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Holiday cacti

Chrissy- zone6B/7A

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

When a friend's mother passed away and the house was being emptied these 4 plants were going to be thrown in a dumpster so my boyfriend brought them home and told me they're Christmas cactuses. The little one had red bumps on the tips where the roots normal grow and what looked like several buds but has been shedding leaves left and right. The two bigger ones look healthy as far as I can tell. The stump in the back could be dead as far as I know. I haven't noticed any new growth but idk if I'm supposed to either. I watered them the day I got them and ever since the soil seems damp all the time.

Since idk when they usually bloom idk what to expect or how to treat them. I'm not so much interested in trying to get a good bloom, I just want to keep them alive!!! So, is the stump in the back worth trying to save? Should I repot them or is now a bad time? Should I keep them outside or hurry and get them inside? It's still mild here in NJ, today was 80 and sunny and the nights get down to between 50 or 60. Help!!

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Comments (4)

tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
6 years ago
The one front and center may be a Christmas cactus which would bloom later, the two largest on either side are Thanksgiving cacti and they bloom earlier. Mine is starting now. How many days has the soil stayed damp? These are a forest cacti and do not like much sun, if any at all. Certainly no sun at all if they haven't been acclimated to any. Mine stay outside in the shade of a screen porch until temps drop below 40*F. As to repotting, I'd like to know more specifics about the soil they are in.

tj
Chrissy- zone6B/7A
Original Author
6 years ago
Ive had them on the shady size of the gazebo (idk what the specifics of a gazebo are, we just call it that. We'll say 15 x 15 ft. open air structure comparable to a porch). I don't know if they were inside or out before they moved here. I read about the forest soil (and Im so new I don't even know for sure but I would guess I tend to overwater) so I haven't let them get "dry" since i got them. Im noticing everything needs less and less watering and I'm worried about over watering the house plants so I've been on the cautious side trying to wait until it looks a little drier but it never seems to look different, neither do the plants. I can say that the soil is visibly still damp after not watering for about 6 days (I think). I'll go out and get pictures of the tops, maybe that will help some.
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Chrissy- zone6B/7A
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Okay so first thing this morning I felt like it was still damp but by the time I took the pictures i think the old stump and the little guy we're ready for a drink. The soil in the little one looks like it always pulls away from the pot even when it was just watered. The other two I still don't know about. The one looks okay, I would def water it tomorrow morning. The largest has roots popping out, white build up, yuck. Idk... What do u think?
Chrissy- zone6B/7A
Original Author
6 years ago
Idk if I should mention today was hotter and more humid than it has been for a while. After the wettest summer of my life it rained (more like a heavy drizzle) for the first time in 16 days. They weren't out in it but I'm sure it's not a coincidence the hottest day in a while is the day I could finally see a difference

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