Watering plants can be quite tricky! Here’s how to water your Christmas cactus properly, avoiding and minimizing some common mistakes.
Watering and caring for a Christmas cactus can be a little confusing, proper watering requires understanding its watering needs, drainage, season, and climate. So, here are some simple and easy tricks on How to Water Your Christmas Cactus and avoid common mistakes. While, over or under-watering has several adverse effects on the plants such as; segments or drooping buds, root rot, wilting, mushy leaves, and other problems. Let us discuss this in detail.
How to Water a Christmas Cactus
Watering Christmas cactus correctly is essential for maintaining the plant’s health to preserve its beautiful appearance. Being an epiphyte the Christmas cactus does not tolerate drought conditions and rather prefers humidity and moisture to thrive and flourish. The simplest trick is to check the top inch layer of the soil and if it seems dry, allow watering until it drains out of the bottom drainage holes. Here are some more details on understanding the water requirements of your Christmas cactus, factors that influence its water requirements, and avoiding some common mistakes.
Gather Your Supplies
- A watering can or spray bottle
- A container or basin large enough to accommodate your Christmas cactus
- Clean water at room temperature
Step 1: Check the Soil Moisture
Before watering your Christmas cactus, check the moisture level of the soil. Insert your finger about an inch into the soil. If it feels dry, it’s time to water.
Step 2: The Soaking Method
There is one effective watering technique for your Christmas cactus and that is “the soaking method”. To do this gently remove your plant from its decorative pot or saucer and place it in the container or basin you’ve prepared. Then, fill the container with water to cover the roots and allow the plant to soak for about 8-10 minutes, or until the topsoil becomes moist. Try this very effective method that ensures thorough hydration without overwatering.
Step 3: Draining Out Excess Water
After the soaking period, carefully lift your Christmas cactus from the container and let the excess water drain out completely. This prevents the plant from sitting in stagnant water, and root rot further.
When to Water a Christmas Cactus
First of all, let us understand this delicate beauty carefully. The Christmas cactus is an evergreen succulent and enters into its peak blooming period from November to January. So, the watering requirements for this plant depend on factors like season, blooming period, location, pot size, and soil quality. Let’s discuss them individually and don’t worry, it is made simple and easy.
Season
Identify and observe your Christmas cactus and its unique watering needs, influenced by the different seasons. During summer, the Christmas cactus wants more water so you can water twice or thrice a week depending on the top inch dryness of the soil. Always check the top inch of the soil by sticking your finger one inch deep. If the soil is dry, it’s time to water.
Again, during the fall and winter, you should gradually decrease the frequency of watering your Christmas cactus. The reason behind this is in the next point!
Blooming period
Here are two things to keep in mind, watering before the flowering occurs and watering during the flowering time is completely different!
So, Christmas cactus requires a period of rest, they slow down the growth and development including the metabolic activities, to initiate flowering. It does this to conserve the energy and resources to use it for producing flowers. Remember, this period is before the blooms appear, during the fall season, or during September to October. Accordingly, decrease the frequency compared to summer and check the top inch of the soil before watering.
Again, once it starts flowering you can increase the frequency of watering. This is necessary because the flowers and buds absorb moisture and nutrients quickly. Even though, a soil dryness check before watering should always be your guide!
Location
Where you put your Christmas cactus in your home also has a role in water requirements. If you live in a humid area and you keep your plant in an indirect sunlight spot then maybe your plant will need less watering than the one in a less humid, warm, and more indirect sunlight area.
The Christmas cactus grows best when placed in a location with partial shade, such as an east or west-facing window, with a temperature between 70° and 80℉.
Fact: Exposure to too much bright sunlight, especially in the summer months, can burn the foliage and not enough light can slow growth and cause the soil mix to dry too slowly.
Pot Size
Here size matters! The larger the pot, the more soil, nutrients, and water-holding capacity. So, the lesser should be the watering frequency. Simple! Although, checking the top inch of the soil should be a routine. Because your plant is going to grow and expand. Considering that, the water requirements will change in the future.
Soil Quality
Christmas cacti love moisture and humid conditions. So, the potting mixture for this plant can be slightly less loose than other succulent soil mixtures to retain a minimum of water. To make this happen, add a ratio of coco peat to the regular succulent mixture. Cocopeat helps to retain water for a longer time.
Pro Tip: According to the soil mixture amount you are going to use, add only one-third cocopeat of the total soil mixture.
Common Mistakes to Avoid!
- Do not keep the plant in Standing Water
- Ignoring the top inch soil check might lead to overwatering
- It is a short-day plant; it needs a dark period more than a photoperiod, especially during flowering time. Do not expose your plant to excess light during this time. It will lead to the falling of flowering buds.
- Don’t use much compact or dense soil mixture. It may lead to root rot if the water drainage is not working.
- Do not keep your plant near the AC or Heater. It dries the soil quickly and hampers the growth of the plant.
- Do not use water that is above or below room temperature. Your plant might go into shock!
- Do not water if the top inch of soil is moist. It is a simple mistake and can happen to anyone.
Signs of Overwatering
While providing water for your Christmas cactus, overwatering can have adverse effects on its health. It’s important to recognize the signs of overwatering to prevent any lasting damage. Not only is overwatering far more common than underwatering, but it’s also the first reason for Christmas cactus problems. Here are a few key indicators that your plant is getting too much water.
Soggy Soil
Check if the soil of your plant seems to be wet all the time. This might be a problem for the plant because this will lead to root rot or fungal growth in the roots later on. To avoid this see if the soil is too compact or tight and if it is, change the soil to a more loose and loamy succulent potting mixture and improve the drainage.
Mushy Limp
Overwatering and water-clogging, both lead to mushy limps of the Christmas cactus. If this is not stopped immediately, your plant will start inviting many pests and diseases.
Drooping Leaves
When you notice your Christmas cactus’s leaves becoming limp and droopy, it could be a sign of overwatering. The excess water causes the roots to become saturated, impacting the plant’s ability to absorb nutrients properly.
Root Rot
Overwatering creates an overly moist environment, leading to root rot. This condition occurs when the roots are consistently waterlogged, depriving them of oxygen. Further, this condition invites several fungal parasites to infest the root system.
Signs of Underwatering
On the other hand, underwatering can also affect the health of your plant. Again, as the Christmas cactus thrives in slightly moist and warm climates, so in that case, underwatering can lead to problems like dryness of the foliage, wilting, wrinkled stems, and so on. By recognizing these signs, you can intervene and provide your plant with ample hydration.
Wrinkled Stems
One of the most noticeable signs of underwatering is wrinkled stems. When your Christmas cactus lacks sufficient water, the stems become dehydrated and shriveled, resulting in a wrinkled appearance. Such problems further lead to dry, pale, or browning of the leaves.
Wilting of Buds and Flowers
Another common symptom of underwatering is the wilting of leaves, flowers, and buds. The leaves of your Christmas cactus may appear limp, droopy, and dull when it is not receiving enough water. Hence, wilting is a pretty clear indication that your plant is quite thirsty and in need of hydration. So, it is very important to address underwatering promptly to prevent any lasting damage to your Christmas cactus.
