Thanksgiving/Christmas cactus care: When do I repot? Why are branches falling out of it? August care

[@shirleyholt898]

Hi Amy. Thank you for the information. May the Lord richly bless you. ( and Jasmine too ). 🙏🏻🥰🐕‍🦺

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@shirleyholt898 👋 Hi Shirley! Blessings to you and Bella! ✝️😇❤️💐

[@tammyinnalabama]

Well, I finally repotted all of my Thanksgiving cacti. The smaller ones I did in July and they have new growth on them. My Big Red didn't get trimmed back, divided, and repotted until 8/12, on my daughter's birthday. I wanted to get all of mine into the plastic orchid liners, and in the same size pots I removed them from. I will be shocked if any of them bloom this year, but I'm ok with that. I'm happy they all have fresh mixture and I can remove them from the ceramic pots to water them. I never knew they would be happy in the plastic orchid liners until you shared that with us. Thank you for all of your wonderful advice. Happy growing. 😊💐

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@tammyinnalabama 👋 Hi Tammy! Yours might still bloom...especially since yours bloom later than mine do. They're a lot easier to manage in the liner pots...I've started growing everything in lighter weight pots and it's easier on my hands. Have a great week, my friend! 😇🌸❤️🐶

[@kcbknitter]

This is such a helpful video. Thank you so much. It’s October and was thinking I should repot my little one from last year. I decided to find out if now is a good time. Fortunately I found this video. I will wait 👍

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@kcbknitter so glad it was helpful...thanks for letting me know! Happy growing!

[@ROlson-dx2jc]

Thank you! I appreciate your generosity and expertise. If you remember we had an exchange recently about my Thanksgiving Cactus "Mike". I repotted him last week at the wrong time of year and did he ever pout. The happy outcome is he's survived my mistakes once again and is looking much better. Thank you again 😊❤

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@ROlson-dx2jc hi! Yes, I remember your Mike Tyson cactus story! And I'm so glad to hear he's doing better. It was your comment that inspired me to do this video...I thought the topic would be helpful and timely. I hope Mike blooms really well for you thus year...please keep me posted! Happy growing! 😇🌸

[@ROlson-dx2jc]

@OrchidWhisperer Thank you! That is wonderful. Mike has started perking up. I will be sure to let you know how he gets along. He's in a 7 inch pot, and I am going to follow your lead and just leave him alone for a long while now.

[@eomma2019]

ah! thank you! i never realized they weren't true cacti and were more like orchids! i'll switch mine more like my orchid watering schedule and see how we fare then! mine has been falling apart for months, and i just wasn't keeping it wet enough

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@eomma2019 you're welcome! Yes, these are tropical cacti, not desert cacti. They are more like orchids, like you mentioned. You'll see a big difference when you start watering them well...just be sure to drain the water away from the plant. Happy growing! 😇

[@wandashaw3551]

Hi Amy, Thank you for sharing your growing tips for these beauties. I have 2 in my collection, the all green and the varigated variety. I'm going to stop fertilizer and just give them calmag and put them in the window sill so they get used to the cool down . My green one did flower for my last year, and I'm hoping that I get to see blooms on the varigated one. ❤. Peace and blessings to you and your family. Me

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@wandashaw3551 👋 Hi Wanda! That sounds like a great plan...the cooldown is crucial or they just won't bloom. Always good hearing from you...you post the best comments! 😊 Have a great day! 😇💐🌸❤️

[@wandashaw3551]

Thank you, Amy. 🥰

[@sharonholmes2470]

I was just thinking about you today and out pops a video! Wow! 🤗 It's cooling down a tad bit here but we will still have the summer effects till around the end of October. Blessings dear...🌵

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@sharonholmes2470 great minds think alike....I was thinking about you too! Especially around your namesake...hasn't she grown! Can't wait to see her bloom this year, the blooms are so pretty! Have a great day my friend! 😇🌸❤️🌵

[@JoyceDarden]

5:13 my Christmas cactus has new leaves coming now. I repotted July 18 2024. Im so glad I found you. Thanks!

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@JoyceDarden so happy for you! Have a great day! 😇

[@kapilatuladhar4432]

Bless you too. Thank you😊

[@mollys1584]

Hello my friend! Excellent advice! I totally agree with you about fertilizing and stopping now. I actually do that with all my plants. Too much fertilizer can cause problems. I stuck my hand in Lil Red yesterday to trace a yellowing section and got bit by a spider. I am OK today but not fun! I wanted to say I did repot Lil Red a few years ago in late August or early September. I didn't have a problem but I'm sure it's because she is an Easter cactus and had months before she bloomed again. Blessings on your week Amy! ❤

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@mollys1584 👋 Hi Molly! I'm so sorry to hear you were bitten by a spider! Yikes! I'm noticing more spiders in my sunroom...it's coming up to their time of the year. It makes sense that you could repot an Easter cactus in the summer. Thank you for sharing that with me, it's helpful to know what works and what doesn't from other growers experiences. Have a wonderful week my friend...so good to hear from you! 😇❤️🌸💐

[@mollys1584]

@OrchidWhisperer Thank you Amy! Our home is surrounded on 2 sides by woods. And we've been very rainy so...have we got spiders! I also appreciated your take on bits of your cactus "self-pruning". I experience the same especially with my two oldest Thanksgiving cacti and never knew what it was!

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@mollys1584 we have lots of spiders here in East TN. The cute black fuzzy ones are welcome in my sunroom...but I have to be careful to watch for the brown recluse. I git bitten by one 10 years ago, it was misery. I'm so glad you found this video helpful...you're such a good grower I take it as a huge compliment! 😊 Blessings on your day, dear friend! 😇🌸❤️💐

[@mollys1584]

@OrchidWhisperer OH Amy...a brown recluse spider! I know the damage they can do. One of my husband's co-worker got bit by one on a camping trip recently and ended up in the ER. All spiders are welcome in my house cause they outnumber us so we really don't have a choice! Amy I may have grown tropical cacti a long time but you are quickly becoming an expert on them so I'm looking to you for great advice! Blessings on your week my friend...happy growing! 😃

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@mollys1584 you made my day! Thank you! I've learned to be very careful around spiders. The cute fuzzy black ones I like...anything brown gets removed. I was bitten while trimming some lemon balm outside. I now wear long sleeves and jeans while trimming...I learned the hard way! Have a blessed day, Molly! 😇🌸❤️

[@lenorepeloso2378]

Ok thanks. That’s what I’ll do. Yes there is new growth, not a lot but I’m sure they have established themselves.

[@wendyacker245]

I’m from Eastern Tn. too

[@Mimi-63]

Hi Amy 🌼, thank you for another great video!! I always learn so much from you. You mentioned cal/mag this time of year but what about seaweed, do you still use cal/mag along with seaweed? Jasmine must’ve been napping lol, she didn’t make an appearance 🐾🐾. Have a blessed week🌸. Chrissy 🤠

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@Mimi-63 hi Chrissy! I don't use seaweed this time of the year. It puts them in growth mode. Jasmine slept through the entire video, lol!! Have a great week, my friend! 😇🌸❤️🐶

[@Mimi-63]

@@OrchidWhisperer okay good to know, I’ll stop the seaweed!! Thank you Amy 💜 🐾

[@ivy4294]

Hello, thanks so much for the information. I have what I believe to be a Christmas cactus but when I repotted it I didn't realize it wasn't a true cacti so it is in Cactus soil. It has been in that soil for a year and has never bloomed. Should I change the soil now?? Also I have two others which I believe to be Thanksgiving cacti. They were bloomed when I received them and have never been repotted. Should I just wait to repot them at this point? I talk to them to help them grow😂...

[@OrchidWhisperer]

Hi! Don't repot right now...wait till Spring. And succulent mix is fine to grow them in. I have a playlist about Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus care that will be useful to you with lots of topics. Usually when they don't bloom, they need more light. And talking to them is very good for them! :) Happy growing!

[@lenorepeloso2378]

Good point about cutting out fertilizer now. My 100 year old True CC was new to me last year and they didn’t bloom, so I’m hoping this year they will bloom. I did twitch from the Jacks formula to MSU and I noticed they loved it. My question is, I rooted two new baby plants from the 100 year old mother plant. Should o also stop fertilizing the babies.

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@lenorepeloso2378 hi 👋 Lenore! If the baby plants have new growths, you can continue fertilizing for another month or so. But I would stop by mid September, there's really no need for it after that til Spring. Happy 😇 growing! 💐🌸❤️

[@lisaallen7219]

How much calmag do you use in Christmas cactus. I won't start the calmag until next spring. I am getting a Thanksgiving cactus this year.

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@lisaallen7219 I use 50 to 100 ppm of CalMag. Glad to hear you're getting one, you'll love it! Happy growing, Lisa! 😇🌸❤️

[@cindycalvert3683]

Hi Amy! What is MSU fertilizer? I looked on orchid supply website but didnt see that.

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@cindycalvert3683 hi 👋 Cindy! You can buy Tezula fertilizer at Wal Mart, it's the same as MSU. And cheaper too. 😊 Have a great day! 😇🌸

[@cindycalvert3683]

@@OrchidWhisperer thanks for the response & the great tip. I’ll look for Tezula

[@sheiselwilliams1]

My sister recently gave me a Thanksgiving Cactus that had been my mom's. My mom died in 2015, and I don't think it has been repotted or well cared for since then. It was definitely very dehydrated when I received it. My sister says it hasn't bloomed for several years. I am an orchid grower and not really familiar with any of the holiday cactus. What type of medium should I top it off with until I repot in spring? Any other tips and info you can give me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Sherrii

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@sheiselwilliams1 hi! What I would do is take cuttings and root them in water. That way, you'll have a healthy new plant. Sometimes when they're severely dehydrated they don't bounce back. I use a potting mix with small perlite and extra small Orchiata bark. I think I'd repot this plant, even if it's late in the year, to save it. I've done monthly care tip videos for years...the most current ones are on a playlist. There's lots of info there. You're going to do well growing these cacti since you grow orchids. Happy growing! 😇🌸❤️

[@sheiselwilliams1]

@@OrchidWhisperer Thank you 😊