Prune Christmas cactus at right time or 'blooms will never appear'

Christmas cacti, known for their beauty and longevity as houseplants, require expert care to guarantee they flower . These holiday plants thrive when placed in brightly lit areas without direct sunlight and need the right humidity levels to stay healthy. In addition, gardeners should regularly prune them to encourage blooming.

Organic gardening expert Linda Parker has shared a cautionary note that neglecting care post- Christmas could prevent the cactus from realising its full potential. Imparting knowledge on Gardening Soul, Linda said: "When you purchase your Christmas cactus plant at the start of this holiday season, keep in mind that you have to take care of it well." She continued with advice, stressing: "Without proper care for its first few months and even years after that initial purchase–the blooms will never appear on what seems like such a beautiful cacti!" How to prune a Christmas cactus Christmas cacti are named as they bloom in late November to late January, making it the perfect festive plant.



If you wish to keep your cactus healthy into the next year, then Linda has warned that it must be pruned after January when it was flowered. In her guidance, Linda asserts: "Pruning this plant is important, and they should be pruned no later than one month after the flowering has passed. "Cutting off between leaf segments will help you maintain an even shape and keep your plants healthy.

After the beautiful Christmas Cactus blooms, it enters its growth period where new foliage forms and pruning helps create a bushier plant by forcing outwards rather than upwards." To get that lovely lush growth on your Christmas Cactus, you'll need some sharp and sterile gardening tools like knives or clippers to avoid any damage, shares gardening expert Linda, reports the Express . She continued: "It's important that your hands are clean, too! These precautions help protect against spreading disease when working with plants or their flowers.

" Pruning is crucial for keeping your Christmas cacti in tip-top bloom-ready condition, but they require regular trimming due to their unique petal and leaf structure, states Linda. Providing guidance, Linda notes: "Christmas cactus is a unique type of plant that has no standard stem and leaf system." She adds that this quirky plant's petals are together at their base in short segments known as 'leaflets', and precise snips between these segments will keep your cactus happy and healthy.

Linda had some advice for cactus caretakers too: "We don't advise pruning more than 1/3 of the existing leaves from your Christmas cactus plant." And for those who have just welcomed a Christmas Cactus into their home, Linda suggests: "If you've just bought your Christmas Cactus, be sure to prune it back at least one-third of the way. Each stem should be approximately the same length.

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