Christmas Cactus

Mine tend to put on a new bit of leaf onto the existing one, per year. They are on west facing window sills and tend to be ignored. Watered when they begin to look a bit wrinkly. All three are about to burst into flower.
I never feed them!

x

I was just about to look on-line for the answer to how to treat CC. Mine has some tiny buds at the end of the leaves - will these open into flowers? It's on a west facing windowsill and I only water it occasionally if it looks a bit sad.

Sounds as though you are all doing it right. MiL, who had really long lived and spectacular CC, always said to stop watering it at the beginning of summer and start in October, with a little feed every now and again. It seems to work and don't move it once the buds have formed!

I always used to put mine outside in the Summer to rest it and no watering then as the others say regular watering plenty of light but not direct sunlight and no moving once the buds form. I don't have any at present not even sure why to be honest

Interesting. My daughter was a little girl when she bought hers at a church fair when we were on holiday in Dorset. It's about 35 years old and has moved from the family home to university, back home again, then to her first flat, and it now sits in her house conservatory. It is enormous and flowers every season. I'm not aware they she gives it any special care but she does love it, and I'm sure it knows that.

Can anyone tell me why it must not be moved once the buds form? Does that mean literally not moving it even to dust under it or does it mean location-wise?

Gagagran if you move it , even to dust the buds will drop off and its such a shame when you do it by accident as I've done on occasion within a day or two all the buds were on the shelf.,

The buds form on the new growth. I was told not to move or water once the buds form. No idea why. Possible to do with temperature change.

I always dislike buying flowers that have been outside florists, grocers and in markets, in the winter. Once in the warmth they droop.

x

Gagagran
Yes the small red tips at the ends of the leaves are flower buds.
Mine hasn't got any yet

It seems from what others say they like to face west. The only place that would be is the bathroom, I don't really want it in there.

I was told by my DH that they don't like water. I only water mine if it absolutely needs it. I only water it regularly when it is flowering. I have had mine for 22 years. I picked up a slip of about three or four leaves length? from the floor of the home in which I was working. I planted it and when it stopped growing, I repotted it into a larger pot. It goes outside every spring as soon as there is no frost, and comes back in to the porch in the autumn. It had lots of tiny buds now, and hopefully will be in full bloom at Christmas. I never feed it, as it doesn't seem to need it. It now has a fern growing along with it. Here' a picture, fern and all.

PS don't move it while it is in bud. They tend to drop the buds if you do.

Don't turn it around, so the side which is facing the window is then facing in to the room, or move it.
If it hasn't any buds it may be that it hasn't had enough dark. they are often better if they are left in the dark or covered up at night or don't switch the light on, or they may not produce enough hormone that makes them flower.

If you keep them watered they only produce new leaves, nice and fleshy. No buds then form. They like to be quite dry.