After showing you how to make a poinsettia bloom again, today, we will pay well-deserved attention to another essential plant of the end-of-year holidays: His Majesty the Christmas cactus also known as Schlumbergera whose abundant flowering sublimates your interior from November in February and even March. However, it very often happens that the next flowering does not occur with the arrival of winter. What to do, then? Don’t panic, because the editorial team shows you how to make a Christmas cactus bloom again to give it a second life for the holidays to come.

Some useful tips on Christmas cactus care

Most often, cacti are associated with the presence of thorns and the lack of flowers. But there is a variety that blooms abundantly during the winter months to offer us pretty white or pink flowers. The Christmas cactus is a tropical plant that loves natural light, warm air and water. And although it is called a cactus, the Schlumbergera has nothing to do with its desert cousins. Let’s explain.

Christmas cacti grow best when you keep them in a small container as long as possible before transferring them to a slightly larger jar. On the substrate side, the Schlumbergera Christmas plant prefers rich, organic mixture and should not remain dry. As a rule, watering should be moderate, neither too little nor too much. In other words, it is recommended to keep the substrate just moist. When the cactus begins to flower, increase its water supply and place it in bright indirect light. Be aware that direct light can damage the leaves and so the plant starts to burn.

But what specific precautions should be taken to benefit from the spectacular flowers of this festive plant for all the holidays to come? So, let’s see how to make a Christmas cactus bloom again.

How to make a Christmas cactus bloom again? Our professional tips to enjoy it for your next holidays!

The technique for making the Christmas cactus bloom again in the years following its purchase lies in two key factors: light and temperature, two essential elements for the correct maintenance of all plants. So, to stimulate the production of flower buds, you need to keep the Christmas cactus dark for 16 hours a day and in the light for 8 hours a day. All this for a cycle of at least eight days as soon as its flowers fall after winter.

No matter where your Christmas cactus plant is located, it’s important not to turn on the lights at night, even for a short period of time, as you may interrupt its much-needed darkness cycle. As for the ambient temperature, it must be around 16°C. Another important tip is to not place the plant in a cold or hot draft.

In short, placing the Christmas cactus on the windowsill in a cool room and not turning on the lights is enough to stimulate its future flowering. In addition, it often happens that newly developed flower buds fall off. This is usually due to insufficient or excessive watering or lack of humidity. The good news is that Christmas cacti are considered relatively easy to rebloom if you follow their temperature and light requirements.

Once the cactus is covered in flower buds early in their development, do not transport the plant. Any change in exposure, orientation and temperature during transportation is enough to promote flower bud drop. Also know that it is useless to repot your Schlumbergera because it prefers to grow cramped. It is sufficient to keep the substrate cool and fertilize the Christmas cactus from the end of winter until the first flowers form.

Finally, learn about the  Christmas cactus diseases  in order to better protect or heal it if necessary.

Why have a Schlumbergera inside?

If you’re still hesitating about buying a Christmas cactus, we give you two good reasons to take the plunge. First and foremost,  decorating with houseplants is the ultimate natural way to combat the winter blues! Certainly, a colorful and joyful way to face the grayness of the cold season. And secondly, indoor plants act as a natural air purifier.

In short, the Christmas cactus promises to cheer you up by bringing a touch of color and nature into your interior!