Transplanting Christmas Cactus
Transplanting Christmas Cactus
Transplanting Christmas cactus is not only necessary from time to time, but aside from having to take a little care in a couple of areas, is a fairly straightforward procedure. A well tended Christmas cactus will get larger and more beautiful every year. This aptly named plant, a native of South America, blooms in the late fall, usually around mid to late October, and remains in bloom into the Christmas season. A handsome plant to begin with, the Christmas cactus, especially a larger plant, is quite spectacular when in full bloom.
About the only time you shouldn't consider transplanting Christmas cactus is when they are in bloom or coming into bloom. The best time is when blooming has ceased and the blossoms have dried away, which is in mid-winter, usually January. At this time of year it's often best to purchase a little potting soil if you can find a small bag.
Garden soil can be used, but generally needs to be sterilized or pasteurized to kill off bacteria or fungi that could hurt the plant. There are always bacteria and fungi in garden soil. These are usually beneficial, but in a small pot with moist warm dirt they may multiply and get out of hand, harming the plant in the process. If you do want to use garden soil, fire up the grill and cook the soil at 165 degrees or more for at least 30 minutes. You won't destroy the nutrients but will kill off the bacteria and any fungi present. The soil can be cooked in the oven for that matter but sometime can leave an unpleasant odor, one you don't want in the kitchen.
Good Drainage A Must - You really don't need a heavy soil, in fact it's best to avoid too heavy a soil. In their natural setting, the Christmas cactus grows in very loose, well composted soil, or often in an accumulation of dead leaves in the branches of a tree. The roots do best when they are in a medium that dries out somewhat, though not entirely, so whatever is used as a potting soil should drain well.
When it is time to transplant a Christmas cactus, one needs to be careful to not disturb the root ball any more than is necessary. A few roots are usually disturbed, but try to keep disturbance to a minimum to avoid setting the plant back. Place the plant in the new soil at the same depth as before, or even a little higher, so that it won't settle beneath the new surface, keeping the soil line at least a half inch below the rim of the pot or container for watering purposes.
The Christmas cactus likes a soil that is on the acidic side. This can be taken care of when transplanting simply by adding some peat moss to the potting soil mix. In fact if peat moss is used rather liberally, the Christmas cactus is much more likely to be a happy plant.
Propagation - If you come to enjoy your Christmas cactus, and most owners do, at some point you may wish to start a few new plants. You can always purchase them of course, which is the easiest since propagating the plant can be a bit difficult. You don't have to wait until transplanting Christmas cactus to take cuttings for propagation, but as long as you're working with soils and planting in the middle of winter, it's as good a time as any. You can use the same soil as you use for transplanting. The propagation process, using a 4 or 5 inch cutting or branch takes a few months, and is a little complicated, with the process best explained in another article.