Holiday Cacti General Discussion Part #3

I let mine get bone dry and then set them in water like critter said so they can soak up the water and then put them back in their regular trays.

Does anyone know why the segments on my CC that are at the soil level aren't normal flat segments.They are round and they aren't green they are kinda brown or woody looking 2 or 3 segments up from soil level.this is my old plant,that was my mom's, that came from my grandmother.

The plant isn't looking so good.It doesn't have any life threatening problems,I don't think.The plant itself just has small segments,some of the new growth is growing out of the corner of the bottom segment so the new segment is thin and long.I didn't even think it should be getting new growth now (but all of my house plants have new growth).It has bloom for me this year,like all past years except it had a lot of buds this year,then the buds started dropping and only 5 opened completely before they all fell off!!

Any advice or opinions welcome !!!!

JO

thanks for the water tips- ii'll try that!

Woody stems are simply mature; they are healthy.

Again, some great info to found here. Thanks especially for the idea of sitting the plant in water over night. Jo, I too was questioning the discoloration of some of my plants earlier. I had a good sized CC seem to lose most of its green for a year or so. This past summer I repotted it and that must have been what it needed because the pieces I put in other pots have greened up nicely and are just a day or so away from full bloom.

Another gorgeous day in Central Virginia. The back door is open and the house is getting a good dose of fresh mountain air. Would probably be a good day to blow some leaves off the front deck but I will try my hardest to find something more pleasant to do before resorting to that chore.

Have a good weekend all.

Ruby

Ruby, talk about gorgeous days! How about three in a row. Love fresh air.

OK every one here

IT'S OFFICIAL Yesterday I became a plant tending member of the Holiday Cactus crowd! Sally, seems your "it's no big deal" comments took hold as I Had to go to Home Depot for some stuff and decided to check out their CCs on my way out "for educational " purposes of course. Well, the first one I spied was a white with very subtle pink in full bloom, but with many small buds . It was not upright growing at all, in fack the arms draped over the pot edges and dangled almost 15 inches! How they got it shipped in without breaking all the arms is a mystery as its branches were so much longer than others in similar pot size.

Well, it came home with me along with another very perky pink/fusiaishy (not day-glo) also bloomin but many buds still to come. About 20 broken pieces also were rescued. They are mostly 6-8 segments long, with "Ys" and buds in various colors except red.

I built a shelf for them in my kitchen window above the sink. I figure that if they go downhill in my best location for any living plant, that a Feb seed swap of them would make someone of you out there happy! Now what to do with the "cuttings" I rescued.

Is there a cure or am I now hooked?

Judy

Judy--

There is NO cure!!! it is terminal......You are doomed to grow and love CC's.....

I know the colors you are referring to at HD. I guess we all get the same stuff....
I also have picked up a few broken pieces--and will have both the white and the solid, strong pink ones.

Because the store CC are so healthy, many of the segments are really solid and plump.
Therefore--I have started many of these as a single segment to root. Will see how that works out...
I KNOW single segments CAN be rooted! I just have not tried to....

That means that now--I have at least 20 new babies "hatching"......
Still want to take some end segments off my VERY upright growing, Salmon CC. Such a strong plant!
It is now done blooming..so I can chop away.....

Judy...Judy...Judy.......Are you going to infringe on ME having piles of CC to share at the next Swap???
Hmmm--It IS a free country! Maybe I should mail a caboodle to JB. At least she can sell them....
Or Ruby?
Meanwhile--i will enjoy watching them grow--and, most likely bloom in a couple of years...

Need to get something done here......Gita

Nope, Gita, no infringement on you and cc babies! I was referring to the two "mother" plants if they do not do well in my minimal requirement conditions for staying alive in my house this winter.

Too bad HD doesn't name their plants or really even identify them. Wonder if it is to avoid patent infringement in mass production? I doubt that they just forgot the name. Hey Vinny, what gives? Do you know which grower does the CCs? They were all on Bell carts.

Several of my rescues have what I would call aerial roots in several places. What is up with that?

What do you all do with your spent blooms? Do you remove them or do they drop? Will little buds continue into flowering if not in bright light situation?

Also, I keep my house cool ( 60-65 degrees) and I'm sure it is even cooler near the window. How much of a problem might this be?

Thanks in advance for you alls verteran advice! Judy

Yep, an official member of CC lovers now Coleup. I too have several of the aerial roots too and I was wondering the same thing. Hope someone can explain that to us.

Hey, please keep me in mind when any of you need to find homes for new rootings. Gita gifted me with enough for three pots worth last year through the US Postal Service, the way she has sent many goodies to me over the years.

I now have two different pots with one bloom each and actually took pictures yesterday. After I get them downloaded I will come back and share with you all.

Cole, I usually end up pinching the spent bloom off of the CC. They begin to look pretty shabby and it bothers me, so pinching I go. Not sure what is proper but an interesting question.

I look forward to hearing the answers to the questions you posed.

Ruby

terminal...doomed... LOL

I guess that aerial roots are just a reaction to the very moist air of the greenhouse they came from. I like your theory about not providing the name.

Since they can be left utside till almost frost, i think a cool indoor spot is fine.

My ancient pink one is still very 'thin' despite soaking and being on the deck in this nice outside air for a couple days. If it doesn't plump any more tingiht, I'll have to let it be. It has been in a large pot at my dads for years: read: packed collapsed soil and uneven watering. Last year I got the nerve to unpot, and found almost no root system. Its amazing that this went on to form so many buds. Anyhoo, it must be tough as nails. I also have lots of wilted blooms to remove BUT 2-3 small fruits forming where I brushed them with a white flower. Easy!

lol Sally I guess "smooshing " is alive and well at your house!!!!

Ruby, looking up your address now! No roots, but lots of "cuttings" Enjoy!

Just saw a CC starter plant that sold for $51 plus shipping on ebay! It has fringed petals.

http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&_trksid=p4340.l2565&rt=nc&item=150703343603

and its pic

Yikes......this could become a very expensive hobby if these babies are selling for that kind of money. Coleup, are you going to try mailing the cuttings now? I suppose they will be okay though I haven't mailed anything during the cold months. Heck, I'm game.

Sally, I haven't had any luck plumping up my withered looking pieces either. Don't know what we have going on.

Anyway......I took a few pics of my Fuschia that is in bloom. Gonna try to post now but will warn that my picture program is acting weird on me. So, here goes.

Ruby

Gonna try another that I snapped yesterday.

And just one more...the two blooms bring me lots of joy too.

Oh gosh.....I see the first one is blurry. Sorry. I also see that Isaac has chocolate popsicle dripping down the front of his shirt. I let them play outside quite a bit yesterday and ended up having to give baths and change clothes. The ashes from the grill are like a magnet for him. When I looked out at one point he was coal dust from bottom to top. You gotta love them though.

Ruby

Yep, Ruby, just sent them off..Had a box to send to my grandsons, pjs, winnie the pooh book set, hats and mittens, so hastily boxed up free cuttings to you. They should arrive Thurs. Wouldn't have sent them except that they are free, and Sally thinks they can tolerate even frosty weather. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!
And, I won't incur any further Plant Kingdom Karma!
I like you pinks but most of all your lovely grands!

Stay high and dry as cooler weather moves in.

Nice blooms, Ruby, all of them

The "aereal roots" are just little roots that form at the section joints. Right?

In HD, et aal--the CC's arrive encased in a plastic sleeve pulled up over them.
The humidity in there must be really high--as they are watered when they are sent out.
This alone will cause little "aerial roots" to form. No harm! May root easier when you plant them.

Ruby--I have always known to let the blooms drop off by themselves. Pinching is not recommended.
Can't tell you exactly why--but I will guess that pulling off or pinching off the spent blooms "could"
damage the growing tip--somehow...Let them be--and collect the fallen blooms off your floor.

Also--Ruby--from your pictures, it looks like your little CC's are in pots too large for them.
Remember JB's advice on keeping them in small pots? Just like AV's...Tight is might!
Being in too big a pot may delay blooming....The baby CC's would be happy in 2"-3" pots.

On the dessicated, shriveling sections???? I can only guess that they were not watered enough
when they needed to be. Not enough humidity??? etc...
Take all your CC's outside for the whole summer. They will thank you by growing healthier.
Just watch the light. No direct sun! Water them as you would any other plants outside--just do not do it
too often. Dry between waterings is necessary.
Also--keep them outside when cold weather comes....Not freezing--but in the low 50's or so.
They will set buds--and when you bring them in--bloom nicely.

OK! back to cooking.....Gita

Too late for me- Today I gave a really good grooming to my old pink CC. Many wilted bloooms, I pinched not just the bloom but for many took it back closer to the last y'ed leaves. It looks much better now. Still very thin though. If I am right that the roots on this one are poor, then top pruning should help.

I have a question for you people in the know..what makes the stems turn woody looking and is there any way to prevent this???? and should I remove the green stems from the woody ones and start a new plant?????

Bluepoppy--

It is just in response to age that the stems get woody. Like--we can harden with age too....
How could a large, old plant be held up by soft, green stems?
They would all break off.....

There are many plants in the garden World that get woody and stiffer at
the base after years and years...

My long, lanky Red Epis have woody stems in the middle.
So does my Ric rac cactus....These are all in the orchid cactus family.

If you do not like looking att he woody parts, get some Sphagnum Moss and
use it to top-dress the plant with. That should make it look really nice...

Gita

Hey everyone,

There is that question I asked not to far back again and just wanting to be sure of what we are talking about.Here's a picture of what mine is doing.I have been told a few times it's a sign of maturity.Do the plants segments also get smaller with age.I am just wondering what I can do to help mine look better.I'm lucky it's even alive after being ignored and not cared for such a long time after moma died..I've had it less than a year.It's just thin but the 3 separate plants in the pot are all well rooted.

Jo

we cross posted, I don't mind the woody stems.I'm just wondering if it's normal for some cc's to have small segments,narrow & shorter or if this happens with age as well??

This message was edited Nov 30, 2011 10:01 PM

jojoe---

Relax!!!! This is perfectly normal for the plant to look like this.
It is just the way the stems grow after several years...

It should nor affect the blooming of the CC at the usual plant.....
It may hanf lower. It may have fewer 'fresh" growths. It may get less vigorous--
but so do we all as well-as we reach our Senior years....

Several people here have posted pictures of Cc they have inherited from their Grandparents.
These CC are still blooming--but, I bet you, their stems are woody as all get-out....

PLEASE! Do nor worry over this aspect of the plant. OK?

Gita

But I have found though that the green will all drop off down to the woody parts.......Whats with that????

bluepoppy, that is not normal. Does it regrow or sprout new green parts?

jojoe's plant's green parts look plump and happy.

My old one has small segments but did bloom a lot.

They have but don't really amount to to much after that..

I can't say I'm expert but compared to my old one, I'd guess there is some other issue going on there. Mine will have things break off but I haven't seen massive loss of green parts.

bnluepoppy

Every time some sections of my CC have just fallen off--I have over watered the plant and the stem has rotted out.
Just this morning--a whole blooming section of one of my CC's in a 5" pot just fell out of the soil.
I can see, what I would call some kind of rot, at the bottom of this section.

What I will do is clean up the bottom of this section, re-cut it if needed, and re-plant it in clean Pro Mix.

I wouls also venture to guess that the woody stems on your CC (and others) does not put out too many
new growths. It's main job is holding up the rest of the plant....

Here is my oldest CC. I just took this picture. See the woody stems? That's normal on older CC's.
Gita

Good morning all,

I have found a good reason (maybe) for the buds dropping from my oldest cc.I noticed white flies and that's fungus gnats which lay eggs that turn to larvae in the soil and eat roots correct?

I use neem oil on my tropicals for this problem and it works well.Can I use that on my cc or is there something else or another way of getting rid of them.I have put it in a room by itself so all my baby cc's don't get them or any other plant.

Any advice welcome!!!!!

I want to thank you all so very much for being so helpful and patient with my many questions.I am fairly new at most of this.I do tend to worry more about the one cc, it was my moma's,she got from her moma and they have both passed away.I just did notice it in time at my dads before it died from total neglect, moma was the plant person not daddy.

HAVE A NICE DAY !!!!

JO

Jo--

I just read, yesterday, on a post on DG about what to do with Fungus Gnats....Don't remember which Thread????

Keeping the top 1" of soil dry helps (watering from the bottom???)
Sprinkling some Diotomaceous Earth (silica sand) on the top of the soil will keep the gnats from going into the soil,
where they lay eggs that become small larva and then hatch into adult gnats.
Hanging yellow sticky pads around the plants to catch the gnats. They seem to be attracted to yellow....

It was suggested that a 1/2" slice of raw potato, laid on top of the soil will attract the larva which you can then
collect and discard. etc...etc....

I would use my reliable Systemic Granules to kill anything inside the pot.
Once you deny access into the soil for the adult gnats--their life span, flying around, is only a couple of weeks.

Jo--you can Google Fungus Gnats and learn a lot more . Gita

Here is a link to another recent discussion on getting rid of fungus gnats

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1228520/

Since you have isolated the main plant, the goal is to kill the flying adults so they can't lay eggs in soil and prevent larvae already in soil from emerging to adulthood. One suggestion I read was to entirely cover the pot and soil with a stretchy pantyhose leg---adults can't get in and new adults can't emerge! Put a twist tie arond where stem meets soil. Maybe you could try your neem oil treatment on one of the babies to see its effect?

It is soo neat that you have an intergenerational plant jo jo.

Sally et al, just read an article on cc s. It had this very interesting statement:

"The Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti can be crossed back and forth between each other. The plants you find at the grocery store and most nurseries at Thanksgiving may show the characteristics of both types of holiday cacti or of one predominantly more than the other."

Whole lotta smooshing going on!

And, if anyone has been wondering where JB has been while not "taking attendance" here, check this out!

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1232076/

Just stopped by for a second and I noticed the discussion about older woody plants. Here is two of my oldest CC and you can see the wood. They look horrible but they are healthy. When they get flimsy and floppy and look week and droopy, then there is something wrong. If they look like this they are healthy.

Here is one.

Here is another!

Trying to get a schedule for Charle, my new pup, is more time consuming than I thought it would be. I have had him since 11/19 and we are still working on things one day at a time. He is at least using the doggie doors now but he forgets what he goes out for. GRRRRR.

Tree business sucks. People do not have money and do not want to pay the price. Our trees are only $45. and $50 and they still want them cheaper. We are off to cut holly at one p.m. My friend who has the farmers market needs some and today I am taking her up to the Horse Park to get it. We have a great big holly tree we trim each year up there and that is where we get out holly. Since I am only making a few live wreaths, I am sharing it with her.

Sorry to be so scarce but I know Gita can handle this thread and if not she can always call me. I may not know what the answers are but we can always help you look them up. Have a good day all. JB

Have any of you ever looked at Mattslandscape.com site?????? wow!!!!!!
makes one want to enlarge the house....lol

Aww,JB----I do appreciate your faith in me.....You are like the one woman cheering squad in my life...

I am doing my best on the CC Thread.....Seems it is time to move it on--again....
What do you say? I can manage to do that again.....Need to find a good picture to post as we move on.

I miss you on this Thread...but I also know you are busy with your X-mas Shop and now--your new puppy...

Re the price of X-mas trees-------Even the best and biggest trees at HD are nor even close to $45.
Maybe people are just shopping the Big Box stores more....to save money....

They are NOT getting all that fresh trees, though. We get the ones cut in Canada who knows when?
Maybe in August???? Many times they are half-dead in a matter of weeks after they buy them.
I know last year--many trees were returned as their needles were falling off before X-mas ever came....

I have not done a tree in 10+ years. No desire to do so. When the kids are gone (mine are now middle aged)
the meaning of Christmas changes...I am never home. I go to NJ for X-mas every year.

BAH--HUMBUG!!!! Gita

Here are my new CC cuttings.....from broken off pieces at the ones we got in at HD.
I am trying to do the single segment rooting. Hope it works....

Decided to move this Thread on to part #4. I know JB won't mind.....
She seems to have all kinds of faith in me doing miracles...??????

Please continue our wonderful discussions on Holiday cacti on part #4.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/region_mida/all/

New season--New efforts to propagate and to take care of the older plants....
Taking cuttings and rooting them...always a good topic....

Gita