How often should I water my Christmas cactus in the summer?
Question:
Answers:
You don't want it to become "active" so just water it like every two months or when the leaves seem to get weak or turn under--if you over water it, it will start producing flowers too early and therefore miss the Christmast spectacular.
My mom has always watered hers once a week. and they grow beautifully. It probably also depends on where you live.
As often as is needed. I water mine once a week and let the water drain in the sink.
This answer is based entirely on anecdotal experience, so take it for what it's worth. I have three Christmas cacti, the oldest is now about 5 years old. They bloom every year, beginning around Thanksgiving and continuing off and on through the spring. cns0105 notes that frequency of watering depends on where you live--yes. It really depends on the conditions under which your cacti are being kept. Indoors? How often is the a/c running? If it's running a lot, it's also drying everything, including your plant's soil, out quickly. If it's not running very much, then you'll need to water less frequently. mac is also correct to note that there's all kinds of Christmas cactus arcana that has to do with withholding water during a season, giving the cactus a dry spell to stimulate blooming, but I've never been able to make this work. I'm more likely to kill the cactus than anything. I water mine once to twice a week, depending on how much the heat or a/c is running in the house, year-round. They're getting huge (from 3" pots to too big to keep in the kitchen window), and they bloom every year, more or less in the right season. mac is right that sometimes my timing is a little off. Whatever you do, don't over water, but you probably know that. Use the ol' finger test, if the soil is dry, say, at a depth of your first knuckle, your cactus could probably use a drink.
More Related Questions & Answers...