Pruning a plant is a bit like trimming your explicit individual hair: Logically, you already know that it’ll all develop as soon as extra. Nonetheless the a part of you tentatively holding the scissors is feeling fairly apprehensive. Don’t panic! Pruning doesn’t should set off tons anxiousness; notably on a species as forgiving because of the Christmas cactus.

Schlumbergera x buckleyi is a much-loved houseplant well-liked for its longevity and winter-flowering nature. Of their native Brazil, Christmas cacti anchor themselves to shady cliffs and tree nooks and accumulate dietary nutritional vitamins from wildlife droppings and decaying leaf litter. Potted up in a entrance room, they like well-drained, barely acidic soil. In stark distinction to their desert-dwelling cousins, these vegetation want gentle temperatures and an excessive amount of water. 

Why Prune Your Christmas Cactus?

Youthful Christmas cacti have an upright development type, nonetheless as they age, the basal stems thicken and develop to be woody. The branches will lengthen and begin to drape downward. This affords it a really elegant look, however over time, it ought to more than likely look leggy and a bit scraggly. Pruning can reshape and enhance the seems to be like of those pretty long-lived beauties.

Pruning may also assist promote flowering. This species types flowers totally on the ends of the stems, notably the place the segments of the flattened stems meet. Additional stems will lastly equal additional flowers.

One different excuse to present your houseplant a haircut? To make additional of them! This species can merely be propagated with stem cuttings. 

Step 1: Wait Till It’s Completed Blooming

Prune your Christmas cactus appropriate after it has completed blooming however before it begins actively rising as quickly as additional. That is usually spherical February or March. Pruning correct now will direct the upcoming vitality in route of producing new stems as an alternative of down current stems. The tip end result? A lush, bushy plant comparatively than longer stems.

Don’t prune earlier summer time season season. The Christmas cactus begins to direct vitality in route of flower bud formation in early fall. As shortly as buds start to type, it’s most attention-grabbing to go away them undisturbed. As short-day vegetation, Christmas cacti require loads of uninterrupted weeks of cool temperatures and extended (12+ hours per 24-hour day) stretches of darkness to set off flowering.

Step 2: Uncover the Proper Pruning Stage 

Fortunate for us, the pure sort of a Christmas cacti’s stem makes pruning fairly foolproof. The segmented stems are composed of many leaf-like buildings generally called phylloclades. Botanically talking, these are sometimes not true leaves, however they do perform photosynthesis. Select a slender joint between division segments. It might effectively naturally produce 1-2 new phylloclades the place it was lower.

Keep away from decreasing the hardened, woody development down close to the crown. Woody stems are a pure a part of the rising older course of and an indication of a mature plant! Observe the softer, inexperienced development close to the best of the stem.

Step 3: Make the In the reduction of

The second you’ve been ready for: time to prune your Christmas cactus! Some gardeners merely twist the stem at thought-about one among many slender joints. I must make the most of a pair of pruners or a knife to keep away from tearing. In case you select to make the most of pruners or a pair of snips, be sure that they’re clear before utilizing them. In case you’re hoping to propagate your cuttings, be sure that every stem decreasing has on the very least 3-4 segments and is loads of inches extended. 

Step 4: Determine on a Fast Snip or Exhausting In the reduction of

In case you merely should tidy up or take away various stray stems, loads of fast snips should do it. Older vegetation which is maybe further huge could begin to drop branches that they won’t help. On this case, you might need to lower significantly tougher.

For many who’re making an attempt to drastically reshape the plant or take away various of its mass, you’ll be able to prune as loads as one third of the foliage. Eradicating just a few third of the leaves at any given time could ship it into shock. The plant could or could not flower contained in the upcoming season.

Step 5: Make Additional Crops

Now, what to do with all these bits of stem? That is the right completely different to broaden your Christmas cactus assortment (or an ideal good good friend’s) and propagate loads of new vegetation! Likelihood is excessive it would be best to begin loads of stem cuttings to up your odds of worthwhile propagation.

Let the stem decreasing dry for a day. This may occasionally enable the wound to callous over, which, in flip, will forestall rot. Then, place the decreasing upright in moistened potting combine. Christmas cacti require very sharply drained soil that’s comparatively nutrient poor. Use a potting combine notably made for succulents and cacti, or make your explicit individual potting combine out of potting soil, perlite, and coarse gravel or sand.

Put the planted stem decreasing in a shiny, heat (65-75°F or 18-24°C) location. Preserve the potting combine persistently moist however not waterlogged. Numerous spritzes with a sprig bottle will assist amp up the humidity with out drowning the stem decreasing. You’ll too affix a plastic bag or dome all through the vegetation to take care of up humidity.

It ought to presumably take 2-3 weeks for roots to type. Be affected particular person! As shortly as new development begins rising on the tip, you’ll be able to re-pot the stem decreasing in a a lot greater container of your alternative. Likelihood is excessive it would be best to attempt planting 2-3 stem cuttings collectively to assist fill out a a lot greater container. New cuttings is maybe propagated at any time of 12 months, however you would possibly want among the many best leads to late spring.