This is my struggling Christmas cactus. I have had it for at least 10 years, a little piece started from my mother in law's plant. I set it outside all summer every year. In 2002 a cat chewed on it and almost destroyed it. In 2003 we had a hail storm that destroyed my roof and part of the plant. I have saved it from casualties since then but it really got its best growth this past summer. I don't have any blooms most years and maybe 5 blooms on a good year, in March or April.
I have 6 buds on it now, 2 of them visible here and the one on the left is the largest. I moved it to full light at an east window about a month ago so maybe it likes that.
Of the 12 amaryllis bulbs from previous years, the one from last year has a bud. That isn't a very good success rate but I'll keep trying.
We had snow early this morning. I haven't shoveled yet but it looks like about 3". I hope this is all we are going to get.
My Christmas cactus loves eastern light. I think I researched it when we moved to this house and it seems to really like its placement.
ReplyDeleteMine is older than me....my mother and grandmother planted it together when my mom found out she was pregnant with me. It's been blooming madly lately...
Have fun with your class!
Sue
I think that's a vain hope. When I awoke this morning, there was at least 6" on the ground around me and it's still coming down.
ReplyDeleteI haven't had a Christmas Cactus in years - I have forgotten what I did with them, I know I had buds sometimes - but not all the time.
ReplyDeleteKaren
http://karensquilting.com/blog/
I've had Amaryllis plants for over 10 years and I can tell you how to get them to come back.
ReplyDeleteAfter the flower is finished blooming, cut the stem down to about 2", and treat the plant the same way you would a houseplant. Give it water, sunlight, and give it plant food about every other month.
At the end of August, stop watering the plant, and let the leaves shrivel up and die. Do not pull them off until they are completely dried out. This will probably take at least a month.
When all the leaves are dried out, put the pot in a box (must be dark) and bring it down to your basement, or any place above freezing but below, say 50 degrees, for a month. Wherever it goes for this month, it must be cool, dark, and dry.
At the end of the month, bring the pot back to your living area. At this time you can repot it with fresh dirt, or just replace that which has dried out, and start watering it again.
Good luck!
Lynne
Another fun tote to show your class. I assume that tote was used for your color segment.
ReplyDeleteYour plants look so good to me. I do not have a green thumb for house plants.
Can't believe your area STILL getting snow!
J~MT
This morning I had a cup of tea from a Laurel Burch mug with those cats on it. I sometimes find her fabric hard to use in a quilt, but I love it anyway.
ReplyDeleteDid you make that bag or purchase it?
ReplyDeleteI wish I could come take your class!! I want to find a really basic simple pattern for a tote bag -- one that's written for someone to whom the sewing machine is like a foreign land! LOL
ReplyDeleteHI Wanda,
ReplyDeleteWhat a great bag I love Laurel Burch fabrics - it is sad to think that she is gone- I have a couple of pieces in my collection -some of it is Christmas fabric and the other is a panel.
I hope that the tote bag class went well- I am sure that your students had a great time.
Bruce bought a white Christmas cactus this year and it was very pretty. It has stopped blooming but I can only hope that it will bloom again next year.
Regards,
Anna
Those Christmas cactus do like bright light for flowering.
ReplyDeleteLove your tote bag, those cats are great.
I bet your classes are chock full of color information. It would be fun to sit in on one. Do you do a trunk show with your classes? I love that when a teacher brings along quilts to support their teachings.
ReplyDeleteChristmas cactus are funny plants. We have had one too. Sometimes it would bloom profusely, other times not at all. Then we just neglected it and it died. I did love that plant. Maybe I will try another one.
I love the tote bag and you know how much I like bags! Did you applique or fuse the cats on?
ReplyDeleteYou probably know Laurel Burch died last year, but had left several designs that her children are gradulally releasing. Good news for LB fans.
ReplyDeleteI tried to get two amyrillis to bloom again, but no luck. I'm about to throw them out.
My Christmas cactus, about 10 years old, has done much better since DH repotted it, although this first year I've had more green than blooms. My blooms always appear just after Thanksgiving.
Love reading the advice on all subjects, but as a former WI-ite, don't miss hearing about your snow.
Sally in CA
My Amaryllis was so big, and had several side shoots, that I cut t into three parts last year. So far, they're not looking too happy. Good luck with yours!
ReplyDeleteI thought I would tell you how I treat my enormous Christmas Cactus. On the first day of September I give it a really good soaking. I then put it in a room that gets minimal sunlight throughout the day. I don't touch it again until December 1st. That day, I bring it out and give it a thorough watering, with plant food in the water. After that it gets it's normal watering. It blooms like mad at Christmas. This year it is still blooming, it just won't stop. It's just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI've found that my Christmas catus blooms depending on the lighting. When I was working midnights, I had my house darkened and my CC bloomed in July/Aug, because I'd severely limited the sunlight in the kitchen.
ReplyDelete