Garden

[danielsl]

I know it is March, but apparently my Christmas cactus doesn't ....... it is blooming!   Nice surprise!

[ValuSkr]

That's exciting, congratulations!  Did you do anything special to get it to come into bloom?

[LizzieInSRQ]

Wow, I am in Sarasota and I noticed  mine bloomed yesterday too. I've had this 4 years and it has never bloomed twice in one season/year. It's been in the 80s for a couple of weeks 

I have no idea why. I watered last week. It's been pretty dry around here lately. 

[Harpa]

Oh, how nice!

May I ask how much you water yours over the course of a week? I think you are supposed to only water when absolutely dry.

Anyway, I water mine maybe every other week or longer (twice a week for the other houseplants.)

You can force a bloom if you use a plant fertilizer, like Miracle Grow Bloom Booster. Whenever I use the booster, I also water my Christmas cactus, too. I'd say mine blooms about 4 times a year. It just seems like it loves that booster.

[hoosieroriginal]

My neighbor's is too - it's beautiful.

[chlema]

Mine bloomed in late November/early December and right now it is blooming once again.  Love that plant.

[Kachina624]

The say their bloom cycles are determined by the amount of daylight vs darkness to which they're exposed, so it's strange it would bloom now if you have it under normal home conditions.  Mine finished blooming and is just sitting there on the windowsill. 

[forest4thetrees]

Easter cactus [Rhipsalidopsis gaetneri or Hatiora gaetneri], is only one of three popular holiday cacti—and typically blooms in spring, around the time of Easter. An Easter cactus starts producing flower buds in February.

Both the Thanksgiving and Christmas species fall under the genus Schlumbergera. There are two main differences between a Christmas and Thanksgiving cactus: the flowering season [Thanksgiving in late fall; and the Christmas about a month later], and the segments of the leaves. Look at the edges of the leaf segments to determine whether your cactus is a Christmas or Thanksgiving variety — Christmas cacti have smooth, round edges while Thanksgiving cacti have pointy, jagged ones.

No matter which of the three you have; they’re all pretty!

[Fressa]

I've had three planters of Christmas cactus in my family room and they bloom at different times of the year. One of the garden segments on the morning show said that will happen as they get older and depending on where you keep them. I love it.

[JustJazzmom]

---

@Kachina624 wrote:

The say their bloom cycles are determined by the amount of daylight vs darkness to which they're exposed, so it's strange it would bloom now if you have it under normal home conditions.  Mine finished blooming and is just sitting there on the windowsill. 

---

I think it also has to do with strength of sunlight too.