Prune Your Christmas Cactus in 5 Steps

Pruning a plant is a bit like trimming your specific individual hair: Logically, you already know that it’s going to all develop as soon as extra. Nonetheless the a part of you tentatively holding the scissors is feeling fairly apprehensive. Don’t panic! Pruning doesn’t ought to set off masses anxiousness; considerably on a species as forgiving because of the Christmas cactus.

Schlumbergera x buckleyi is a much-loved houseplant well-liked for its longevity and winter-flowering nature. Of their native Brazil, Christmas cacti anchor themselves to shady cliffs and tree nooks and accumulate dietary nutritional vitamins from wildlife droppings and decaying leaf litter. Potted up in a entrance room, they like well-drained, barely acidic soil. In stark distinction to their desert-dwelling cousins, these vegetation need delicate temperatures and an excessive amount of water. 

Why Prune Your Christmas Cactus?

Youthful Christmas cacti have an upright enchancment variety, nonetheless as they age, the basal stems thicken and develop to be woody. The branches will lengthen and begin to drape downward. This presents it a extraordinarily elegant look, however over time, it ought to almost definitely look leggy and a bit scraggly. Pruning can reshape and enhance the appears to be of those beautiful long-lived beauties.

Pruning also can assist promote flowering. This species varieties flowers totally on the ends of the stems, considerably the place the segments of the flattened stems meet. Further stems will lastly equal additional flowers.

One different excuse to present your houseplant a haircut? To make additional of them! This species can merely be propagated with stem cuttings. 

Step 1: Wait Till It’s Achieved Blooming

Prune your Christmas cactus right after it has achieved blooming however before it begins actively rising as quickly as further. That is usually spherical February or March. Pruning correct now will direct the upcoming vitality in path of producing new stems instead of down current stems. The tip outcome? A lush, bushy plant comparatively than longer stems.

Don’t prune earlier summer time season season. The Christmas cactus begins to direct vitality in path of flower bud formation in early fall. As shortly as buds start to variety, it’s greatest to go away them undisturbed. As short-day vegetation, Christmas cacti require various uninterrupted weeks of cool temperatures and extended (12+ hours per 24-hour day) stretches of darkness to set off flowering.

Step 2: Uncover the Acceptable Pruning Stage 

Fortunate for us, the pure sort of a Christmas cacti’s stem makes pruning fairly foolproof. The segmented stems are composed of many leaf-like buildings generally called phylloclades. Botanically talking, these are usually not true leaves, however they do perform photosynthesis. Select a slender joint between division segments. It’s going to in all probability naturally produce 1-2 new phylloclades the place it was cut back.

Avoid reducing the hardened, woody enchancment down close to the crown. Woody stems are a pure a part of the rising older course of and an indication of a mature plant! Adjust to the softer, inexperienced enchancment close to the very best of the stem.

Step 3: Make the In the reduction of

The second you’ve been ready for: time to prune your Christmas cactus! Some gardeners merely twist the stem at one in all many slender joints. I need to make the most of a pair of pruners or a knife to steer clear of tearing. In case you select to make the most of pruners or a pair of snips, ensure they’re clear before utilizing them. In case you’re hoping to propagate your cuttings, ensure every stem reducing has on the very least 3-4 segments and is various inches extended. 

Step 4: Resolve on a Fast Snip or Exhausting In the reduction of

In case you merely ought to tidy up or take away only a few stray stems, various fast snips should do it. Older vegetation which can be extra large may begin to drop branches that they may not help. On this case, you may need to cut back significantly extra sturdy.

If you’re attempting to drastically reshape the plant or take away only a few of its mass, you may prune as lots as one third of the foliage. Eradicating just a few third of the leaves at any given time may ship it into shock. The plant may or could not flower contained in the upcoming season.

Step 5: Make Further Crops

Now, what to do with all these bits of stem? That is the right completely different to broaden your Christmas cactus assortment (or a fantastic pal’s) and propagate various new vegetation! Likelihood is excessive it would be best to begin various stem cuttings to up your odds of worthwhile propagation.

Let the stem reducing dry for a day. This can enable the wound to callous over, which, in flip, will forestall rot. Then, place the reducing upright in moistened potting combine. Christmas cacti require very sharply drained soil that’s comparatively nutrient poor. Use a potting combine considerably made for succulents and cacti, or make your specific individual potting combine out of potting soil, perlite, and coarse gravel or sand.

Put the planted stem reducing in a shiny, heat (65-75°F or 18-24°C) location. Preserve the potting combine persistently moist however not waterlogged. Fairly just a few spritzes with a sprig bottle will assist amp up the humidity with out drowning the stem reducing. You could too affix a plastic bag or dome all through the vegetation to take care of up humidity.

It ought to presumably take 2-3 weeks for roots to variety. Be affected particular person! As shortly as new enchancment begins rising on the tip, you may re-pot the stem reducing in a good greater container of your selection. Likelihood is excessive it would be best to strive planting 2-3 stem cuttings collectively to assist fill out a good greater container. New cuttings could also be propagated at any time of 12 months, however you may want among the many greatest leads to late spring.