How To Propagate a Christmas Cactus

2 minute(s) read Categories Flowers Indoor gardening Seeding and repotting

Schlumbergera x buckleyi Christmas cactus

Propagating cuttings from a Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi) is quite simple. 

The flowering period generally spreads from November to January. It is recommended to take cuttings after that.

 

Take care of your Christmas cactus 

To take good care of your Christmas cactus, avoid placing it directly in the sun and water it on a regular basis throughout the year, except after the flowering period. 

This type of cactus, which has trailing toothed stems that bear fuchsia blooms, is a tropical plant. Therefore, you should try to reproduce its native environment by placing it, among other things, in a brightly lit room, away from drafts.

 

Propagation through cuttings 

Each slip should be at least 2 or 3 segments long. To help prevent stem rot from excess moisture once planted up, it is a good practice to allow the slip to dry for an hour or two before planting. 

Peat has natural anti-fungal properties and sand is generally free of pathogens, so it's a good idea to use a peat/sand mixture to also help prevent any fungal diseases. 

Once you have taken your cuttings, insert each of them into the moistened growing medium to a depth corresponding to 1/4 of the length of the slip. 

As mentioned above, place your containers in a brightly lit room, avoiding direct sunlight. Water sparingly when the surface dries out until new signs of growth begin to appear on the tips. 

At this point, the new plant may be repotted into a good cactus mix or a potting soil containing sand.