I'd LOVE to have too many buds!!!

Sometimes I have a few branches with two flowers at the ends and they stay on the plant all winter long. Three would be fantastic! Personally, I wouldn't cut off anything!

Bud drop can be caused by a few reasons, pest, although I have never ever seen any on mine.If the plants gets too warm, buds can fall off. Keep it away from heat sources such as vents for central heat and fireplaces.
Try to keep the temps around 60-67 or cooler. If the plant is turned when the buds are still small, that is, under a half inch to an inch in length, the buds can fall off, they just are not strong enough to turn their little heads another direction yet.
Make sure it's getting bright indirect light, even a unobstructed north window is good and it's receiving enough water (not over-watered) letting the soil almost dry out between each watering.

Billy Rae

My thanksgiving in the greenhouse is absolutely covered too...I'd just leave them along and allow the cactus to decide which it would like to grace you with and which it finds too stressful to hold onto. I agree with greattigerdane about rotating the pots though, when their just small even a little rotation will causes some bud drop.
Peace,
Nate

Thanks , Billy Rae and Nate !

Although I KNOW one is not supposed to turn these plants when they are budding , when I come to think of it , I might have done just that after all.

The flower buds on the "window side" of the plant grow faster than on the other side. I think I might have turned the plant when the first buds on the "window side" open , this might have affected the smaller buds "all over the plant".

I'll take your advice and not take off any buds.

The flower buds grow faster on the window side because it's cooler. That and shorter daylight causes budding. The extra buds are a GOOD thing, Xmas cactus do that too and can bloom as many as 4 or 5 times over the coarse of winter.
Leave it be to do it's thing! Congrats!

Tom

Hi Tommy,

Bloom 4 or 5 times over one winter!? Common now, have you actually seen this happen (or just read or heard that it may)?

I've got a friend whose Xmas cacti bloom 3 or 4 times a year, but not over the Winter alone; happens Winter & Easter (she & her husband joke that the plants are perverts, they must be having sex ALL THE TIME to bloom so many times in one year)!

Well , all the flower buds are still on the plant !

{{gwi:105860}}

( The segments of the plant are really dark green ,
I don't know why some of them have this yellow hue on the photo ?!? )

Bergit, don't fret about the apparent yellow hue. It IS your camera. Mine does the same thing and drives me batty. Oh well. One of these ole days I'll make time to read the entire owners manual to figure out WHY it does that. Or, maybe it's just a lighting issue.

Anyhoo, your plant is so full of buds. You sure didn't feed that thing a steady dose of steroids?

GH;)

Bergit, your plant is beautiful..it's so full and so many buds, too..I'd love seeing a pic of it once they're all opened..Toni

Bergit, we all know too well that the bud colors can fool ya. What color will yours be when they open? Is it a named hybrid?

GH , the buds are white but gradually become red/pink , I don't know exactly what to call this shade :

{{gwi:105861}}

This picture was taken when the plant rebloomed for Easter.
It was taken without the flash-light , so the color is true.
It may have been the flash-light that changed the color of the segments in the first picture ???
This doesn't happen when I take pictures in bright day-light ( without the flash-light ).
Yes , one more who needs to read that manual ... ;-)

Thanks , GH and Toni , for commenting on my plant ! :-)

Oh , I forgot :
It's not a named hybrid.
I bought it in a 4 inch / 10 cm pot at the local supermarket 3 years ago.

You should make that picture part of a Christmas or postcard. It's beautiful!

Wow, wow, wow! What a gorgeous plant! And so big too :) I'm with Growhappy. A photo of that plant as soon as the flowers open is a perfect picture for a holiday card. Stunning!

I can't believe all the buds! Even if it does drop half it will still be full. It's beautiful and I love the color too.
Lucky you! I have 5 and only 2 are budding but just got them last year and it's the first time for them to bloom. I think one has 3 buds and the other 2. I started with just a 2 segment peice and it's grown some. Should I break some off and put it into the pot too make it fuller? If so, when should I do that? It's also time to bring them in will that drop the blooms if I keep them in the same direction? Thanks, Nancy

Nancy ,
the best time to start new cuttings is in spring , in March or April the plants are set for growth ( of both roots and segments ( leaves ) ). So when we talk about cuttings from your own plant I'd wait untill then.

When it comes to cuttings one is offered , I NEVER SAY NO to a nice cutting , but it's more difficult to root them now in fall. I think it's a good idea to start more cuttings in one pot to make the plant fuller.

About bringing the plants in ; you'll just have to take the chance ! :-)
Keep it in the same direction , don't turn it , and it will probably be ok. Best of luck !!!

Radio "Garden Hotline" guru Ralph Snodsmith's bloom at least 4 times over winter. I have quite a few that have 2 buds on the stems...

Tom

Tom ,
can you post pictures of your plants ?
And how do you grow them , as "houseplants" or as "cacti"
( I'm sure you understand I'm refering to another thread here ... ).

I made a surch on Ralph Snodsmith , but found nothing on how he grows his Thanksgiving Cacti.
So if someone could tell or post a link ...

bergit,

Very nice plant!

I have a little one with one bud on it.

Would love to see what your plant looks like now:)

Pirate_girl,
Talk show host Ralph Snodsmith says his bloom 4 times during the season. I'd say that's proof enough for me. He's a sweetheart of a guy and his garden show helps LOTS of folks every week. WOR radio network. I've met him a few times over the years, super nice man.

I'd post a picture of my one but that would be repititious since your plant is exactly like mine.
I have two dogs though and they sit in their chairs...(yes, they have their own chairs to look out the window) and they knock against it and I can usually rely on picking up one or two or six buds occasionally.

I think the moving of the plant, especially making the buds turn their heads back to the sunlight they are used to, is the reason why they drop.

Bergit,
I grow mine as a houseplant, I water when the soil is nearly dry. They stay outside under a roofed back patio in bright defused light all summer until fall when the temps get down to about 45 degrees F. By then they have nice buds. Then they go inside in west facing windows. Never fails to produce blooms.

Ralph's web site (you can email him and ask him yourself but try to spell properly and sign your name or he won't reply. He's a stickler for grammer!)

http://www.gardenhotline.com/home.htm

info@gardenhotline.com

Bergit, I'm another member checking in daily, waiting to see if you have been able to post a photo of your schlumb when in full bloom. Looks gorgeous in anticipation. Some others have also posted their photos of schlumbs, which is nice for me, I didn't grow one this year, space limitations, so now I can experience this through others. Thanks!

I'm not letting my Thanksgiving cactus see the photo of your Thanksgiving cactus, for fear my plant's feelings would be hurt, and it would shuck all its bud/blooms in shame! CJ

I just went and looked at my 2 guys and still no blooms. Both plants seem to dry out so quickly. I am fearful of overwatering but they seem to need a drink every 4 or 5 days. They are not underpotted. Is it ok to water that much?

I am so envious of the too many buds problem!

Hey Toots,

Pls. remember they're jungle cacti, they WANT water when active.

I'd say check all the way down in the mix w/ a pencil or thin knife. (Like testing a cake for doneness), if the pencil comes out w/ mix on its tip there's still some moisture down below. I'd say as long as you're careful to check, if they dry out in 4, 5 days, maybe give them more water. Or if you're really unsure, maybe mist the mix when you feel you want to water again? I water mine (in a west window) every wknd, maybe every 10 says when I forget. In summer I water maybe every 5 days or so.