Can you use cactus soil for Christmas cactus?
The ideal potting soil will contain a high proportion of organic matter such as peat or well-decomposed compost. Addition of coarse sand, or even aquarium gravel, will provide the necessary drainage and aeration. There are commercially available cactus potting soils that are designed to be well-drained soils.
How do you grow Christmas cactus in potting soil?
You can buy commercial potting mixes for cacti that will ensure good drainage. With just a little effort, however, you can make your own. The easiest medium requires three parts regular potting soil mixed with two parts perlite. This will provide perfectly adequate drainage.
What is the best fertilizer for Christmas cactus?
A bloom formula houseplant fertilizer or a half strength water soluble formula, such as 20-20-20 or 20-10-20, makes an ideal fertilizer for Christmas cactus. Feed monthly during regular watering from late winter to late summer.
Can you grow Christmas cactus without soil?
The Christmas cactus can also be rooted in water. To try this method, you’ll need a glass jar, some pebbles or stones, and a few cuttings from a healthy plant. The best way to root a Christmas cactus in water is: Like the dirt rooting method, start with between one and four cuttings.
Why is my Christmas cactus soil hard?
If the soil has become hard and compact, you should repot or water very slowly to allow the water to penetrate the tight soil, rather then run down the inside of the container and out the drainage holes without wetting the soil. Food: You only need to fertilize when the plant is actively growing or blooming.
Do Christmas cactus need repotting?
Most plants are best repotted when they display new growth in spring, but Christmas cactus repotting should be done after blooming ends and the flowers have wilted in late winter or early spring. Never attempt to repot the plant while it is actively blooming. Frequent repotting can damage the plant.
Are eggshells good for Christmas cactus?
Plants need calcium for growth just as much as they need phosphorus and nitrogen. And eggshells as fertilizer are an excellent way to provide your succulents and cacti with calcium carbonate.
How to care for a Grafted cacti plant?
Measure the pH of the soil. Depending on your rootstock, you can find out the proper soil pH for your plant. Many cacti prefer an acidic-to-neutral soil that is properly aerated. Try a cactus fertilizer. Introducing the right cactus fertilizer during the growing season can help encourage healthy growth in your grafted plant.
What kind of soil do you use for Christmas cactus?
With just a little effort, however, you can make your own. The easiest medium requires three parts regular potting soil mixed with two parts perlite. This will provide perfectly adequate drainage. If you’d like to take it a step further, mix equal parts compost, perlite, and milled peat.
How often should I water my Christmas cactus?
Water your Christmas cactus whenever the soil is dry – try not to let the soil dry out completely, but don’t let water stand in the pot or the saucer underneath. Drainage is much more important than water volume.
How often should you transplant a Christmas cactus?
Drainage is much more important than water volume. Used to growing in small nooks on trees, the Christmas cactus likes being slightly root bound. Plant it in a pot that provides just a little room for growth, and transplant it no more frequently than every three years.