Christmas and Thanksgiving cactuses are similar plants, both within the genus, Schlumbergera. If yours do not reliably bloom, then this blog article is for you. We are going to give you some tips to help these plants bloom when you want them to--over the holidays.

Simply modifying the environment will encourage them to bloom. See below.

Light

For the purposes of encouraging a Christmas or Thanksgiving cactus to bloom, you should try to give it 6-8 hours of bright light per day. Not harsh, hot, south-facing sun, but bright light that is filtered through a sheer curtain from the east or north.

Aside from this light period, the rest of the time the plant needs darkness or as close to that as you can get by closing shades or drapes.

Temperature

During the dark periods, the plant needs to be cool. Aim for 18 degrees Celsius or cooler. That cooler temperature is considered good for us anyway, and most of us sleep better when it is cool, so that shouldn’t be too difficult.

Water

Water the plant less during the period you are trying to make it bloom. Normally, we water less in the winter anyway because plants do not need as much water. In this case, watering less stresses the plant and encourages it to bloom—to propagate and save itself.

Obviously, if your plant is not healthy, then it is unlikely to bloom. So, first make sure your plant is in tip-top shape before starting your make-it-bloom ritual roughly 6-8 weeks before you want it to bloom.

Questions? Come and see us at our flagship Surrey store, and we are happy to talk about your plants.

Art Knapp has 15 locations across British Columbia and is well known as the go-to garden centre for everything garden-related. Art Knapp, himself, began the business in the 1940's, and now, 80 years later, you can find more than he ever dreamed of in our stores. Come and see us on King George Boulevard in Surrey.

If you have any questions about this article or want to talk to us about gardening, just give us a call at (604) 596-9201.