I cant get me christmas cactus to bloom

[Daethen]

Cool!!! Thanks guys. Appreciate all the help I can get. I will try to get some cuttings rooting!

[Anisa]

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

we'll help Daethen get hers blooming too!

- YES!

Daethen - I sent you pm.

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by Daethen

Cool!!! Thanks guys. Appreciate all the help I can get. I will try to get some cuttings rooting!

you don't even need to do that, tho it doesn't hurt I guess. but when you take some cuttings, let them sit dry for a few days or more, so the end of the cutting callouses over.
I actually have some cuttings that I found on the ground (I think squirrels dig in one of mine) was going to toss them til I saw they were already rooting lol. I also a few weeks ago found one that I think was another piece that I picked up somewhere, had left it sitting in the garage, forgot about it. It ended up underneath plastic bags - don't know how long it was til I unburied it - but it was still good Had sprouted a few small roots in the middle ...

[silken]

As some have mentioned before, day length is the key. Temperature cooling down in fall may help but shortened days are necessary to bloom these. Some make the mistake of having it in the living room or somewhere that they spend time in the evening with lights on or the room gets spill off light from a bright room nearby and that can prevent these plants from flowering. Just the naturally shortened days of fall and winter are required.

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by silken

As some have mentioned before, day length is the key. Temperature cooling down in fall may help but shortened days are necessary to bloom these. Some make the mistake of having it in the living room or somewhere that they spend time in the evening with lights on or the room gets spill off light from a bright room nearby and that can prevent these plants from flowering. Just the naturally shortened days of fall and winter are required.

I don't think you need to be too strict about the no lights in the evening. All of mine are on a windowside table in the living room where they get light all evening. That has yet to keep them from blooming their heads off!

[silken]

Just what I learned in my horticulture studies that these plants are day-length sensitive. The change in lighting has helped several of my friends get theirs to bloom. But if they are blooming in long light days, enjoy!

[camille1585]

I learned the same thing (also did horticulture), but I'm just saying that absolute darkness doesn't seem to be as necessary as with Poinsettias for example. Then again mine don't get that much evening light in their spot, the lamps are mostly on the other side of the room so it's quite dim where they are. Maybe some plants are more sensitive to light than others?

[silken]

I don't think they need the total dark like a pointsettia. I have lights on in the greenhouse for 12 hours for the orchids, but my Thanksgiving cactuses are far enough away that they aren't getting any direct light. It is dim at best. Light falls off fast with distance.