Amaryllis, Cyclamen and Christmas Cactus: Post Holiday Care

Do you love these plants and hate to throw them out after the holidays are over? With some effort, you may be able to keep them year long and have them rebloom.

Christmas Cactus

Christmas cactus are the easiest plants to keep year round, so I'll start with them. When in full bloom, their cascading branches and flowers are just lovely.

Christmas cactus are succulents, but they require somewhat different care from other cacti. In the late winter or early spring, check and see if they need to be repotted. If the roots have room in the pot to spread out and continue to grow, leave them alone. If they are pot bound, you should repot them.

Use soil made specifically for succulents, and repot them in a container which is one size larger than the one your Christmas Cactus is in now. Make sure that there are drainage holes on the bottom of the pot. If you need some tips for repotting, check my article Repotting Your Plants Made Easy at www.associatedcontent.com/article/108520/repotting_your_plants_made_easy.html.

Keep you Christmas Cactus moister than you would a normal cactus. Water if when the top of the soil feels dry, but try not to let the whole pot dry out. Keep it in a sunny spot if it is indoors.

Getting a Christmas Cactus to Rebloom

I have had great luck with this. In fact, my Christmas Cactus will bloom several times a year. It is a great idea to put your Christmas Cactus outside for the summer time. Don't treat it like a regular cactus here either. If you put it outside, pick a spot which gets some sun and some shade. Too much sun will burn the leaves and it may die.

Leave your Christmas Cactus outside for as long as possible. The blooming process takes hold when it gets long periods of darkness coupled with cold air. If you must keep your Christmas cactus inside, a cool porch will do nicely.

Make sure to bring the plant inside before there is any danger of frost. You will often be rewarded with a plant which starts to develop blooms as soon as you bring it inside. You should soon have a lovely flower covered plant. For more information regarding your Christmas Cactus, check out www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/christmas_cactus.html.

Cyclamen

Cyclamen are lovely holiday time plants. They are grown from corms, which are similar to bulbs. Cyclamen produce heart shaped leaves which all grow out o f the corm. The plant will put up stems which produce lovely flowers which are available in many different colors.

After the holidays are over, keep your cyclamen in a cool place with good light. In the late winter and early spring, its growth should slow down. When that happens (or even if it doesn't), put the pot in a place where it doesn't get much sunlight and ease off watering. The leaves will wither and die off. Don't worry.

With a little luck, they will start to grow again in the early fall. To help it along, you can put the pot back near a sunny window and begin watering only once you see some growth.

Cyclamen need this rest period. Once they have rested, they get the signal to start growing again in the fall when the weather cools off. With a little luck, you will be rewarded with beautiful blooms for years to come. Remember to keep them in a cool place with as much light as possible.

Amaryllis

Amaryllis are lovely, showy flowering plants they make a wonderful addition to holiday décor. If you want to try to get them to rebloom, you will need to give them a little bit of help.

Once your Amaryllis has stopped flowering, cut back the flower stems. Keep watering and fertilizing the plant and keep in a sunny location for the spring and summer. The leaves will produce nutrients for the next growing cycle.

Toward the end of the summer, you may notice that Amaryllis leaves turn yellow and die. No problem. The bulbs need a rest and cool period before it gets the signal to grow and bloom again.

At the end of the summer, remove the bulb from its pot. If there are some leaves left on the plant, cut them back to about two inches long. Clean up the bulb, place it in a paper bag and stick it in the vegetable keeper in your refrigerator. You will need to leave it there for at least six weeks. Do not place it near apples, as they may damage the bulb.

You can replant the bulb (root side down) once you have passed the six week mark. You should plan on allowing about eight weeks from planting to blooming. Plant the bulb in a pot which is not much bigger than the bulb itself. Use a good potting soil and leave the top of the bulb sticking out of the soil. Give it some water, but don't douse the pot.

Give your Amaryllis bright indirect light while the stems are growing. Once the blooms have started to grow, move it to a brighter spot. Keep it watered, but not overly wet and out of drafts. You should have a stunning plant for years to come.

Think Like a Plant

You will find that you have great success with growing plants if you think a little bit about what they need. Most plants don't have excessive needs and you may be rewarded greatly if you can just learn to think like a plant!