Water the Christmas cactus with this homemade preparation and admire the result. Everyone will want to know your secret
Also known as Christmas cactus, schlumbergera can be used as decoration for the Christmas season. By the way, this plant is easy to care for, even for amateur gardeners. However, you have to know how to put it in good conditions for it to flourish. In this article, we share some watering and maintenance tips.
The Christmas cactus is a plant whose beauty stands out especially during the winter period. However, and for it to bloom abundantly, it is essential to know the proper fertilization techniques. Here are some tips and tricks to achieve this.
How to care for the Christmas cactus?
Native to South America and Brazil in particular, schlumbergera is like most tropical plants, sensitive to winter, despite being resistant to humidity. For this reason, it is recommended to grow it at a temperature between 18 and 21 ° C in the warm season and 10 ° in winter.
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Additionally, and to properly maintain the Christmas cactus, certain precautions must be taken:
Shaded exposure : to encourage the development of schlumbergera, it is not recommended to move it once the first flowers have appeared . It is best to place it in a place where the lighting ranges between shadow and light in the warm season, from mid-May to September.
Light, well-drained soil: the favorable period for flowering of this plant is between March and December. Ideally, a mixture of natural fertilizer and sand should be brought to it every 15 days, before and during its growth, being careful not to spray it too much with water . Try to space out the water supply as much as possible, before flowering, to allow the substrate to dry out. From flowering onwards, the time between two waterings should be a little longer. This doesn’t mean waiting until the soil is completely dry before watering it. Afterwards, you can stop fertilizing until spring.
Apply fertilizer gently: avoid splashing by slightly lifting the stems of the Christmas cactus. Fertilizer should not be landed directly on its leaves in any way . This may cause burns.
How to fertilize the Christmas cactus naturally?
Spray with apple water – it is an excellent fertilizer. Boil two liters of water and then soak a whole apple previously cut into pieces . Two days later, you can water your Christmas cactus with this solution rich in iron, phosphorus, potassium and many other nutrients essential for its growth.
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Spray with banana water: Like apples, this fruit also provides important nutrients that will help the Christmas cactus grow better . To do this, soak two banana skins in 1.5 liters of water for at least 24 hours before watering your plants with this mixture.
Water with water and wood ash: In addition to stimulating growth, this solution also protects the schlumbergera from pests and weeds . In this case, mix 2 tablespoons of wood ash with 1 liter of water and let it sit for about 3 hours, before proceeding to water. Thanks to this fertilizer solution, your Christmas cactus will receive everything it needs to bloom abundantly, that is, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium and many more.
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