How to prune a Christmas cactus after blooming
The editor will answer for you how to prune a Christmas cactus after blooming and the technical points of cultivating a Christmas cactus, including the knowledge content of flowers and plants. If there is anything wrong, please feel free to correct it!
After the Christmas cactus blooms, it will start to grow new tender leaves after a short rest. Many plant enthusiasts do not know how to care for it after the blooming period of the Christmas cactus ends, and simply let it grow naturally, resulting in some stems and leaves growing excessively and disorderly, and the leaves are very thin and not vigorous enough, which will affect the next flowering of the plant. After the Christmas cactus finishes blooming, it is necessary to immediately prune the messy stems and leaves, and then strengthen the care of water and fertilizer.
Pruning first after flowering
After the Christmas cactus finishes blooming, it should first be pruned and shaped. If not pruned, the top of the leaves or the stem nodes will start to grow a large number of tender buds, which will continue to grow into new leaves. Due to lack of pruning, too many stems and leaves will consume a lot of nutrients, causing the leaves to grow thin and weak, and the nutrients in the leaves will not be sufficient, which will affect the next flowering of the plant.
It is best to cut off 1-2 leaves from the bottom of the bloomed leaves when the Christmas cactus finishes blooming. Other overgrown stems and leaves can also be trimmed to the same height, and then the small tender buds at the stem nodes or bottom can be removed. Regular pruning and shaping of the Christmas cactus can reduce nutrient consumption, making the leaves more plump and the plant shape more compact, which is beneficial for the next flowering.
How to fertilize
After the blooming period ends and it has been pruned, do not rush to fertilize immediately. Let the plant rest for a short period, and then fertilize to supplement nutrients, which will make the plant grow more vigorously.
The Christmas cactus is about to enter the stage of growing new leaves. When fertilizing, you can apply a balanced phosphorus and potassium compound fertilizer nutrient solution, or sprinkle some decomposed organic fertilizer in the pot. Make sure to control the concentration of the fertilizer, as too much fertilizer can burn the roots.
How to prune a Christmas cactus after blooming
If it is a Christmas cactus that has not been repotted for a long time, you can also use this time to repot it, trim the messy, old, and weak roots, and replace it with loose and fertile nutrient soil, which is more beneficial for the plant's growth.
Proper watering
When caring for cacti like the Christmas cactus, watering should be controlled. If watering is not properly managed, causing the potting soil to remain moist for extended periods, it can easily lead to root suffocation, resulting in soft leaves and root rot. In hot summer weather, the Christmas cactus stops growing and enters a dormant state, and frequent watering can easily cause root rot. It is best to move it to a cool and well-ventilated place and reduce watering to allow the plant to safely survive the summer.
When watering the Christmas cactus during the growing period, first observe the potting soil. Only water when the potting soil is completely dry, and try not to make the potting soil too moist or waterlogged.
Light requirements
The Christmas cactus is a short-day plant. If it does not receive enough light for a long time, it will severely affect the plant's growth and flowering. Without sunlight during the growing period, the plant is more likely to produce瘦小的 lateral buds. In spring, during the growing period, you can place it in the sun to let it bask in the sun. By the end of spring and summer, as light intensity increases, you should move it to a cool and well-ventilated place for care.
After entering March, the blooming period of the Christmas cactus at home will end one after another. After blooming, it is necessary to prune it in time, remove some weak leaves, and then fertilize to supplement nutrients to make the plant grow more vigorously.
The above content (Green Plant Enthusiast Network) introduces how to prune a Christmas cactus after blooming and the technical points of cultivating a Christmas cactus, hoping it is helpful to you!