How I Grow Christmas Cactus...

this is how I grow them......

I find they are pretty easy to grow.  I put them outside in the spring when it starts to get warm (after danger of frost) I set them on a plant stand on the east facing side of our covered porch.  They get sun in the morning, into part of the early afternoon, and then are shaded for the rest of the day.  I ONLY water them if they are very dry..otherwise I let the rain do it. (and even though they are cactus, I have seen them sitting in deep water, but I do drain them after a few hours)

Before it gets cool, sometimes in the end of August (it depends on the weather) I bring them in and put them in a southern window. They start to bud almost immediately.  I rarely ever change pots..although I may add some dirt to the top but not too deep.  I let them get nice and crowded..There have been times when I thought they were dying only to have them spring to life.

I have to say this is my favorite one although I was pleased with my new red one this year too.

I have one other one that is a dark pinkish, that I grew from cuttings I got from one of my sisters.  They do not have any flowers yet..they seem to bud and bloom in the early spring...These I might pot in bigger pots next spring, since they were only leaf cuttings and in small seedling pots.

More later...I have been baking cookies and the farrier came today...so busy day.

See ya later,
Janie