Hey, Toni!
I'm sure you'll get lots of good responses here.

I root and grow my CC in nearly pure Orchid Bark (which is actually fir bark).
If you want a little more water retention, add a small amount of Perlite and potting soil.
If you have Peat, you could add that instead of the potting soil, since it serves the same purpose.

Bright, indirect light, warm, medium-sized pots. I typically root 3 cuttings to a pot.

A bonsai pot is fine. What kind of soil mix were you using?

Josh

Toni: Same to you..Good to see you...You must be keeping awfully busy..:-)

My cuttings take off when they are in a very warm, brightly lit, and humid enviroment...
The ones I have are growing like crazy in the pop up greenhouse.I am able to water them as often as I want without fear of rot, which they seem to enjoy. Then, I can forget to water them for a few days, and they still do not seem to mind at all....

The ones I have in my house, grow a lot more slowly and are treated differently..

Here is a great link to help you with care for them..It looks these plants have a growing, flowering, and rest period, something I never knew..
The key is to fertilize them appropiately and understand their growing habits..

Side thought...I also just found out the reason why my rare yellow CC has a lot of pink in the buds too..Certain CC like very warm conditions and will only grow flowers to their real colors when temps are kept above 70 degrees..Colder temps and the acidity of the mix can have an effect on these giving them a slight tint..
Many CC need many days of darkness to bud to flower of at least 14 hours and that even putting on a light can have a negative effect on them.
Cold is not the trigger to blooming for most, but the length of day, or amount of light they recieve..I am still learning about these fascinating plants..

What a great article provided by Norma..

Mike..:-)

Oops: Here is the link I meant to provide that was posted bt Norma...Very helpful.

Here is a link that might be useful: CC cactus care

Hi Toni,

Forget fertilizing them for this year Toni, I'd concentrate on potting them correctly in right mix (I make up an AV mix w/ extra perlite, for light & fluffy mix).

While these are cacti, they're jungle (tropical) cacti, as such they need really fast draining mix & good air circulation. One waters these as if Houseplants or Tropicals, not Cacti (that is to say, they take a fair amount of water). Next year, AFTER they re-start their new growth in Spring sometime, then try fertilizing w/ some acid fertilizer or tomato fertilizer. This is one of the few plants on which I use time release fertilizer (in my case, an acid based Osmocote, I think).

Other than the excellent site provide by Norma & others & shared here by MMike, pls. check out the rest of the C&S pages for this. There are oodles of posts to browese, loads of info. (almost as much as on Wacking Back those Jades.)

OT, but likely of interest to you. I recently went back to Houseplant Conversations & updated my Smoking Cessation thread. I'll do more in future, but I updated it a bunch & started explaining how it worked for me. Bottom line, was I tried what will happen if I don't buy any more cigarettes?

(PG) Karen

who will be tobacco free for THREE (count 'em, 3) years next Jan. 24!!!

Congrats, Karen!

I, too, use Osmocote in my mix when potting CC.

These cuttings were taken two years ago, and they are now ready to be given away as gifts.
The larger of the two (which is budding like crazy!) will go to my brother and his girlfriend tomorrow.
I know that many folks say not to move these when budding/blooming, but I've never experienced a problem with Christmas Cactus.
Nor have I needed to keep them dark/light or warm/cold in any particular fashion.

{{gwi:705315}}

Josh

I want to thank everyone for replying..Had to go shopping for a last minute turkey...cuttings are sitting in paper towel awaiting a container.

Now I have to decide whether to use Fir Bark/Peat/Soil/Perlite or AV/Perlite. Thankfully, I have all mentioned.

Josh, to be honest, I don't remember which mediums were mixed for last years cuttings, but there's quite a bit of Perlite.

Your cuttings are two-year-old? How many segments did each cutting have? They're huge..sheesh..lol..They're no longer cutings. What size is your bonsai pot?
My bonsai container 'old cuttings' measures, 9"wide, 2"deep, oval shaped. Seven cuttings.
What do you consider a medium size pot? lol. 2 or 3" per cutting?
My remaining bonsai pots are way too large for the two new cuttings. I have one that's about 2" wide but that might be too small.
As for moving CC when in bud...I don't bother trying to get CC to bloom by the short day method. I've read if a CC isn't covered the exact minute each day, it won't bloom. lol..probably a myth. I keep outside until first or second frost..buds form, then they're brought indoors.. As long as the room isn't hot, buds don't drop. Maybe coincidence?? I assumed it was the cold that forced CC to bloom.

Mike, why can you water your CC cuttings as much as you want, yet they don't rot? lol.
You and I probably read the same article about 'Yellow' CC. lol..I was going to keep my yellow in a warmer room, but the window gets less sun. I ended up putting in w/other CC. lol.
Mike, thanks for the link. Don't have time to read now, 'gotta start baking,' but will at first chance.

Karen, you and Josh mentioned Osmocote. Do you add in soil w/cuttings or mature plants?
Using Osmocote is a great idea, thanks. Luckily, I have half a container of Osmocote for acidic plants left.

Thanks again. BTW, has anyone ever seen 'Thor' CC? They're beautiful!!! The Thors 'flowers' have 3 colors per flower. I believe flowers change color..not 100%, but one entry, 'Ebay' said the Thor flowers changed colors day by day.

Another beauty is called Samba Brazil. I placed a bid, but a day later, it was over 10.00..lol..for a two-segment cutting. I had no idea there were so many holiday cactus varieties. There used to be a site that sold nothing but..Lost the addy. They had gorgeous CC. Does anyone remember the addy?

Okay, enough chatting..anything to get out of work..lol.
Hope all has a Wonderful, Saft Thanksgiving. hugs, Toni

Hey, Toni, a happy Thanksgiving to you, too!

I started with cuttings that were 3 - 5 segments long. They've grown quite a bit, indeed!
If you want yours to grow quickly, make a mix that is mostly bark. You won't be disappointed.
5 scoops of Bark, 1 scoop of AV soil, and 1-2 scoops of Perlite should make a satisfying mix.

A medium container is around 4 inches, by my estimation.

I rooted those cuttings in the same containers they're in today.

Yes, mix the Osmocote directly into the Bark/soil with the young cuttings.

Here are some additional pics.
According to my notes, the cuttings below were 7 months old.

{{gwi:705318}}
{{gwi:705319}}

Josh

has anyone ever seen 'Thor' CC? They're beautiful!!! The Thors 'flowers' have 3 colors per flower. I believe flowers change color..not 100%, but one entry, 'Ebay' said the Thor flowers changed colors day by day.

Just 'Thor', eh? The accuracy of eBay is stunning ... Hybrids called something that begins with "Thor" are from the Thoruplund nursery in Denmark. They sell a whole range of hybrids (with different colours, some have less than 3) from both Hatiora (Rhipsalidopsis) and Schlumbergera under these names, but I don't know (yet) of any hybrid just called 'Thor' and nothing more. Here is their "history" page (there are links to pages with pictures at the bottom of the page, size = pot size) :

Thoruplund

Some cacti flowers change colour over time, but I am not aware of any Schlumbergera that do so.

Hi..Hope everyone had a wonderful Turkey-Day...

Josh, my poor cuttings are still wrapped in newspaper.
I've been so busy preparing for the holiday, a personal problem, and waiting to hear how others prepare cuttings, I'm going to get to it right after I finish this post.

I'll make up mix, including Osmocote. "For acidic plants, right?"

Your 7 month old cuttings are larger than my 1-year-plus. lol.

Josh, after repotting, should the pot be placed in plastic? 'for humidity.'

One more question. lol. Since the cuttings from last year haven't put out much growth, should they be removed from the bonsai container and potted individually, with the same orchid mixture?

TJ.. Honestly, I don't know much about CC varieties. I found the name Thor on Ebay, while browsing for a variegated CC.
I then Googled Thor CC and came up with different Thor types like Thor Ogla, Thor Brit, Thor Alice, and more.
Each have a different flower colors, w/quite a bit of silver on throats/upper petals.
Whatever, they're beautiful, but more $$ than standard colors.

Thanks again for your help..gonna get these cuttings started..Toni

Hi Toni,

Happy post-Turkey everybody.

These are things where simplicity is best. Make a mix as he or I suggested try the 3 or 4" plastic pots w/ 3 cuttings in each & go to it. I only did the Osmocote thing as I'd bought my TC small from a plant sale table & wanted it in my mix, so I was changing out of that mix.

They're pretty no muss, no fuss for me. I water them well but not all that often & I leave 'em alone for the most part.

The one I'm struggling w/ is the Easter Cactus, quick to shed sections, not always obvious as to why, hum.

But that site which link was recently suggested again affirms that Easter Cactus seems much fussier.

Karen, I only won four cuttings, 'two of each CC varieties. Cuttings went in two, 3" pots. 4" is too large.
They're potted, then both sat in the sink w/warm water, until the mixture moistened.

Karen, are you caring for your EC different than CC? Toni

Good job, Toni!
I'm sorry I didn't get back sooner!

No, you don't need to put them in plastic for humidity.
They should do just fine in the new mix you've made. Water them, as Karen says, and then forget 'em for a while.

I also wanted to tell you that I left my cuttings unpotted for 2 weeks...so don't feel bad about taking a
couple days to get them potted ;)

By the way, did you re-pot the cuttings in the bonsai pot?
I'm curious how their roots looked, if so.


Josh

Thank's Josh...it was you and Karen who helped.
I'm surprised your CC leaves weren't limp after two weeks.
Other Epis thrive, lying on the ground, carpet or sidewalk. This summer, a two segments Cryptocereus 'RickRack' broke. It remained on the outside front porch over a month 'in blazing sun..You'd think it'd have died, or even softened..Nope..it was as firm as ever.

In the past when CC sections broke, 'without my knowledge, and usually the dogs brushing against them, 'fault'' leaves were limp, thin. Like an AV leaf that's been off mom a week or more. Apples and oranges. lol.
Than again, our floors get cold...that could be the reason.

Josh, I didn't unpot the CC in bonsai pot. I was waiting for an opinion/s.. It's winter, very dark, and cool. Even in the house. I didn't know if unpotting would be a good idea or cause shock.

Toni is this the site you remember?

http://www.whittongreenhouses.com/mailorderindex.htm

Toni, let's face it..Everything Josh grows look as if they have been on steroids!!lol

He does such a great job with his plants..They seem to be quite happy in the way they respond to his care...It could also be the mix he uses..

I have mine in almost all small bark chips, perlite and a tad bit of peat and some in a very gritty mix...It allows me to water quite frequently, and at the same time, if I forget and they dry out, CC are very forgiving for this too..They usually tell you they need watering when the leaves start to shrivel if one waits too long, and yet seem to plump right back up once watered, at least for mine..

Josh, those cuttings have grown like mad! Great job..

Karen thank you for your suggestions..

Marquest and Tj, thank you for the info.

Good night

Mike

Thanks, Mike...your compliments always go straight to my head! ;)
I do appreciate your kind words, though - it makes me glad to post pictures.

Toni, the cuttings were very limp, indeed, but I potted them anyway....and they survived amazingly!

With the bonsai container, I think you can safely lift the cuttings and gently re-pot them.
I understand your hesitation in messing with them...but since you'll be putting them into
a more open mix, it will probably help them stay healthier and more vital this Winter.

But I don't want to pressure you. They are your cuttings after all!


Josh