering? We must not place it near a radiator or in places where warm air flows. Such spaces cause a literal panic reaction in the plant, and by the time it already bears buds, it can’t “think” of anything other than getting rid of such a burden. Because he will need the remaining water to preserve himself, he won’t even think about beautiful flowers at such a moment.
Beware of thermal shock
Another problem can be big thermal shock. Anyone who has ever grown a Christmas cactus knows very well that the buds can only be planted in a colder environment, where it must be moved around October in order to prepare thoroughly for Christmas. However, returning it to a heated room without proper preparation is a big mistake. Therefore, even before you place the cactus in the apartment, where it should already be in full bloom, leave it for a few days in transitional temperature conditions. Exposing the cactus (even if only for a few seconds) to icy air during ventilation, or carrying it home from the store, for example, is just as big a mistake.
Place it in a bowl of water
In order for the buds on the Christmas cactus to remain and its flowers to please us for as long as possible, we must therefore maintain as constant a humidity as possible in its surroundings. It is even more important in a panel apartment, because the humidity there tends to be much lower than in other houses. At the same time, we don’t have to keep dewing the cactus. A very good option is to place a flower pot in an impermeable container in a bowl filled with water. This will then gradually evaporate and the plant will have an environment like in nature, for which we will also be duly rewarded. We mustn’t forget the topping either, but in this case it should be about smaller doses of water at shorter time intervals. The roots of this plant could not handle waterlogging.
Better not to turn the flowerpot at all
In addition to stable moisture, Schlumbergera also needs a secure habitat. He hates not only moving from place to place, but not even just turning the pot. It is about the light conditions, and as soon as we disturb them with any movement, it gets into an unpleasant situation, which it solves again as we have already mentioned – it simply gets rid of the buds. So if you manage to find an ideal place for the Christmas cactus, don’t change anything. Only then will you be able to be sure that you will enjoy Christmas in the company of a beautifully blooming Brazilian beauty.
