How To Get The Bloom Timing Exactly Right On Your Christmas Plant

Getting a Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera buckleyi) to blossom for the holidays can feel like a truly special gift, as its bright red flowers can effortlessly add an extra touch of festive cheer to your home. After all, while this plant sometimes will bloom in late December, it can also flower as late as January, which means it won't necessarily reward you with its full glory during the winter holidays — at least, not without the proper care. However, if you time everything right and know how to take care of a Christmas cactus, you can experience the full joy of owning one of these amazing succulents during your festivities.

Native to tropical regions, this unique beauty boasts glossy, leaf-like stem segments adorned with variously hued flowers. By paying close attention to the calendar and mimicking the conditions of its native habitat, you can ensure its blooms coincide perfectly with your holiday celebrations. Best of all, it doesn't take much skill or effort to encourage it to burst into color — you'll just need a bit of careful planning and some thoughtful TLC. And, you'll want to know the deadly mistakes to avoid making with your Christmas cactus.

Follow this tutorial, and you'll be glad to discover that encouraging your cactus to flower doesn't require expensive gear. Just stick to these simple tips and keep a loving eye on your cactus, and you'll soon be patting yourself on the back for being such an awesome and skilled plant parent!

Unlike vegetation that blooms as the days grow longer, Christmas cacti flower as the nights lengthen. By mimicking these conditions — providing cooler temperatures and at least 12 hours of darkness daily for about two months before the holidays — you can encourage your Christmas cactus to bloom for the season. Get your cactus to flower and follow other decorating tips for Christmas on a budget, and you'll love how merry your home looks.

Keep your cactus in a low-traffic room that's constantly dark at night. Additionally, aim for daytime temperatures around 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit and cooler nights between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Some sources even recommend keeping the thermostat continuously below 60 degrees Fahrenheit to promote flowering — if it's too warm, your plant may stay stubbornly green. Likewise, while Christmas cacti prefer bright but indirect light, keep yours at least 6 feet from a window to prevent overheating or stem burns. And if you don't have a space that's dark enough after the sun sets, simply covering your plant with a black plastic bag at night can help provide the nighttime conditions it needs to produce buds.

While you might think your cactus — which is actually not a desert plant or true cactus — doesn't need much water, giving it regular moisture is essential for it to bloom. Just be sure it's in a pot with drainage holes, and water it thoroughly — until the water flows out the bottom — whenever the soil feels dry to the touch. Once your plant blooms, it will likely keep flowering for about four to six weeks, which, if you timed it correctly, should also help you kick off the new year with a bang.