Propagating Christmas Cactus in Water
27.08.2024 - 17:04
/ balconygardenweb.com
/ Editorial Team
If you want a plant that enjoys the holiday season as much as you do and lives over 100 years, then the Christmas cactus is your go-to!
If you don’t know how to grow it or just feel that there should be more ways to introduce this succulent houseplant to your home, multiply it in the water! This guide on propagating Christmas cactus in water will clear all your doubts about the process.
Yes! Christmas cacti can easily be propagated in water, just like snake plants and dieffenbachias; this allows you to analyze the plant’s root growth on a daily basis.
You can do this anytime in warm weather. The wrong time to take cuttings is after late summer, which extends till winter. This is when the plant reduces its active growth and starts to prepare for the blooming period.
It’s important to note that growing Christmas cactus in water won’t produce flowers and is not sustainable for the long term, unlike pothos, which can grow in water indefinitely! However, you can use this maintenance-free method to get more copies of your Christmas cactus.
Although soil propagation is always an option, water medium works really well, too. But the entire process is slow and requires patience, as the roots develop in about 6-8 weeks.
The Christmas cactus has long segmented stems. To take a viable cutting, choose a healthy stem and, using shears, scissors, or just your hands, simply cut or tug it off at a segmentation precisely without any damage.
Ensure that the cuttings are short, as long ones can start drooping or arching, acting as a hurdle in the propagation process. A cutting about 2-3 leaf segments long is perfect for the task.
Once you have the cuttings, allow the cut ends of the segments to callus over for 2 days in a shaded, warm, and dry