A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Help me please?

My Christmas cactus looks like it is dying and some parts look ok... The middle of the plant is growing and flowering just fine.. Around the outsides the leaves are falling off everyday and they look like they are rotting where they meet the soil... I just recently repotted the plant because it was doing very well and getting huge. I noticed with in about a month it started going bad... I did use that new soil from miracle grow that holds the moisture in so you dont have to water as much... I'm thinking for this plant that was a bad idea.. Could it be that it is not drain the water through the soil fast enough? Please help? I do not want to lose this plant. This is the first time that I had more that 3 blooms on it...

Thank you, Christina

I'm thinkin' it's a bad idea too...
I'm not really huge into house plants but as
soon as I read that, I thought that's what it might be...

Wait around a bit for some other more well season'ed house plant gardeners and see what their advice maybe also...

*welcome aboard TGHF by the way, we're very glad you found us*

P/S
One tip about growing Christmas cactus's and their blooming habits, always keep it facing the SAME DIRECTION when moving it or repotting it..
The plant will not set blooms if it faces in a different direction or moved.. or if it sets buds and it is moved into a different position,
it will drop it's buds and won't bloom...

And to make it bloom, it needs a short DARK time, 6 weeks or so, and DO NOT WATER IT WHEN IT'S IN THE DARK...

i agree 100%
You should have the Christmas cactus is quick-drying soil... Xmas-cacti are just that-- A cactus-- they retain and hold most of their water... som like I said, quick drying soil will do it well... only water it about avery 2-3 weeks... let the soil dry up before re-watering again.

Good luck with it!

mark is sort of right. they are treated like a cactus, and are succulents, but they are epiphytes rather than true cacti.

that said, he is also right about the soil. they do need well draining soil. if you want, you can add sand or gravel to the soil you have, making it drain better. otherwise, get some cacti soil, or orchid soil for it. the cactus soil works by draining well, the orchid soil works by having larger pieces, and more air pockets. so while it doesn't dry as quickly as the cactus soil, it does drain as well, and provides airflow.

Thank you all very much for your input... I will re-pot it again! I hope it is not too late! Keep your fingers crossed for me....

Another question! How do I start new plants? I thought I could just put them in water, but that does not seem to work..

Christina

Also, how do I get rid of those pesky little tiny flies that like to make their home in house plants?

those pesky flies are from your plants being too wet. they feed on the organics decomposing and when your plants are "over loved" the flies love it! a layer of sand or fish tank gravel on top along with letting your plants dry a little more will get rid of them.

as for starting your christmas cactus starts, just put them on top of the soil, they will do the rest. or you can "hurry" them if you let them dry a few days then put the broken joint about a quarter inch into the soil.