- Reasons why the Christmas cactus does not bloom
- Tips for getting Christmas cacti to bloom
- The Christmas cactus is a short-day plant
- When the flowers fall
In order for the Christmas cactus to develop its flowers in the beautiful colors, the location and care must be right. In addition, Christmas cacti need periods of darkness in order to bloom. Tips on how to get the Christmas cactus to bloom
If there is no dark phase, the Christmas cactus will not bloom
Reasons why the Christmas cactus does not bloom
If the Christmas cactus does not bloom, very different reasons can be responsible for it. It is often due to incorrect care or an unfavorable location. Reasons for missing flowers are:
- too much / too little watered
- too big pot
- too warm location
- lack of dormancy after flowering
- too much light before flowering
The root ball of the Christmas cactus must never dry out completely, but it must also never be too wet. Waterlogging prevents flowering in any case. Water according to the different growth phases.
It must not be too warm at the location of the Christmas cactus. During the day the temperatures should be around 21 degrees. At night it can be a little cooler at 17 to 19 degrees.
Tips for getting Christmas cacti to bloom
Maintain a three-month dormancy period after flowering. During this time, the Christmas cactus is watered very sparingly, and kept cooler and darker. You are welcome to look after him outside in the summer. However, it must be overwintered frost-free at room temperatures.
Make sure there is enough light, but avoid too much direct sunlight. The location should be protected from drafts.
The Christmas cactus is a short-day plant
As a short-day plant, the Christmas cactus needs at least twelve hours of complete darkness from September to December. During this time, either keep it completely dark for six weeks and make sure that it is not illuminated by artificial light sources in the evening.
When the flowers fall
The flowers of the Christmas cactus align with the light source. If you turn the pot just before or during flowering, the flowers will also turn. If this happens more often, the flowers fall off. Therefore, avoid changing the location of the pot.
tips
Christmas cacti are easy to propagate from cuttings. They can also be grown from seeds. However, this method is more complicated and suitable only for experts.