I'm in the process of repotting my Orchid Cactus (unk species) from a 4" pot to a 9" pot. Do I need to thin or divide it? And do I need to cut the roots on the root ball?
Eric
To thin/divide or not??
Another pic
Good question! It doesn't look too overcrowded, just a bit on the wild side. Has it flowered for you?
RUK,
I've had this one for about 4-5 yrs and no blooms yet :(
I wouldn't repot or divide it either, but I suppose you could change the soil if it has been in the same soil for 4-5 years. Is that Selenicereus? I am wondering if it is getting the right chill/light requirements that it needs to bloom. Do you keep it cool in the wintertime? Also, try fertilizing with a Bloombooster/Bloombuilder type fertilizer with a high middle number first thing in the spring and again a few weeks later. It may just need more fertilizer to bloom.
Clare,
Sorry...just repotted it late yesterday afternoon. I didn't get any feedback on it until after. As it maybe being a Selenicereus, I don't think it is (tho, I may be wrong). When I bought it, the tag with said Epiphyllum, but I can't remember the other name. Its supposed to have bright red blooms on it. As for chill /light requirements, I treat it like my other Epi's. I leave them on the porch rails (indirect morning sun, afternoon shade) until cool weather sets in, then place them on the porch floor in front of a set of shelves i built (full shade). When the chance of frost/ freeze is predicted, I then bring them inside and place them on my fireplace hearth (no sunlight) My other Epi's bloom great doing the same with them. I haven't used any bloombooster before, just "Peter's" plant food. When I repotted the orchid cactus, I used cactus/succulent potting mix with some extra perlite, sand and pinebark chips added for drainage. I also added some worm castings. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a bunch :)
Eric
p.s.
Clare,
Have you ever heard of not moving the christmas cactus while they're blooming? I've heard this from my mom-in-law and other family members. Any truth to this?
Hi Eric, it sounds like you are doing all the right things by your epi. Perhaps the Bloombooster will give it the boost it needs to flower next year. I don't think it is Selenicereus now that I have looked again closely at the leaves. Maybe it is Epiphyllum ackermanii? That one does have red blooms and blooms later than the others from what I have read.
There is no truth to the moving-christmas-cactus-while-it-is-blooming warning. I move mine around constantly, and as you can see by the picture, it hasn't hurt it a bit!
Wow, Clare...
That one's gorgeous!! Wouldn't mind having a cutting or 2 off of it...lol How much later does the E. ackermanii bloom? Also, would you use any other fertilizer or amendments. I've got the Miraclegro all purpose, epsom salts and Shultz's cactus plus liquid on hand. And how often? Thanks again for all of your help.
I think E. ackermanii blooms just after the other Epi hybrids bloom, which tends to vary a bit from year to year. I think some people on this forum have it blooming now. Darius just got a nice red bloom on hers.
You could alternate between the regular MiracleGro and Bloombooster. The only difference is that MiracleGro's Bloombooster formula has more phosphorus to encourage blooms (high middle number like 10-52-10). Epsom salt is a supplement that contains minors, which are usually included in most fertilizers, but it probably can't hurt to water with it once in a while. Candy recommends fish emulsion as a supplement. Superthrive is a good supplement too. You can add supplements to the water every time you water.
Schultz's cactus plus liquid fertilizer is probably fine too, but I bet it is a weaker solution than the regular Miracle Gro. I just use whatever is on hand really. I think the important thing is just to fertilize often and regularly until fall. My cacti and succulents get fertilized when everything else does, and I fertilize often because I have heavy feeders like tuberose, brugmansias, and plumerias. If I have time, I fertilize once a week, but it probably works out to be once every couple of weeks. You should fertilize no less than once a month in any case. HTH
Edited to fix error:-)
This message was edited Jul 11, 2005 9:47 AM
Clare...is that Christmas cactus blooming NOW? Isn't it a bit confused? Ha.
I just recently bought 3 of these at that sale (different colors). But none of them are blooming now. Any special tips or care on these, or do I just treat them like an epi?
Marcy
Mairzee, I treat mine just like my epies. Of course in the last 3 days of Dennis rains they may have drowned. Even in pots with holes for draining (and NO saucers) I've had to dump water out because it has rained faster than they can drain. So many are new cuttings that I fear they will rot.
Gosh, maybe you could put them under some makeshift shelter, or on a porch or something till the monsoon is over. Ha
I rigged up a sort of temporary winter roof for all my sans and cactus for during the winter rains as that is when mine would rot. We don't get much rain here in the summer so don't have to worry now.
Marcy
I sure wish I did have an overhang, porch or something I could use as a shelter. I could build a "tent" of plastic over them but I'm afraid if I was away for the day and the sun came out, they'd cook.
Darius,
I have that problem here in Summer too. Sometimes it pours buckets ( remnants of hurricanes) several days in the row and the cacti and succulents don't get a chance to dry up, which can be a disaster for some of them. This year I rigged up a couple of panes of Lucite to temporarily roof over the C& S bench when needed, and they are easily removed. I watched the panes in place on a hot sunny day as a test to make sure I don't cook the plants. It worked fine. Constructing some sort of rack and placing Lucite on top of that might be a way?
Thanks. Good suggestion. I'll have to see if there's a store within 50 miles that carries it. (I'm really in the boonies!)
Marcy, that picture was taken 12/22/2004 (see date in corner;-) I pretty much ignore my CC and only give it water once in a while. I find it does well with no help from me.
Clare,
Just updating. 3 weeks have past after repotting the Epi and it has new growth. About every other leaf (?) has at least an inch or new growth. A piece broke off, so I let it harden for about a week, dipped it in rootone, then gave it's own pot. Thanks for everyone's help:)
Eric
Yay! That's great:-)
I love that little pedistal you have that one on Clare. It looks to be out in full sun. Can X-mas cactus take full sun? I have mine in a shady spot right now. Do they need some sun to bloom or set blooms?
Marcy
Hi Marcy and thanks. I just put the plant there for the picture. I actually have mine out in filtered sun. If I'm not mistaken, I think bright light and no full sun is best. To set blooms, I believe they need a change in the amount of light they receive, and the decreased/increased light situation signals the plant to bloom. They also need fertilizer and possibly some chill to bloom well. Mine stays outside all year on a semi-covered patio. The colder temps have caused the foliage to turn red.
Oh is cold weather what did that? A couple of the ones I bought have the red foliage. I just thought it was standard for a certain type.
Marcy
Hi Marcy, I think the cold weather is what makes the foliage turn red, but full sun might do it also. When the winter sun sits low in the sky, it does shine directly on my plant, but it is not very strong. In the summer, when the sun is higher in the sky, the overhang protects my plant from the stronger sun. So I'm not really sure whether it is the sun or the cold that turned the foliage red, but it probably was the sun because my other christmas cactus stayed out on the patio last year in a more shady place, and it's leaves are not red.
Clare,
Your epi is beautiful!! I love the color of the leaves with the blooms. I have found that high light or sun turns my leaves red. I have a variegated Christmas cactus that had white margins on the green leaves. I have it in a high light area outside and the margins have turned purple.
Karen
Karen,
Your variegated Christmas cactus is interesting plant. What's color flower? Does it is rare? I would like to have some variegated Christmas cactus cuttings.
Connie
Hi Karen and thanks! Yours sounds neat too. Make sure to post a picture, if you can, when it blooms. I'm sure it is stunning in bloom.
Hi Connie,
I found the cactus last Dec. in a shipment from Canada at a local store. There were only a couple of variegated ones and I grabbed them. The flowers if I remember right are a magenta. I was lhoping more for a Christmas red. Not all the leaves are variegated in the pot. Since the plants have been outside, the leaves have changed from white margins to purple. I have two different pots of them. One had more white in the leaves. Those are the only variegated Christmas cactus that I have ever seen. They caught my eye in a whole table of Christmas cactus. At first I thought something was wrong with them because of the color of the leaves. Then I realized the leaves were variegated. They are putting out some good growth so I will be able to offer some cuttings. I will post a pic when it blooms again.
Karen
Hi Karen,
That's unique color of the leaves. I am looking forward to see the picture of it. I will contact you for cuttings.
Connie