Brent Jeansonne
Former
LSU AgCenter
Associate Extension Area Agent
Horticulturalist
Northwest Region of Louisiana

 

 

One of the most delightful plants that we use to decorate for the holidays is the holiday cactus. And yes, despite the fact that these plants don’t possess spines, they are true cactuses. The holiday cactus produces exquisitely beautiful flowers on an easy to grow plant that should become a permanent part of your container plant collection. With proper care, they will produce their gorgeous flowers for you during the holidays year after year. Many people know this typ of cactus as the "Christmas" cactus, but in fact there are 3 other species that we can refer to as a "Holiday" cactus.

1. Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncate): Showy flowers bloom in late fall, usually around Thanksgiving; it has crab claw-like appendages on its flat stems with pointy, jagged stem edges.
2. Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera russelliana): Often bred with S. truncate to form Schlumbergera x buckleyi, this species flowers around the end of the year near the Christmas holiday; blooms are reddish or pink, and it has smooth, rounded edges on stem segments.
3. Easter cactus (Rhipsalidopsis gaetneri): Blooming in early spring, this variety starts to reveal star-shaped flower buds in February and flowers from March through May; it has bristles on the edges of its leaf segments.

The reason these plants don’t look like typical cactuses has to do with where their ancestors lived in nature. They do not live-in deserts, but come from the rainforests of Brazil. In their native habitats, these plants are epiphytes, and they spend their lives perched up in trees with their roots in pockets of decaying organic matter lodged in cavities along branches. This explains much about how we need to care for these plants to keep them healthy.

 

The original species used to develop holiday cactuses are Schlumbergera truncata, the Thanksgiving cactus and Schlumbergera russelliana, the Christmas cactus. The Thanksgiving cactus is distinguished by sharp teeth along the edges of the flat stem joints, while the Christmas cactus has rounded scallops on the edges of its flat stems. Breeders have, however, crossed these species together and the plants you purchase these days are not true Thanksgiving or Christmas cactuses, but are generally hybrids of the two and may have teeth, rounded scallops or something in between.

           

For this reason, we have adopted the name “holiday cactus” to refer to these plants that will bloom anytime from November through January. Breeding has produced more robust, upright plants that are easier to grow with larger flowers in a greater color range.

 

When you purchase a holiday cactus this year, choose one that has the flowers, such as red, magenta, pink, rose, lavender, white, salmon, pale gold and orange. Choose a plant that has mostly large buds that show color and a few open flowers.

 

It is very common for young flower buds to drop from a plant once you get it home. There are several reasons that this may occur, primarily involving rapid changes in the plant’s growing conditions.

 

To minimize bud drops, try to place your holiday cactus plant in a brightly lit location, such as by a window, so that it gets plenty of light. Avoid heat sources, such as radiators, hot air ducts and fireplaces. Instead, choose a location that tends to stay cooler, especially at night. Also, don’t allow the plant to dry out when it is in bloom. This is a sure way to cause a bud drop. Water is often enough to keep the plant evenly moist. Each flower generally lasts about five to seven days, and the plants remain in bloom for two to three weeks.

 

When these plants are finished blooming, they should not be discarded. After flowering is finished, allow the soil in the pot to feel dry when you stick your finger in it before watering. If you display the plant in a location other than a bright window, move the plant to a window. There is no need to fertilize.

           

Come spring, you may continue to grow your plant indoors or move it outside for the summer. When placed outside, the plants may receive some morning sun, but shade for most of the day is preferred. In their native habitat, they receive excellent light since they are up in the trees off of the jungle floor, but they still receive some shade from the upper canopy.

 

Watering is very important. You must not water too often and keep the soil too moist. Remember, the ancestors of these plants grow in a situation with excellent drainage in the trees, and they will not tolerate their roots being kept constantly wet. The result of excessive watering is root rot, the most common reason these plants die.

 

You can help reduce the chances of over watering by growing your plants in loose, fast-draining potting soil rich in organic matter. Use a light potting mix when repotting your plants.

 

And speaking of repotting, you should do it as seldom as possible. Given that their ancestors grew in small pockets of organic debris in tree branches, it is not surprising that the plants prefer to grow in smaller pots. Only repot your plant if it is no longer stable in the pot it is currently growing in and tends to constantly fall over. Then, choose a pot only slightly larger than the one in which it was growing. To help with the stability of these sometimes-top-heavy plants, you can choose to grow them in heavier clay pots rather than plastic, although either works well.

 

During the summer growing season, fertilize your plant with your favorite slow release or soluble fertilizer following label directions.

           

Here’s how to make them bloom again. Holiday cactuses are triggered to bloom by long nights over 12 hours in length and/or chilly nighttime temperatures below 65 degrees. This is easily achieved by leaving or placing your plant outside in late September where it will receive naturally long nights (do not place the plant in a location where porch lights, flood lights or street lights shine on it) and chilly night temperatures in October and early November. Bring the plant inside if nighttime temperatures fall below 40 degrees.

 

Beginning in September, allow the soil to dry out more before watering and stop fertilizing. When you begin to see the little buds forming at the tips of the branches, water is often enough to keep the soil evenly moist but, does not keep it constantly wet. Move the plant indoors when the buds are about an eighth of an inch long and place it in a window for display.

 

Holiday cactuses are not only easy and reliable to rebloom, but the plant and the display will get larger and more spectacular each year. These wonderful, long-lived plants are sometimes even passed down from one generation to another. With good care, you may even pass along yours someday.[1]

 

SUMMARY

Light

Holiday cacti prefer partial shade or diffused light, although they are adaptable to other conditions. If you expose them to full sunlight, ensure it's during the winter months; too much sunlight in the spring and summer can make the plant pale and yellow.

 

Soil

Soil is not an essential factor for the holiday cactus; it's adaptable to most soil conditions and grows naturally as an epiphyte in its native region. Yours can thrive in loamy, sandy, perlite, cactus mix, or general-purpose potting soil. To achieve optimal growth, it prefers a pH level between 5.5 and 6.2; peat moss is a helpful additive for a more acidic environment.

 

Water

Though it is a cactus, its tropical origins make this plant crave more water than most, Water the plant thoroughly, allowing excess water to run out through the drainage holes. Let the soil dry almost completely between watering waters. You will know if the soil is too dry when the leaves start to pucker and shrivel.

During a hot, sunny summer, water the plant two to three times a week. If the plant is located in a sunny window during the winter, it may need water once a week. To check the soil, place your finger two inches into the soil; if it's dry to the touch, water thoroughly. If you keep the plant in a cooler location away from a window during the winter season, it may only need water once every two to three weeks.

 

Temperature and Humidity

The holiday cactus needs ample humidity, especially when grown in the dry conditions of heated homes during the winter. Either mist the plant or place a tray of pebbles sitting in water beneath the pot boost its humidity levels.

 

Temperature-wise, the holiday cactus is a bit picky. During its peak growth months (April to September), it prefers balmy temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the buds are set, it requires low nighttime temperatures (between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit) and at least 13 hours of darkness to flower. Keep it away from frequently opened doors and drafty windows; the cactus doesn't like sudden drafts, and it will drop its buds or flowers if exposed to drafts.²

 

Fertilizer

Feed your holiday cactus monthly with a half-strength, diluted water-soluble balanced fertilizer during the early spring and summer months. Once you've noticed the formation of flower buds—usually late summer or early fall—stop feeding. After the plant blooms, you can resume monthly feedings.

 

Pruning

Prune a holiday cactus right after it blooms, when it enters a new growth period extending its growth segments. Pruning will force the plant to branch out, and it will grow more of its distinctive stems. You can also prune safely from after blooming to late spring without harming the plant.

To prune the holiday cactus, give the stems a twist between one of the segments. You can also use a sharp knife or scissors to remove segments. You can remove up to one-third of the plant per year or, more conservatively, trim the end one to two segments from each of the stems.

 

Propagating Holiday Cactus

The best time to propagate a holiday cactus is one to two months after it's finished blooming. Avoid propagating it in fall while it sets its buds and as it's actively flowering. Taking cuttings of holiday cactus, large or small, will help the original plant grow fuller and bushier, resulting in more blooms in the future. The holiday cactus is the best propagated from stem cuttings.

 

Propagating Holiday Cactus

Here's how:

1. Twist off stem segments at the end of each segment with your hands, or use a sterile knife or scissors. Gather a pot and a growing medium like a cactus mix, all-purpose potting soil, or a sandy/peat mix. Optionally, to root your segment in water before planting it, use a clear jar of filtered water.
2. Each stem that you trim off the mother plant should have one to four segments. Place the segment in a cool, dry place for two to four days until the cut end callouses dry out to protect the end from rotting.
3. Plant the cutting about an inch deep in lightly moistened soil. It should take two to three weeks for roots to form.
4. Only water the plant lightly, letting it dry between waters. 
5. Optionally, you can root the cutting in water before planting it. Set the cut end in one to two inches of water, then place it in a window with indirect light. After several weeks, you should have roots at least an inch or two long to plant them (referring to step 3).
6. You want good rooting to occur before you repot the plant; wait at least eight to 10 weeks before repotting it to a permanent home. The best evidence of good rooting is new leaf or stem growth.[2]

After an astonishing 114 consecutive months of year-over-year home price gains, existing home sales eased two percent on a seasonally adjusted annual rate between July and August 2021.  Have rising home prices finally become too much for homebuyers? Not yet. The median existing-home sales price rose 15% year-over-year, according to The National Association of REALTORS (NAR), largely due to a continuing dearth of available homes for sale. Existing supplies nationwide are at a meager 2.6 months on hand, which means that at the current sales pace, supplies would end quickly.

Most impacted by slim inventories and rising prices are first-time buyers who accounted for 29% of sales in August, down from 30% in July and down from 33% a year ago in August 2020. So, what does this mean for you – the homebuyer who may feel discouraged?

Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist, said that “potential buyers are out and about searching, but much more measured about their financial limits, and simply waiting for more inventory.”

With winter approaching, housing sales tend to slow, especially with holidays pending. This affords buyers more opportunity to purchase a home “in the off season.” In addition, when buyers are pushed to their limits, they begin to withdraw from the hunt, leaving sellers with fewer showing and offers. 

Stay firm. Don’t “offer over list price” or try to compete with all-cash offers from corporate buyers. Eventually, prices will come down, and near-record-low interest rates will continue to be available for some time to come.  

This is one of the best times to get a fixed-rate mortgage. Since interest rates have hovered near record lows for years, they’re bound to go up rather than further down.

You could get lower mortgage payments temporarily with an adjustable rate mortgage or hybrid loan that employs a fixed rate for five years or so and adjusts to market rates when the fixed term expires. Your payment could reset to a much a higher and less affordable interest rate in the future.

A far safer option is the fixed rate mortgage with a rate that never changes over the life of the loan. Even so, your monthly payment can change in other ways.

If you put less than 20 percent of your home’s purchase price as a down payment, lenders will require that you pay for private mortgage insurance (PMI). Expect your payments to rise by 0.3 percent to 1.2 percent of the loan amount. In some cases, PMI can be removed.

Your monthly payments should include escrows for hazard insurance. The amounts can change, so monitor your annual insurance statements from your insurer when it’s time to renew. Your lender will divide the annual amount into monthly payments for your lender to add to your escrow.

Your property tax authority will send you a new statement annually, usually in the spring or early summer. Your tax basis will be based on the purchase price you paid. Most communities place annual limits on increases to avoid homeowner sticker shock.

Termites look like ants with white wings that eat wood and can cause considerable damage to your home. These are some signs that you might have an infestation:

You can hear them in your walls. Faint movement and tapping could be termites. Look for tiny holes in your sheetrock, plaster, wallpaper and moldings. Dirt channels or ripples that go up the length of your drywall is likely termite activity. Tapping and prodding on the wood around your home may reveal termite activity or damage if the sound is hollow. 

You see their droppings. Termites keep their homes clean, so they tend to deposit their offal outside of your walls.

There are dark or soft spots in your wood. Easily scratched wood may be infested.  Wood floors will droop, buckle, or sag if termite-damaged. Sawdust may be present. You’ll also see discolored or blistered wood from termite tunneling damage.

You find mud tunnels, tubes, or mud piles. These will appear near your foundation.

Unfortunately, you can’t always tell if tunnels, mounds and other signs are current, so if you’re buying a new home, make sure you have a termite inspection by a professional service.  And, if you’re a homeowner, call a professional termite exterminator to remediate any damage. Check your home periodically for signs of infestation, particularly in damp areas such as basements, laundry rooms, crawlspaces, etc.

Check with your neighbors to see if they’ve had termite activity lately. When other houses are treated for infestations, their termites might head over to your house.

Conventional wisdom says that it takes approximately one gallon of paint to cover a room up to 400 square feet, but this is a single-coat estimate is for a small room like a bathroom, according to Glidden.com. But other variables impact how much paint you should buy, such as the size and number of doors to the room, the height of the ceiling, the size and number of windows and whether you have crown molding, wainscotting and other decorative elements. 

Your favorite brand of paint most likely has a rough online calculation tool, such as BenjaminMoore.com, as well as a more detailed estimate. To make sure you have enough, round up to the nearest gallon. That way, you’ll have some leftover paint for touch-ups. If there’s any doubt, confirm the amount by taking your room measurements to your local paint dealer.

There are some circumstances where you’ll need more product. If you’re painting dark walls a lighter color or trying to cover stains or odors, you’ll want to cover the area with a primer before you begin painting. Kilz.com recommends that you use primer to cover everything from permanent marker, graffiti, grease and nicotine stains to stains from water damage, rust or ferrous (iron-based) stains. Severe stains such as those caused by fires, pets, smoke, floods or bodily fluids may require the help of professionals.

Be sure to keep notebook or online record of the color, brand and type of paint you choose.