How Do You Water A Christmas Cactus

Can An Overwatered Christmas Cactus Plant Exist Saved?

By: Bonnie 50. Grant, Certified Urban Agriculturist

The Christmas cactus is a long-lived establish that is often passed from one generation to another. Y'all tin can pretty much ignore the cactus with deep but exceptional watering and it will thrive. Nonetheless, an overwatered Christmas cactus plant will succumb to root rot and that family unit heirloom may pass on to the compost heap. Saving an overwatered Christmas cactus requires swift decisive action to foreclose this tragedy.

Christmas cacti hail from the littoral mountains of southeastern Brazil. They vest to the genus Schlumbergera, which includes all the vacation cacti. Their native region receives plentiful rain much of the year, so Christmas cactus is not the classic drought tolerant desert variety. They need a good drenching, but then the soil should be allowed to nearly dry. During flowering they need to be kept moderately moist but take care not to apply too much water on Christmas cactus.

Overwatering Symptoms on Christmas Cactus

Whatever cactus that has been allowed to sit in a saucer full of water is likely to have its health reduced. An overwatered Christmas cactus plant will testify obvious signs of distress. If the saucer has not dried in one mean solar day, you should always dump the excess water to prevent moisture gnats and keep the roots from rotting.

In instance you didn't remember to do this, i of the kickoff overwatering symptoms on Christmas cactus will be limp leaves, which will start to drop off. Then the stems and branches volition soften and become mushy. Severe cases volition manifest with a foul odor and the stem volition rot completely off.

Prevention is elementary. Employ a soil meter to go along from putting too much water on Christmas cactus.

Tips on Saving an Overwatered Christmas Cactus

Overwatering is one of the classic Christmas cactus problems, so don't feel also bad if your plant starts exhibiting symptoms. Act fast and dump out any standing h2o, and then advisedly remove the plant from its container. Remove any stems that have started to go soft. Rinse the roots to remove any fungus that might accept started to abound and so let them dry out for a mean solar day on the counter.

Repot the plant the adjacent morning and let it stay dry for a day or so before kickoff a regular water regimen. If y'all defenseless it speedily enough, the plant should recover. Use your soil meter to prevent any future Christmas cactus problems, as the weakened plant might not withstand another bout of illness.

Just in Case!

Christmas cactus is i of the easiest plants from which to get cuttings. Choose healthy stems and root them in a glass of water or stick them into perlite or vermiculite to get roots started. Transplant them in a mixture of i part sand, one part potting mix and one part orchid bark for superior drainage.

Use an unglazed pot to encourage evaporation of excess moisture. This will help ensure that you lot won't have to worry again nearly saving an overwatered Christmas cactus. Provide full sun until a few weeks earlier the blooming period. Then allow it to take a dark flow of at to the lowest degree 14 hours per day to promote flowering. Also, suspend watering for this menstruum. Soon you will have a holiday cactus to brighten your festivities and share with friends and family.

This article was last updated on xi/22/21