It’s the most beautiful time of the year – well, it’s just around the corner to be more precise, but the holiday euphoria starts early for me! The Christmas cactus flowering season is also coming closer, and each time I see their blossoms, it makes me want even more of these spectacular plants.
If you feel the same, I have great news for you – you can easily get more of these plants without spending a dime. You can expand your collection or gift them to your friends or family; both are fantastic options!
In this article, I’ll show you how to propagate Christmas cactus in a few easy steps and give you some tried-and-true tips for maintaining these captivating plants.
Let’s get started!
1. Prepare Equipment
The easiest way to propagate the holiday cactus is by stem tip cuttings, but never start propagating your plants until you prepare all the equipment.
You’ll still need to get your hands dirty but at least you won’t be constantly running for supplies.
Here’s a list of all the equipment you need to propagate the Christmas cactus, scientifically known as the Schlumbergera truncata S. × buckleyi.
• Sterilizing solution, such as bleach or rubbing alcohol
• A pair of scissors
• A small pot
• Soil mix
Are you ready? Let’s do it!
2. Sterilize Tools
Unfortunately, our plants can be diseased or infested by pests and it’s hard to notice it if the condition isn’t severe.
When you start propagating, you can accidentally transmit disease or pests, and the easiest way to avoid this is by sterilizing the cutting tools.
Simply take a cotton ball, dip it in alcohol or bleach, and wipe the scissor blades with it.
Remember to repeat this process each time you take Christmas cactus cuttings.
3. Take The Cutting
When propagating this type of holiday cactus, you need to take a healthy stem tip cutting which has a Y shape and about three leaf segments.
I highly recommend taking the largest portion possible because it will allow you to put more sections in the potting soil.
You need to make an incision where the two leaf segments meet; we refer to this plant part as a node. Your cactus will continue to display new growth once you remove this section.
Once you have a large portion you can divide it into a few parts, but make sure each part has about three segments.
I always take cuttings when I prune my Christmas cactus because I don’t want to waste anything.
4. Allow It To Callus Over
It’s essential for the Christmas cactus cutting to callus over for a few days. All you need to do is find a dry spot with a lot of bright but indirect light and leave the cutting there.
Remember that the wounds on the cutting are sensitive to rotting, and that’s the main reason why we can’t plant them as soon as we take them.
The callus that forms on the cutting will prevent rotting and the roots will successfully form.
5. Prepare The Pot
When choosing pots for cactuses, we need to select the ones that will fit the plant and they should be made of porous materials to prevent waterlogging.
Christmas cactus cuttings are pretty small so it would be logical to select smaller pots. But, from my experience, you can go with full-size pots.
Many growers claim that the cuttings will have too much soil and be more sensitive to rotting. That is technically true but, in my opinion, it applies more to other plant species.
Cactuses don’t mind being rootbound and you’ll do them more harm than good if you disturb the roots. These plants have a hard time recovering from repotting, so purchase 6 to 8 inch pots to avoid this.
Your Christmas cactus will develop healthily and reach its full size in no time. You’ll also avoid the risk of breaking the cuttings when transferring them to other pots!
6. Add Soil Mix
When choosing the soil mix for your cactus, you should consider two factors. First, make sure the potting soil is porous enough to allow the roots to breathe.
Second, the soil must be free-draining to prevent water from accumulating and rotting the roots.
You can either purchase a ready-made soil mix designed specifically for succulent plants or make your own soil by mixing free-draining ingredients.
Take the pot, add about an inch of soil, and moisten it lightly; you don’t want it to get waterlogged!
7. Plant The Cuttings
Now comes the final, and my favorite, part of Christmas cactus propagation: planting the cuttings!
Here’s one hack: plant multiple cuttings in a single pot to get a bushy plant! Christmas cactuses you see in supermarkets are grown this way.
Many gardeners choose to plant one cutting per pot; there’s nothing wrong with this method but you need to wait for the cutting to develop many branches and reach its full potential.
Put each cutting into the soil and make sure there’s no more than 2 inches of soil above the node.
The next step is to find an ideal location for your Christmas cactus cuttings; make sure it’s somewhere they receive bright indirect light!
If your cuttings look wilted for the first couple of days, there’s no need to panic. Do not add water at this point because it will do more harm than good.
Water the cuttings only when the upper part of the soil dries out, and continue using this method even when the roots are formed.
The Christmas cactus cuttings typically take 4 weeks to display new growth. Do not worry if the sections are red around the edges because this is a normal part of their life cycle.
That’s it! You’ve successfully propagated your cactus!
Can You Propagate Christmas Cactus Cuttings In Water?
Many fellow growers frequently ask me if it’s possible to propagate Christmas cactuses in water. Nothing is more fun than watching the cuttings grow their roots!
However, I don’t recommend water propagation for holiday cactuses. I’ve already mentioned that they don’t like to be disturbed and roots that develop in water are even more sensitive to rotting and breaking.
But if you do decide to propagate your Christmas cactus this way, I have a few tips. Fill a small transparent container with clean, room temperature water and insert the cutting, making sure the node is below the water line.
Find a spot with bright indirect light and inspect your cactus regularly. Change the water in the container every 2-3 days to prevent pathogens from spreading.
When propagated this way, it typically takes a month and a half for the cuttings to generate roots. Carefully plant them in a suitable soil mix and enjoy your new Christmas cactuses!
Propagating Christmas cactuses isn’t rocket science so don’t be afraid to try it if you’re a beginner. Just follow our guidelines and I’m sure your new plants will adorn your Christmas table next year! Good luck!