- When does the cactus have to be cut?
- Cut off protruding, diseased and old shoots
- Cut off faded flowers
- Cut cuttings for propagation
Basically, the leaf cactus does not have to be cut at all. If you have enough space, just let it grow. You should only cut the faded flowers immediately. In some species, this encourages a second flowering.
If faded flowers are cut off, this can stimulate a second flowering
When does the cactus have to be cut?
The leaf cactus is often grown as a traffic light plant because the long leaf limbs hang down in a very decorative way. Longer shoots are definitely desirable. It is therefore not necessary to cut a leaf cactus. However, you can always crop it to:
- to cut off overhanging shoots
- to remove faded
- pruning old and diseased shoots
- Obtaining cuttings for propagation
Cut off protruding, diseased and old shoots
In low light, the shoots of the leaf cactus sometimes become very long and thin. You should cut such shoots calmly. You can also remove very long hanging branches that disturb the overall appearance of a traffic light plant. You can also trim shoots that have dried up or are very old at any time.
You can cut at any time, only during the winter you should limit such care measures to the bare minimum.
To cut leaf cacti, use sharp knives that you have previously cleaned. This prevents diseases, bacteria or fungi from being transferred to the leaf cactus.
Cut off faded flowers
When the flowers of the leaf cactus have faded, they unnecessarily rob the plant of its strength. It is therefore worthwhile to always cut faded flowers immediately.
Some types of leaf cacti are even encouraged to flower a second time by removing faded flowers. You can then enjoy your leaf cactus for even longer.
Cut cuttings for propagation
The leaf cactus can be easily propagated by cuttings. For this you only need to cut healthy, sufficiently long shoots.
The best time to cut cuttings is spring or summer.
Allow the interfaces to dry for at least a day. Then stick the cuttings in prepared pots with a mixture of garden soil and sand.
tips
The leaf cactus does not tolerate any frost. However, it must be kept cooler in winter, otherwise it will bloom little or not develop any flowers at all.