#caring_for_Christmas_cactus

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How to Care for Christmas Cactus?

Christmas cactus has attractive leaves with beautiful flowers. Although the main roots of this plant go back to the tropics, you can buy it at any time of the year and grow it indoors as a houseplant. Christmas cactus is almost easy to care for and a little care is enough to see its colorful blooms on cold winter days and Christmas days! 

In short, in order to take care of and maintain the Christmas cactus, we must say that During the care of the Christmas cactus to encourage the plant to flower more, grow your Christmas cactus as a hanging plant or place it in a place where there is enough space for the leaves to spread and hang. The good thing about the Christmas cactus is that, unlike most other cacti, you do not have to worry about its sharp blades when you touch it!

Christmas Cactus Light Requirements: What light is best for Christmas cactus?

Holiday cactus prefers relative shade or filtered light; Of course, this houseplant can quickly get used to other light and environmental conditions, but it is better to keep it in an environment with indirect light, so make sure you sufficiently provide the Christmas cactus light requirements.

However, if you want to expose it to direct sunlight, do so only during the winter months, as too much sunlight in the spring and summer can cause the plant to turn yellow and pale.

Christmas Cactus Watering: How often should you water a Charismas cactus?

This houseplant is a cactus, its tropical background makes it thirstier for water than its counterparts. So, water the Christmas cactus regularly during maintenance. The important thing to keep in mind when watering a Christmas cactus is to allow excess water to drain through the drainage holes under the pot when watering. In addition, the soil should be completely dry between waterings. Of course, if the soil is too dry, the leaves will begin to wilt and wrinkle.

Regarding how often you water your plant, it depends on the environmental conditions in which your Christmas cactus is kept. For example, during a hot and sunny summer, you should water the plant almost twice a week. Or, for example, if you put a Christmas cactus next to a skylight window in the winter, you may need to water it once a week.

To find out when your holiday cactus soil is dry and needs watering, dip your finger about 5 cm into the soil. If you feel the soil is dry, water the plant. Otherwise, avoid watering the plant, as overwatering will kill your cactus.

Christmas Cactus Soil: What is the best soil for a Christmas cactus?

Regarding the soil which is suitable for maintaining the Christmas cactus, we must say that the type of soil is not a vital factor for this houseplant. Christmas cactus has a high adaptability to different types of soil and can grow well in different soils. It is interesting to know that this plant grows in its original nature as an epiphysis (aerial).

However, in the case of holiday cactus soil, we can say that this plant can grow well in sandy, perlite-containing, potting (multi-purpose) and cactus-specific soils. For best growth, soil pH should be between 5.5 and 6.2. Therefore, peat moss can be a suitable additive to have an environment with more acidity.

Thus, it can be said that, soil is another basic and important issue so as to care for Christmas cactus.

 Does holiday cactus like humidity?

Christmas cactus is one of the cacti that needs moisture to live, especially when it grows in dry areas or spends the winter in a warm environment. You can provide the required moisture for the holiday cactus by spraying water on the leaves or placing the plant pot on a tray containing water and pebbles. Just make sure the bottom of the pot does not come in contact with water. 50% humidity is enough for this plant. If the humidity is high, the risk of fungal diseases increases.

Christmas Cactus Toxicity: Are Christmas cactus poisonous to humans and pets?

This houseplant has little poison and children should not touch it. Its harmful effects can include nausea and diarrhea. In some cases, touching Christmas cactus may be a cause of depression, but no signs of poisoning have been reported after consuming this plant.

Yellowed, Spotted, or Wilting Leaves or Stems

As “yellowed, spotted or wilting leaves” is one of the common problems that you may face when you want to care for Christmas cactus, we will try to describe the reasons and the ways to solve it in details.

If you experience yellowing of leaves and stems, the appearance of spots on them or wilting of the plant, thoroughly examine the plant for the presence of thrips. Thrips are small, crab-like black-silver insects. Leaf and stem damage is not caused directly by thrips, but by viruses that are transmitted to the plant by these insects. If you notice thrips in your Christmas cactus, get rid of them with insecticide soap or garden oil.

It is better to remove the plant from its previous pot and plant it in a new and disinfected pot with fresh potting soil. In addition to thrips, wilting can be caused by lack of light, improper watering, or excessive root compression. Therefore, if you notice yellowing, spots or wilting of leaves and stems, consider these cases and make the necessary changes.