Pruning Christmas cactus is n’t need , but it can help flora grow better and bloom more .
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Christmas cactus are easy - run , tropical plants that grow well in most homes and seldom need pruning . But if your plant is overgrown or you desire to make novel cactus plant from radical cutting off , it may be time to give yourChristmas cactusa little passementerie . In this scout , we ’ll walk you through the basics of how and when to prune a Christmas cactus and teach you how to apply pruning to help your plant grow and flower better .
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Why to Prune Christmas Cactus Plants
compare to houseplants likepothosand column inch plants , Christmas cacti uprise comparatively easy and they do n’t inevitably need to be pruned at all . However , clip Christmas cactus at the correct time and in the right way wo n’t damage your plant , and it can in reality help oneself them grow better . Whether or not you prune your Christmas cactus plant is a matter of personal selection , but here are a few reasons why you may want to give pruning a try .
When to Prune Christmas Cactus
If you ’ve decided to prune your Christmas cactus , do n’t snap up your trimmer just yet . Timing is everything when it comes to cut back these plants . In fact , if you prune them at the amiss time , you may damage their flush buds and quash blooming .
In general , the best time to dress Christmas cactus is in January to February — the right way after the flora finishes flowering . Pruning at this metre of the yearencourages Christmas cactuses to regrow faster ; however , if you overlook this pruning windowpane , you may still prune Christmas cactus plants through late spring .
If you have other type of holiday cacti , likeThanksgiving or Easter cactuses , they have the same introductory pruning needs as Christmas cactus industrial plant . However , these plant bloom at different times so rather than going by the calendar , use the principle of quarter round to prune after they are done flowering .
How to Prune Christmas Cactus
While you could prune a Christmas cactus with small scissors or pruner , it ’s usually good to clip these plants by either pinching the stem with your fingernails or breaking the stems using a straightaway , twisting movement . For good results , make your pruning deletion or interruption between two stalk segments and avoid damage the fleshy stem segments if you could help it . Pruning in this manner limits the harm to your plants and pee-pee circulate radical cuttings a lot soft .
As you ’ll see below , Christmas cacti can be pruned in a few different manner depend on your goals . If you only want to spruce up the look of your plant life , you may just need todeadhead the old flowerswhen they fade . However , if you want your plants to remain small or branch out , a more exhaustive pruning may be in gild .
Step 1: Deadhead Old Flowers
When Christmas cactus flowers begin to wilt , crimp the old flowers off the plant with your fingers . Flowers incline to fade over the course of several weeks and pinching the flowers regularly will keep your plant expect tidy .
Step 2: Prune as Needed
After your plant finish florescence , pinch or cut the segmented stems back by 1 or 2 fore segment to advance your industrial plant to branch out . If you ’d like to reshape your plant or make it smaller , trim the segmented stems back even further , but never remove more than 1/3 of your plant ’s stems in one class . Focus your care on the soft , bendable stems , but debar lop the woody sections of your plant as these areas may not regrow .
Step 3: Propagate Cuttings
If you ’d like topropagate your Christmas cactus , take longer radical press cutting that are three to five stem segment long . Y - forge stem segment are the well for extension , while short stems composed of a single stem segment may not root . After taking your cuttings , propagate them in water supply or in dirt with somerooting internal secretion .
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have a Christmas cactus that looks scraggly , pruning can help it expect full by encouraging more ramification . you’re able to also apply pruning to remove damaged or discolored stems .
No . While Christmas cacti by and large take well to pruning , off more than 1/3 of your flora ’s stems at one meter can cause jounce that it may not recover from .
If your plant is earnestly overgrown , clip your plant back by up to 1/3 in the first year . In the age that abide by , go on to rationalise your plant back by 1/3 each year until your plant life is the size you ’d like it to be .
