I think Geri and I both have Christmas cacti and for the first time in 23 years, mine didn't bloom on Christmas. It has consistently bloomed on Thanksgiving, and again on Christmas, then Valentines Day, and then Easter. It hasn't moved in 8 years - same spot. I care for it the same but this year no blooms. What does the Cacti know that I don't? Just another one of those "stranger things" that keep happening. I agree Todd … my small pink Christmas cactus faithfully blooms each year from Thanksgiving to Christmas … however, this year it started to bloom on Halloween :wacko: and by Thanksgiving all the buds either bloomed or died off. But today I was watering it and I see another bud forming … VERY odd … Ours was late but has some a few small flowers! TR I cheated and bought one a few days ago. 😛 Christmas Cacti are actually from Brazil. So, the trick is to try to mimic its native growing conditions in regards to light and temperature. -------- My Christmas cactus is not blooming. It was in beautiful bloom when I purchased it last year, and I was looking forward to flowers this year. It is growing in a dining room window and looks healthy. Is there something I need to do to make it bloom? — James Simms Christmas cactuses will reliably bloom year after year if handled properly. It is too late for your plant to bloom for Christmas this year, but follow these recommendations, and it will bloom next year. The problem is that sitting in your dining room window, the plant did not get chilly nighttime temperatures, and lights were likely turned on in the evening. Christmas cactuses are triggered to bloom by long nights over 12 hours long and/or chilly nighttime temperatures below 65 degrees. This is easily achieved by leaving or placing your plant outside in late September, where it will receive naturally long nights (do not place the plant in a location where porch lights, flood lights or streetlights shine on it) and chilly night temperatures in October and November. Bring the plant inside if nighttime temperatures will fall below 40 degrees. Beginning about September, allow the soil to dry out more before watering and stop fertilizing. When you begin to see the little buds forming at the tips of the branches, water often enough to keep the soil evenly moist, but do not keep it constantly wet. Move the plant indoors when the buds are about an eighth of an inch long and place it in a window for display. If the branches are pendulous and hang down, boost up the pot so the branches hang gracefully. Christmas cactuses do bloom in windows inside as long as the room gets chilly at night and/or lights in the room are not turned on at night. My grandmother had a christmas cactus that did not bloom for nearly 20 years. One day it got knocked out of a window and smashed on the ground. It responded by blooming shortly after that. So perhaps some shock treatment is in order? 😉 That’s the ticket! Threaten it! TR Very pretty! But its confession time … did you cheat like Arthur 😉 and recently purchased this one too? B-) Thanks for the updated pic, pleased to meet you Sis! Lovely! TR Thank you … it took 14 tries :mdrmdr: I was having trouble uploading with this software.
Here’s mine.
