How to Transplant an Easter Cactus

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By Suzie Faloon
eHow Contributing Writer

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The Easter cactus is a beautiful flowering plant that is in the same family as the popular Christmas cactus. They are harder to find as the plant can take 12 months to develop and produce blossoms as opposed to most commercial plants that take several weeks to finish off for sale. The Easter cactus has spine-free joints or segmented greenery which are called phylloclads. The plant puts out 2-inch wide red flowers that have 12 to 15 pointed petals that burst out from the center point. The plant needs nutrient-rich soil so it must be transplanted every two to three years for rejuvenation.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Sterile plant pot
Bleach
Water
Planting soil for succulents

Step 1

Place sterile container onto a work surface. The used pot or container will need to be cleaned thoroughly with a solution of bleach and water. Wipe out a new pot with the same solution to be sure there are no contaminants that will infest or kill the plant.
Step 2

Choose commercial planting soil or mix your own. Combine two parts peat moss, one part garden soil with one part sterile sand and mix thoroughly. Place some potting soil in the bottom of the pot.
Step 3

Gently pull the cactus from the old container and place it on a piece of newspaper.
Step 4

Hold the cactus over the pot at the same height that it was sitting in the old container. Gently drop potting mixture around the sides of the cactus roots.
Step 5

Let go of the plant when the soil holds it freely. Add a small amount of soil to firmly secure the plant in place.