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Step 1
If you live in a place where it is warm in the summer, then place the cactus outside in the shade and keep it sheltered from the wind. Remember to keep the cactus watered and fertilized all summer. The new growth on a Christmas cactus is pink. The leaves gradually turn light, and then dark green as the leaves grow. You should see a lot of new growth, and the rest of the cactus should turn a deep, rich shade of green.
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Step 2
If you live in a place where it is not warm enough in the summer to keep your cactus outside, then place it in a sunny window. Keep the cactus from the direct sunlight. Remember to water it and fertilize it.
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Step 3
In the fall bring the cactus in, or take it out of the sunny window and put it in a part of a room where it gets some light but not direct or bright light. The best place to set it is on the floor. Put is on a low shelf or stand if you think that it might be in danger of being run over or stepped on.
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Step 4
The cactus will need less water, so you need to remember to water it. Use a fertilizer that is about half the strength of what you used in the summer.
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Step 5
In a few weeks the cactus should start to bud. The buds are little round shoots at the top of the leaves right in the center. At first you can't tell whether they are leaves or buds. Sometimes, the cactus will grow new leaves when it is budding.
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Step 6
Usually the half of the cactus that is nearest the light will bud. Sometimes the whole plant will be covered. In North America, your cactus will bloom between about Halloween and Christmas. Blooming Halloween cactus are just as beautiful as blooming Christmas cactus. You may even get a second bloom around Easter, right before it's time to set it outside again.
Comments
ramblin62 said
on 10/25/2009 Never had a blooming Christmas Cactus before. This sounds like a lovely plant. Thanks for this article.