Schlumbergera in the home, propagation

Planting and care of a Schlumbergeraa

• Flowering: in winter, in December-January.
• Lighting: bright diffused light or light shade (east or west windows, the southern window should be shaded in the afternoon hours).
• Temperature: The possible range is 18 to 40 ˚C, but in summer the plant is comfortable at 18-22 ˚C, in winter at 14-16 ˚C.
• Watering will be moderate, after the substrate has dried to a depth of 1-3 cm.
• Humidity: high. Regular spraying up to several times a week in summer and 1-2 times a month in winter is recommended.
• Fertilizing: from March to September 1 time in two weeks by a complex mineral fertilizer for cacti.
• Dormancy period: October to November.
• Repotting: young plants are transplanted every 3 years, adults once every 5-6 years.
• Pruning: the crown is given a shape by plucking off unnecessary segments by hand.
• Propagation: vegetative (by grafting or cuttings).
• Pests: scale mites, spider mites, mealybugs.
• Diseases: phytophthora, phytium, fusarium, damage by Erwinia bacteria.

FAQ

Why doesn’t the Schlumbergera bloom?

The reason for the problem may be too large a container, and the plant will not bloom until its roots have mastered the entire space of the pot. Sometimes the Schlumbergera refuses to bloom because the soil is not suitable for it. But usually the lack of flowering means that the plant is not given the right conditions to rest.

In late September, move the Schlumbergera to a cooler room, gradually reduce watering until it stops altogether, and do not apply any fertilizer. In late November, return the plant to its usual location and gradually resume its normal moisture regime.

The pot with the plant should be slightly rotated around its axis every day so that all shoots receive the same amount of light and develop evenly. But as soon as the buds start to form, the plant should not be moved or turned, otherwise the decabrist will drop the buds.

Keep the soil in the pot slightly moist. If you do everything correctly, the Schlumbergera will surely bloom.

What causes white spots on a Schlumbergera?

White spots on the cockles of a decembrist can appear from watering the plant with too cold water. Do not forget that indoor flowers need to be watered with tap water at room temperature, and some plants require even slightly heated water.

White spots can appear on Schlumbergera leaves in winter if you have too thick curtains on the windows, which do not allow room heat to the plant standing on a cold window sill. Move it to a warmer place, water it with a solution of Epin and it will gradually warm up. While the slumberberry is recovering, watering should be sparingly. And so that in the future the Decembrist roots did not freeze, put a circle of Styrofoam under the pot.

For white spots can be mistaken for mealybugs, from which you can get rid of using insecticide, but first you should remove the pests from the leaves with a cotton swab, wash the Schlumbergera with warm water and let it dry.

The Schlumbergera does not grow – why?

The Schlumbergera in general grows for a long time, and if you have created all the necessary conditions for it, and it is in no hurry to develop, you should not worry. Schlumbergera likes cool air, so place it under a window, so that when airing the plant streams fresh air from the street, but there should be no drafts in the room.

Decembrist growth can be stimulated by warm showers: wash the plant with warm, tap water once a week and the result will not be long in coming. Ensure that the plant in the pot does not dry out the soil, and make timely fertilization.

Do not keep Decembrist in the kitchen: the temperature in this room changes frequently, and the plant is badly affected by this instability. And do not forget about regular transplanting: young Decembrists need to change the container and substrate once a year, and adults – once every five years. This plant needs a pot not high, but wide, because its root system is superficial.

How to prune a sprawling Schlumbergera?

To make the Schlumbergera look attractive, it should be trimmed, and this should be done in the first spring month, when the plant enters the period of active growth. It can be done at other times as well, but not earlier than one month after flowering: cutting it during the formation of buds and flowers will lead to the fact that the Decembrist will drop them and will not bloom in the current year.

Pruning not only makes the Decembrist look well-groomed, but also stimulates abundant flowering and prolongs the plant’s life. Actually, this process, even though it is called pruning, is actually done manually: you simply pluck off the segments that seem unnecessary by hand. Using any sharp tool can damage the plant.

Hold down the lower segment with one hand and with the other, turn the upper segment clockwise until it detaches. The segments remaining after pruning can be used for propagation.

How often should I transplant a Schlumbergera?

Transplanting a Schlumbergera is a mandatory procedure that prolongs the plant’s life. Young Decembrists should be transplanted every year, and from the age of four years – once every four years. If the plant is not transplanted in due time, it will start to wither and wither, and as a result it will wither away.

The best time to transplant is in the spring, when the plant is in its active growth phase. Keep an eye on the plant and as soon as the young segments start to appear, you can start transplanting.

The pot for the Decembrist should not be deep, because the roots of this plant are shallow, but the container should be stable and wide enough. Drainage material should occupy at least one third of the volume of the pot. As a substrate, store soil for cacti will do, but you can make a soil mixture of your own hand from equal parts of leaf soil, sand, sod soil, adding to it a quarter of the humus.

Why does the Decembrist drop its buds?

It usually happens if the pot with the flower in the period of bud formation is turned or moved from place to place. Moving the plant at this time is not allowed. But sometimes the loss of buds is caused by the wrong location or improper conditions.

Remember: The best place for a winter cactus is an east window, but if your windows face west or south, make sure to shade the Schlumbergera with a curtain from bright sunlight, because you are dealing with a forest cactus that prefers diffused light.

Do not expose the Schlumbergera to sudden temperature changes and do not keep it in a draught. Let it rest in a cool place at 12-16 ⁰C. During the active growth period the plant is comfortable at 18-24 ⁰C, and when flowering starts it should be lowered to 18-20 ⁰C. Heat is not good for flowering of the Decembrist, so in winter protect it from hot air coming from heaters.

How to water and fertilize the Decembrist to make it bloom?

From November to February the ground should be moistened weekly, so abundantly that the clod soaked through with moisture. Actually, the frequency of watering depends on the keeping conditions: in a warm room watering will be more frequent, and in cool wintering the soil dries out much slower. Watering is carried out when the substrate in the pot dries to two-thirds of the depth, and the shoots of the plant begin to wrinkle. Water should be no colder than room temperature, and stand it for at least one day.

As soon as the buds begin to form, apply fertilizer to the soil at intervals of once every 2-3 weeks, but be careful: it is better not to fertilize the Schlumbergera at all than to overfeed.

For abundant flowering, slumberberries need calcium and phosphorus. The best choice is a fertilizer for flowering plants or a complex for cacti and succulents. Occasionally water the soil with a solution of 1 teaspoon of castor oil in 1 liter of water.

Decembrist has sluggish leaves – what to do?

The reasons for this unpleasant phenomenon can be: the plant is affected by a disease or its roots die for any reason. Of the diseases, the most dangerous are fusariosis, phytophthorosis and phytium. These fungal infections interfere with the supply of moisture to the leaves of the Decembrist, which causes them to become sluggish and soft.

Pay attention to the root neck of the plant and if you find damage, start treatment immediately. If the pathology has not yet had time to affect the roots, the plant can be saved with Fitosporin-M, Maxim, Topaz or Skor. But if the soil is infected with the fungus, the plant will have to be transplanted. When replanting, pay attention to the roots and get rid of rotting areas.

If the wilting of the leaves is caused by the death of the roots, transplanting the plant will not save it. The only thing you can do is to cut the decabrist and grow a new plant from its segments: even sluggish members of slumberers can easily root.

Is it possible to grow a decabrist from a nearly wilted leaf?

Propagation of a Schlumbergeraa by segments is the easiest, therefore the most popular way. Even a wilted stem segment is good for this. There have been cases when successfully rooted a dried up segment stuck in the bag.

Separate the segment for propagation when the decabrist is not flowering, otherwise the plant may behave like in a stressful situation: it will start to drop flowers and buds. Before planting, the cuttings should lie in a dark place for two days.

It is still desirable that the cuttings consist of 2-3 segments: with longer cuttings it is inconvenient to work. Part of the stem is planted in loose peat-based soil, the pH of which should be between 5-6.5 units. As a container, you can use a plastic cup or pot of up to 200 ml. The pot should have drainage holes.

Sprinkle a layer of perlite, expanded clay or other drainage material on the bottom of the cup, fill the container with substrate and stick the cuttings into it.

Is the Schlumbergera dangerous for pets and children?

Schlumbergera is not a poisonous plant, so it is not dangerous for children. But pets who chew on the plant’s leaves can get throat edema or digestive distress, and people with asthma can have trouble breathing.

Neither official nor traditional medicine has found any medicinal properties in the Decembrist, but it cleans the air from harmful chemicals that are emitted by plastic and synthetic interior decoration items and saturates the room with oxygen. In addition, decabrist absorbs electromagnetic radiation.

This plant is just meant for a psychologist’s office: it causes people’s desire to communicate and share secret things. Astrologers say that zygocactus is able to quench aggression and helps to get rid of bad intentions. However, it is not recommended for women to keep this flower in the house, because there is an opinion that it belongs to the category of “muzhegons”.

How to divide the Schlumbergera plant?

Usually, the Schlumbergera multiply by cuttings, but the overgrown bush can be divided into parts and at once get at least two adult plants. The division is carried out simultaneously with transplanting or at any time after the end of the flowering period, but the best season for this procedure – spring.

Remove the Decembrist from the pot, remove old and flabby shoots, carefully untangle the roots, cut the rhizome with a sharp sterile knife, sprinkle the cuts with charcoal powder and plant the dividers in different pots with fresh loose soil.

Sometimes when the rhizome is exposed you will find rotten areas on the rhizome. Carefully cut out the rotten areas, taking in the healthy tissue, treat the wounds with a solution of fungicide or potassium permanganate and only then divide the root and plant the dividers.

It is likely that after this painful procedure, Schlumbergeras will be sick for some time, but eventually they will adapt and begin to develop.

How to recover a frozen Schlumbergera?

The Decembrist is a tropical plant, so prolonged exposure to temperatures of 16 ⁰C and below can lead to irreversible consequences. If the twigs of a frozen Decembrist have not yet become watery, it is possible to save it, but in this case it is very important not to change it too drastically, otherwise you will damage it even more.

Put the Decembrist in a bright room, where the temperature does not rise above 18 ⁰C and avoid drafts. Provide bright, diffused light and spray with a solution of Epin, but do not water the plant under any circumstances. Over time, the Schlumbergera will revive, and fresh segments and then buds will begin to appear on it.

But if the plant’s roots have had time to die from the cold, try to save it by rooting cuttings separated from the stems with a length of 2-3 segments. You can either root the segments in water (they will take two weeks to put down roots) or directly in potting soil for cacti and succulents.