How to Water Easter Cactus
The joy of seeing the rosy-red flowers of the Easter cactus (Hatiora gaertneri, formerly Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri) each spring is one reason it is a celebrated houseplant. Its ease of culture, providing it receives very bright light and the appropriate seasonal temperatures and watering also makes it popular. A succulent, or plant with water-storing, fleshy leaves, it must have well-draining soil that is kept moist in the summer, but with markedly reduced waterings from fall to spring to ensure flowering occurs and the plant does not rot. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Watering Instructions: Late Spring to Autumn
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1
Touch the soil surface with your fingertip. If soil particles do not stick to your skin, enough moisture remains in the Easter cactus' container. If the soil sticks, more closely examine the soil surface as it is an indicator the soil may be moist to dry. Further touching of the soil can provide tactile hints if the soil is dry.
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2
Water the container lightly with room temperature water if the soil test in Step 1 reveals slight dryness. Allow chlorinated tap water to rest for 1 hour prior to watering to allow the chlorine to release into the air. Apply enough water to make the soil moist, not soggy. The water should quickly drain out of the bottom of the container through the drainage holes.
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3
Check the soil moisture every 2 to 3 days until you are comfortable and familiar with the summer watering needs of the plant. Repeated monitoring helps establish a rough schedule for watering in the warmer, brighter sunlight "summer" months of May to October.
Watering Instructions: Autumn, and Winter to Late Spring
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Begin reducing the frequency of waterings typical of summer sometime in late October to mid-November. As the days shorten and sunlight intensity wanes, the growth of the Easter cactus will also begin to slow, using less water and thus soil will remain moist for a longer period of time.
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5
Touch the soil surface with your fingertip. If soil particles do not stick to your skin, enough moisture remains in the cactus' container. If the soil sticks, more closely examine the soil surface as it is an indicator the soil may be moist to dry. Further touching of the soil can provide tactile hints if the soil is very dry.
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6
Consider watering only after a soil fingertip test revels slightly dry soil. It is important not to overwater from October to April, and waiting one extra day after the fingertip test is not a bad idea to ensure you do not overeagerly water.
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7
Water lightly and evenly with room temperature, non-chlorinated water to moisten the soil. Avoid getting water on the leaves or stems of the Easter cactus. Add enough water to make the soil surface moist, not so much water than it readily runs out the container bottom's drainage holes.
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8
Continue monitoring the soil of the Easter cactus through the winter, always cautiously waiting to water to ensure the plant enjoys a slightly drier soil this time of year. A content plant will sustain its health, leaves and color if receiving the appropriate amount water and light.
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9
Maintain the same watering regime once flower buds appear in early or mid-spring. Do not increase watering even as the flowers swell and eventually open.
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10
Slowly and gradually begin increasing monitoring and watering of the Easter cactus after the flowering ends. This is a slow transition to slightly more frequent watering as summer nears, such as in late April and May when days lengthen and temperatures warm.
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Tips & Warnings
Flower buds form naturally when temperatures are cool, soils slightly dry and the day length begins to increase in late winter, heading into early spring. Err on the side of "less frequent water is best" from Thanksgiving to Mother's Day, always monitoring the Easter cactus for health and watering when needed to sustain healthy green foliage.
Fertilize Easter cactus only after flowering and during the summer months.
Do not overwater this plant, especially from autumn to spring. Allow soil to become dry in-between the light waterings.
Too low of light or sudden changes in temperatures or exposure to indoor drafts, including from heating registers, can cause leaf and flower bud drop.
