My Thanksgiving cactus in bloom

haxuan

15 years ago

I wish to share a pic of my Thanksgiving cactus. Holiday season is just around the corner.

Xuan

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Comments (4)

jodik_gw
15 years ago
Another beauty, Xuan! I envy your wonderful climate that plants seem to really enjoy!

I bought a small Christmas Cactus last winter... it was in bud when I got it, but promptly dropped every bud and some leaves, or segments, and hasn't done a thing since. It's still alive, but not very happy... what am I doing wrong?

It's in medium light, mainly because that's the only spot I have left! I only water it when dry... and of course, feed it occasionally... what can I do to make it happy again?

Great photos, Xuan!
haxuan
Original Author
15 years ago
Jodi, I must confess that I normally don't have much trouble with my "houseplants" so that I don't really know the "scientific measures" behind taking care of them. They just grow for me!

I figure it all has something to do with the planting medium and the climate. I plant my CC in a soil-less medium, tree fern to be exact, and I water them whenever I water other plants. I leave my orchids, succulents etc. in a shade house to keep from too much rain/dew and sun and feed them once a month with NPK slow released fertilizer. Occasionally I foliage feed them too.

In other words, I don't have special treatment for special species as I don't live where my plants are all the time and it's not practical to "train" my neighbors to care for my plants for me while I'm not there!

I've read somewhere (Cacti&Succulent forum) that CC needs a difference in day & night temperature to set buds. Perhaps when you leave yours inside all the time, the temperature's constant so it doesn't bloom? Can you move it outside somewhere, like on your porch/patio?

When I was in Calif before, I saw people left their CC outside, no watering at all or maybe very little watering, and the poor things looked so stressed, they dropped their segments, etc. But around Nov/Dec they bloomed! Of course, they didn't bloom as profusely as mine but they did bloom, I saw it!

So may I suggest that you change the planting medium (soil-less) and leave the plant outside whenever you can?

Hope your CC will grow well for you. At the mean time, enjoy mine. Here's a pic of one of mine with more buds open. (My living room is full of CC this week!)

{{gwi:425899}}

Xuan
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Thanks, puglvr! It's maybe not as bloomy as the parents, but once I get it repotted and pruned next spring we'll see how it does then. If it doesn't shape up, out it goes. juliana, maybe we would have to do it after you get back, or try to fit in a mailing before you go. I have to look at the weather before May 15, but sometimes it can work earlier than that. Just remind me about it in April and we'll go from there. I'm thinking of repotting all my cc's and giving them a prune job, so it wouldn't be hard to put a couple of the trimmings in an envelope. Anyway, earlier would fit better for me if the weather cooperates. Once it's nice out, I had better be done with the fussing with the house plants because the acre veg garden calls.
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Telling the differance between the holiday cactus is really confusing for a lot of people, usually people are refering to the same plant when they say Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus. These are what's available in stores between Thanksgiving and Christmas and have the wide leaf segments with jagged edges . But the true Christmas cactus are the ones with slim smooth edge segments and tend to hang down and these are what have been passed down through the generations and can seldom be found to purchase retail. Easter/Spring cactus are usually sold between Easter and Mothers day around here and the plant looks a lot like the real Christmas cactus but the flowers are very differant and they open and close up each day. My Thanksgiving cactus start blooming around the first of November and bloom through December than rest for a few weeks and than bloom again but not as many flowers and my Christmas cactus are starting to bloom now. It's still a bit early for Easter cactus to be blooming in most areas. I grow all three types and once you see them side by side it's really easy to tell the differance. Jo
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It's gorgeous! It might be a Thanksgiving Cactus, but the bright red and green colors are sure making a great December Christmas display.
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Merry Christmas, Misty! Love your pics! I had no idea it was even possible to buy "tin foil" trees anymore! (Wonder if they still make the "white plastic" ones somewhere too!) Since this is a "Christmas specific" thread, I'll copy my post from rossnagl's thread over here too! Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Happy Kwanzaa, or any other holiday you all may celebrate at this time of year! And a Happy New--Great Gardening!--Year to each and every one of you! May the Green Gods smile down on all of us in 2017! Skybird
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jodik_gw
15 years ago
Yours is just gorgeous, Xuan! I wish I could take mine outside, but there's no safe place to keep it... it's doing ok, it's just not growing very much. It is a young plant, so that might have something to do with it.
tommyr_gw Zone 6
15 years ago
Gorgeous! Way to go!

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My Thanksgiving cactus in bloom

Comments (4)

jodik_gw

haxuan
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My Thanksgiving cactus in bloom

Comments (4)

jodik_gw

haxuanOriginal Author

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jodik_gw

tommyr_gw Zone 6

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haxuan
Original Author