Propagating, pruning & repotting Christmas cacti

You can’t get enough of your flowering Christmas cactus? Fortunately, it is easy to propagate from and prune a Christmas cactus.

The Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi) not only needs to be watered and fertilised according to the season; regular repotting also promotes the growth and health of this festive plant. Learn everything you need to know about repotting and propagating Christmas cacti.

Propagating a Christmas cactus

Propagating a Christmas cactus by seed is an option but this method is usually only practiced by plant nurseries. It requires at least two specimens to propagate by seed and at these latitudes they need to be pollinated by hand. After successful pollination, the seeds can be extracted from the fruits. It takes two to three years for Christmas cacti grown from seed to flower.

A simpler solution is to propagate Christmas cacti in early summer by taking cuttings. As Christmas cacti do not technically have leaves but flat, green, photosynthetic segments called platycladiums, simply remove the last two to three segments from the end of a shoot. A Christmas cactus grown from cuttings can flower within the first year.

When choosing a shoot to take a cutting from, look for segments that are as large and mature as possible − they can be identified by their dark green colouring. Remove the cutting from the mother plant at the point between two segments. You will not need a knife or scissors. After removing a cutting, allow it to dry for a few hours before placing it in moist substrate such as our Plantura Organic Herb & Seeding Compost. With its loose structure and fine-tuned nutrient content, our peat-free organic soil is a good choice for Christmas cactus cuttings. Push the cuttings deeply enough into the soil that they can stand on their own. The more cuttings planted in the substrate, the denser and bushier the plant will be.

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To care for the cuttings, water them with lime-free water as soon as the soil on the surface is dry. After about four weeks, at around 22 °C and in a bright location, the first roots will have formed.

It is also possible to graft the Christmas cactus onto another plant so that it sits on a taller base. A suitable rootstock for the Christmas cactus is a moonlight cactus (Selenicereus).

Methods for propagating Christmas cacti

• Propagation by cuttings: in early summer, cut off 1 – 3 dark green segments. Allow them to dry, and plant them in soil such as our Plantura Organic Herb & Seeding Compost. Keep the soil moist and in a warm location at 22 °C. The young plants will take root after about 4 weeks and begin to grow.
• Propagation by seed: sow Christmas cactus seeds in growing soil in spring and place them in a warm spot at 19 – 21 °C. Cover them with cling film to keep them moist until germination. Then allow them to dry a bit before placing the young plants in a cooler place at about 16 °C. Feel free to combine different flower colours.
• Propagation by grafting: in summer, cut off 2 segments and, at an angle, carefully cut away a bit of the segment at the base with a knife. Cut a wedge out of the base plant (genus Selenicereus) so that the cutting fits inside. Insert a cutting into the base plant and secure it with a ribbon or a toothpick. Place in an airy spot at 19 °C without direct light. The cuttings usually start to grow within a few days.

Should a Christmas cactus be pruned?

It is not normally necessary to prune a Christmas cactus because it naturally branches out when given enough light. However, if the shoots become very long and you would prefer denser growth, more flowers or if you would like to change the shape of your plant, it might be an idea to prune your Christmas cactus. The best time to prune a Christmas cactus is after flowering and before new shoots appear, usually between February and March.

To prune a Christmas cactus, break or cut off a shoot where two segments join. Make sure to avoid cutting through the leafy segments as it will make the plant vulnerable to infections. Pruned segments or cuttings can also be used for propagation in early summer.

Pruning a Christmas cactus at a glance

• Pruning is not normally necessary
• Pruning stimulates branching and the formation of more flower buds
• Prune after flowering and before new leaf formation (February or March)
• Cut or break shoots off between two segments
• Never cut through a segment
• Pruned segments can be used as cuttings for propagation

When and how to repot a Christmas cactus

The Christmas cactus is a classic pot plant and repotting it will help it stay strong and healthy. Although Christmas cacti can be kept outdoors for a few weeks in summer, they should not be planted in the garden because they need to be moved indoors when the temperature drops below 10 °C. Christmas cacti like to be a bit crowded but when the roots fill the pot, it is time to repot. Kept as a perennial, the cactus needs to be repotted every few winters but depending on how vigorously your Christmas cactus grows, it may need to be done annually. The best time to repot the Christmas cactus is after flowering but before new shoots appear (February to March). Make sure to give your plant a bit of fresh substrate after you have bought it.

When repotting the Christmas cactus, carefully remove as much old substrate from the roots as possible. If the roots do not yet completely fill the old pot, simply use it again with fresh substrate. If the roots do fill up the whole pot, use a slightly larger one and fill it fresh substrate. A structurally stable potting soil with a pH level of around 5.5 – 6.0 is ideal. A great choice of Christmas cactus soil is our peat-free Plantura Organic Flower Compost which contains crushed expanded clay for high permeability and vital nutrients for flowering plants. Simply make sure the substrate is permeable for the roots of the Christmas cactus − try mixing the potting soil with 40% sand. We also recommend adding a drainage layer to avoid waterlogging.

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Once your Christmas cactus is in its new pot, make sure to water it. After that, care for your Christmas cactus as usual.

Summary – repotting a Christmas cactus:

• Repot in March, after flowering
• Give your plant some fresh substrate every year and once the roots fill the pot, move up the next pot size
• Remove as much old soil from the roots as possible
• Create a drainage layer
• Add sand to the potting soil for permeability and to avoid waterlogging