Amaryllis, Cyclamen and Christmas Cactus: Post Holiday Care

Do you love these plants and hate to throw them out after the holidays are over? With some effort, you may be able to keep them year long and have them rebloom.

Christmas Cactus

Christmas cactus are the easiest plants to keep year round, so I'll start with them. When in full bloom, their cascading branches and flowers are just lovely.

Christmas cactus are succulents, but they require somewhat different care from other cacti. In the late winter or early spring, check and see if they need to be repotted. If the roots have room in the pot to spread out and continue to grow, leave them alone. If they are pot bound, you should repot them.

Use soil made specifically for succulents, and repot them in a container which is one size larger than the one your Christmas Cactus is in now. Make sure that there are drainage holes on the bottom of the pot. If you need some tips for repotting, check my article Repotting Your Plants Made Easy at www.associatedcontent.com/article/108520/repotting_your_plants_made_easy.html.

Keep you Christmas Cactus moister than you would a normal cactus. Water if when the top of the soil feels dry, but try not to let the whole pot dry out. Keep it in a sunny spot if it is indoors.

Getting a Christmas Cactus to Rebloom

I have had great luck with this. In fact, my Christmas Cactus will bloom several times a year. It is a great idea to put your Christmas Cactus outside for the summer time. Don't treat it like a regular cactus here either. If you put it outside, pick a spot which gets some sun and some shade. Too much sun will burn the leaves and it may die.

Leave your Christmas Cactus outside for as long as possible. The blooming process takes hold when it gets long periods of darkness coupled with cold air. If you must keep your Christmas cactus inside, a cool porch will do nicely.

Make sure to bring the plant inside before there is any danger of frost. You will often be rewarded with a plant which starts to develop blooms as soon as you bring it inside. You should soon have a lovely flower covered plant. For more information regarding your Christmas Cactus, check out www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/christmas_cactus.html.

Cyclamen