Knowing how to plow your Christmas cactus after blooming intend you’re able to continue to enjoy its beautiful flush every year .
In this guide , I ’ll show you how to keep your Schlumbergera buckleyi ( aka December cactus ) after the vacation , and partake in my tips for keep it healthy long - term .
From deadheading the flowers to fertilizing , watering , and more , here ’s how to secure your Christmas cactus thrive after it ’s done blooming .
Christmas cactus flower starting to fade
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Can You Keep Christmas Cactus After Flowering?
Contrary to pop belief , you may indeed keep your Schlumbergera buckleyi after it has bloomed .
In fact , if you give your plant life the right aftercare it will proceed to thrive and may reward you with even more bloom of youth next year .
What To Do With Christmas Cactus After It Blooms
Once your Christmas cactus has lost all of its blooms , you should have it take a brief rest . appropriate the grunge to dry out out more during this time and keep the plant away from bright light .
You ’ll begin to see Modern growth about a calendar month or so afterward . When this happens , it ’s time to give it more light and restart the even care routine .
Related Post : How To handle For Your Christmas Cactus
How To Care For Christmas Cactus After Blooming
To insure the health of your December cactus as the flowers begin to pass and after it ’s done blooming , there are a few unproblematic steps you ’ll need to take .
These include removing the spend efflorescence , keeping your plant out of bright light , giving it less urine , and delaying fecundate . Let ’s explore each step in more detail .
1. Pinch Off Dead Flowers
As the blooms start to disappearance and shrivel , you may either let them drop off naturally or deadhead them by twinge or cutting them off .
Either way is ok and wo n’t affect future blooming , but I prefer deadheading mine .
Removing the spent flower keeps your Christmas cactus looking attractive , and – as a incentive – I happen it sometimes promote more buds to open .
2. Protect It From Bright Light
After all of the peak are gone , move your works to a shady location outside , or place it in a spot furthest from your brightest window indoors .
As presently as you see young leaves emerging in former wintertime or early spring , relocate it to an expanse with luck of light or indirect sunlight , then leave it there throughout the summer .
3. Reduce Watering
Your Christmas cactus wo n’t demand as much water after blooming , so lease it dry a fleck more . Do not let it dry out whole though , specially to the point where the segments or halt wilt disease and shrivel .
There are two easy way to get the balance correct . One is to check the soil with your finger and only give your plant a drink when the top inch is dry . The other is to utilize amoisture gauge probeand see the reading stays between 3 and 4 .
Once new leaves start to form in a month or so , you’re able to return to your even watering schedule .
Related Post : How To Water Your Christmas Cactus
4. Wait To Fertilize
You should also stop fertilize your Christmas cactus once the flowers have melt . When you see new leaves forming at the ends of the branches – usually in late wintertime or early outpouring – you’re able to start feeding it again .
Use aflowering plant food for thought , compost tea leaf , or ageneral houseplant option , and continue to fertilise on a regular basis through the summer .
Consistently feeding your plant will help it replenish the nutrients it lost during flowering and promote an telling display of blooms next year .
Related Post : How To Get Your Christmas Cactus To Bloom Again ( 3 Steps ! )
5. Cut Back The Foliage
You do n’t have to prune your December cactus after it ’s done blooming . But I wish to cut back the foliage so my plant will branch out and become replete and more attractive – which also mean even more flowers .
Wait until 1 to 3 month after blooming to prune it , then simply snip or abstract off the tip and segments to whatever length you prefer .
Related Post : How To disseminate Your Christmas Cactus
FAQs
you may remove honest-to-goodness , deadened flush from your Christmas cactus by pinch or snipping them off , or you may provide them to drop off by nature . Either room is hunky-dory and wo n’t touch next bloom .
You do n’t ask to cut back your Christmas cactus after it blooms , but pruning does boost it to branch out , which means more flowers next year . If you choose to cut yours back , hold back 1 to 3 months after blossoming .
After it ’s done bloom , put your Christmas cactus somewhere out of direct sun , like a louche spot outdoors , or near a west / east - facing window indoors . Once new leaves start to appear , move it to a place where will get portion of bright , dappled or indirect light .
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