After it blooms, you should refrain from watering it for 2-3 weeks, so that it rests.

Then, I believe you can trim it a bit, which should help it bloom more vigorously next year.

Also, once new leaf growth starts, you can mix some house plant fertilizer with water (according to the directions) and spray it on the leaves, as it will absorb the nutrients through the leaves.

When was it last repotted?

Don't move it. Wait until after Mother's day, then fertilize it and repot it if you think it needs it. This plant does not like to be moved once it set flowers, Don't give it a larger pot, just trim back the roots a bit, Give it fresh soil, and put it back in the same pot, do not cut off any leaves now, they flower on the tips, and you don't want to mess with the flowering time now. Norma

Cutting the outermost segments may give you a bushier plant. When I root a cutting I always cut off the first new segment, then 2-3 new segments will grow out from the cutting. I doubt that trimming the plant will "rejuvenate" it, I have not seen that kind of improvements when trimming Schlumbergera. If new growth has been weak it has been equally weak after trimming.

Do you have a picture of the flowers? The plant does not have the typical Christmas cactus look, it looks more like an old type of Thanksgiving cactus.

I prune my Christmas Cactus on Mother's Day, as well....for the past two seasons.

My Christmas Cactus is in a large terra cotta pot, and I water from the top without consequence. In fact, I splash the hell out of it when I water. These are jungle cacti that receive rain almost daily...probably multiple times per day during some of the year. The key is drainage - these plants are up in tree-crooks, where water seldom pools significantly.

Josh

This last comment by Josh is exactly right.

These plants grow in tropical forest, they get frequent rain. I too water from the top; since I have a lot of pumice in my mix & good drainage, it drains immediately w/ no problem.

Your Aunt should wait 'til next Spring after she starts to see lots of new growth before cutting it back some, not before.

to each his own... :)

Yes, all gardening is local...
we must all find what works for us!

Blutarski,
you've mentioned that you let your Portulacaria afras dry out between waterings.
And you've said that you don't water your Christmas Cactus from the top.

Not to be a contrarian ;) but that's the complete opposite of my cultural practices.

Josh

Thanks for all the responses. So you would not suggest repotting at all only triming the roots? and I will let her know about the triming and that the best times are spring. She never has a problem getting this plant to bloom every year! she even turns it as the buds open and the still bloom, when I was thinking Dang, I heard your not supposed to move them!

I'm pretty sure it's a Christmas Cactus. althought it could be an early Thanksgiving type. I'll take a picutre when the buds open, It has pink flowers! It looks different then my Thanksgiving cactus, I have 7.

I don't understand why the roots should be trimmed. That is something I have never done, and I don't think I have heard about this practice before, not even in reliable written sources about this genus. It would be interesting to know how it is supposed to benefit the plant.

I think folks will find the roots aren't large enough to merit trimming. I don't believe these plants make large root systems.

yeah, I also don't see the reason for triming roots thats why I was asking, I know this plant has been in the same pot for many years, I think it should be repotted, in a slightly larger pot, would you agree with this? So what she should do is... Repot in a slightly large pot and trim some of the leaves down, do both these things in spring, Is this pretty much what I'm looking at to get done?

I do have much expereince with these cactus, but I know have had it with young plants, not real old ones like this. Thanks

They also don't like to be near doors that open, or drafts, it likes cooler night temperatures 50F and fertilizer in Ausgust. Give adequate water to maintain bud set. Do not place them near unvented heaters, or rouch handling. Night temps, above 70F may stop bud setting.
These plants need total darkness at night. The plants flower with temps of 55-60F. and cool long nights, for a 6 week period. There are many causes of bud drop. Keep it away from heating ducts, or near the fireplace of drafty areas. It also need 50-60% humidity. Let it rest after flowring for a month in a cool room , providing limited water at this time do not prune at this
time, new growth begins in Feb.-march or early April then you prune or shape by pinching and it may flower more than once during the year. This information was provided by the Cactus and Succulent Organization of America.
This was not the complete article and was not written word for word. The reason I prune back the roots is so I can put fresh organic decomposed matter at the bottm for the plant to grow on for the next year and return it to the same size pot.
I am only telling you how I take care of my plants, your plants you may do what ever you want. Each of us will do what we think is best for our growing conditions. I live in a hot arid zone. I also put pots of water under my benches to raise the humidity. I use plastic pots so they don't dry out, my humidity has been 5% I do not grow mine in the house and they are setting buds at this time. Norma

Judging from experience, I don't think it needs a larger pot. I would not cut off any segments either, because your plant looks very healthy and branches well anyway. Just remove segments that are misshapen or have grown smallen than they should.

When a soil replacement is needed, much of the roots will come off anyway (they are thin and weak) so they do not need to be deliberately cut. You should rather try to keep them as intact as possible.

I heard some peopl say they wanted picutres of the flowers, Well I was aunt my aunts today and the flowers have opened in her Cactus. Here are the picutres.

Aunts Christmas Cactus flower
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14877967@N03/4088759924/

My Thanksgiving cactus are not yet flowering but are very close!