Christmas cactus on patio

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Growing Coastal
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Re: Christmas cactus on patio

#21

Post: # 57952Unread post Growing Coastal
Tue Nov 23, 2021 4:47 pm

Labradors wrote: Tue Nov 23, 2021 12:31 pm Where do you place your Christmas cacti for best light? I recently bought a Thanksgiving cactus and put it in a south-facing window. I had read not to move them around (as I did with a previous plant in the past). Sadly, I have noticed small buds are dropping off :(.

Linda
I am starting to wonder if their buds blast when they have been turned away from the light direction they have been growing in. I was once told by an old Dutch grower that in Holland the clay pots of gardenias would be marked with chalk so that their direction to the light would not change as that would make their bus drop. Maybe the same with Xmas cacti? Something to experiment with.

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Julianna
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Re: Christmas cactus on patio

#22

Post: # 57956Unread post Julianna
Tue Nov 23, 2021 5:05 pm

The buds do blast if they are turned from the direction of the light source. That is why it is a tricky thing to move them in bud or bloom.
-julianna
10a Monterey Bay
Lover of Fogust, tomatoes, flowers, and pumpkins

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Shule
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Re: Christmas cactus on patio

#23

Post: # 57986Unread post Shule
Wed Nov 24, 2021 3:06 am

@Labradors
For plant growth and health, north windows can be great. The one we have next to one (just to the left of the window) is flourishing, even when the curtain is mostly closed a lot. That one hasn't flowered a lot, yet, however.

I have some by a south window in a room that usually stays warm. They flower once in a while (sometimes more than once a year), but not heavily, historically.

The one we have that's budding some now is about 10-15 feet from a south glass door, with part of the plant getting distant northern window light.

By a west window, in a cool room, we once had the same plant, and it would flower a lot some years, and less other years. The plant got too cold, though, and turned purple (and even stayed purple after I gave it phosphorus), until we moved it somewhere warmer. It flowered more after the phosphorus (before we moved it).

The ones by the south window had issues (they looked kind of bleached) until I took them off the windowsill (fertilizer changes and repotting also made a difference). They're on a table by the south window now, and other parts of the room.
Location: SW Idaho, USA
Climate: BSk
USDA hardiness zone: 6
Elevation: 2,260 feet

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Julianna
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Re: Christmas cactus on patio

#24

Post: # 58033Unread post Julianna
Wed Nov 24, 2021 2:36 pm

I always thought it helped to know their origins. They come from the tropical cloud forests at higher elevations and live under the canopy. So they like it cool but not too cool, constantly moist and humid, no real temperature swings of a great degree, not too sunny and not too dark. Shattering is a defense mechanism for spreading when conditions become unfavorable which usually is a result of tree fall. They live in the little pockets of organic matter in tree crotches and whatnot.

When more mature and if happy, S. truncata will bloom twice a year over a 2 or so month range each cycle. S. X buckleyii will bloom for a long season from November through March. russeliana is a winter bloomer. They have recently moved easter cacti into Schlumbergera from Hatiora. S. X graeseri and S. gaertneri obviously by name have a spring bloom but can bloom from Feb through June when mature.

I always wanted to try to breed a yellow or redo a salmon S x buckleyii. I have one I dont usually discuss, but it is exceedingly weak and not good. I would love to take some of the newer cultivators of the yellow Truncata and cross it with S x Buckleyii and a ruselliana and see what works.
-julianna
10a Monterey Bay
Lover of Fogust, tomatoes, flowers, and pumpkins

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SpookyShoe
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Re: Christmas cactus on patio

#25

Post: # 59226Unread post SpookyShoe
Fri Dec 17, 2021 12:11 pm

IMG_20211217_120243825_HDR.jpg
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Donna, zone 9, El Lago, Texas

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SpookyShoe
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Re: Christmas cactus on patio

#26

Post: # 59645Unread post SpookyShoe
Fri Dec 24, 2021 1:43 pm

Christmas cactus on Christmas Eve living up to its name.
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Donna, zone 9, El Lago, Texas

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worth1
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Re: Christmas cactus on patio

#27

Post: # 59646Unread post worth1
Fri Dec 24, 2021 2:13 pm

I love cacti and all manner of dessert plants.
Worth
25 miles southeast of Waterloo Texas.

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You might as well be arguing with a cat.

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