Things You'll Need:
- water
- fertilizer
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Step 1
Blooming for an orchid cactus is always during the warmer months of spring and summer. They are quite resilient and can be kept inside our outside usually, unlike many other orchid species. However it is very important not to give your plant too much sunlight as this can cause problems with the leaves and flowers. With most of my orchids I like to keep them behind blinds, so the sunlight is scattered.
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Step 2
In September and October, Christmas cactus plants should be kept in a cool room where temperatures will remain around 50 degrees, give or take a few degrees. Be sure not to expose them to freezing temperatures. It's also very important they be kept in a room where no artificial light will be turned on at night.
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Step 3
The Christmas cactus should never be placed near a door that opens and closes to the outside. Likewise, keep it away from heating ducts or near the fireplace or drafty areas.
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Step 4
Fertilization and Watering are the other 2 vital issues in the orchid cactus care program. The orchid cactus does not prefer their roots to be wet and hence, it is advised to plant the cactus in such a way that the water is drained easily. Soil need not to be tightly packed, but in fact a mixture of inorganic, organic as well sand material needs to be used.
In late October or early November, make an application of a 0-10-10 type liquid fertilizer. A second application of this fertilizer can be made in February. During the growing season from April through September, fertilize the plants with an all purpose liquid houseplant type fertilizer. The fertilizer you use should have a nitrogen ratio of no higher than 10 percent. Of the three numbers on a fertilizer container, the first number is nitrogen. -
Step 5
I advise to only water the cactus when the top most layer of pot media is completely dry, excessive water can damage your root system and lead to root rot.
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Step 6
Humidity is also important for orchid cactus care but not something to lose sleep over. You can simply take the standard approach and place the pot on top of some pebbles or specific humidity trays. However, the humidity in the average home should be sufficient for the plant to grow.
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Step 7
Likewise, the best time for repotting a cactus is in February, March or April. However, keep in mind the plant will flower best if it's kept in a container where it's pot-bound. If your Christmas cactus is given proper care and is placed in the right location, it's not unusual for it to flower several times throughout the year. Pruning should be done when the new growth begins in March or early April.
Comments
tracysmith159 said
on 5/28/2009 thanks for sharing
cactiqueen said
on 3/4/2009 A few points...An orchid cactus is NOT a Christmas cactus:http://www.theamateursdigest.com/epis.htmThese so-called "orchid cacti" are also not actually orchids, and therefore obviously not like "other orchid species" as you state above.The first picture you show is of an Easter cactus, which will bloom in the springtime, not in the warmer months of summer as you say (which may be true for the actual "orchid cactus", but doesn't seem to be what you are writing about anyway).The second picture is actually a Thanksgiving cactus, also not a Christmas cactus. As on your picture, the Thanksgiving cactus is characterized by the points on its leaves, which would be much rounder and smoother on a Christmas cactus: http://cactus.biology.dal.ca/paulS/christmas/christmas.html
Walkaboutangel said
on 5/10/2008 I did not know that they were an orchid.... Thanks... Angel