How do I care for my Christmas Cactus after the flowers Die??
I was given a beautiful Christmas cactus as a present. Now all the flowers have died. How do I take care of my Christmas Cactus so it will get flowers again next year? Thanks for any info you can share about this. Molly
Hi Molly,
![Dark pink flowers on Christmas Cactus plant](https://www.houseplant411.com/wp-content/uploads/61815cfeb053c4fcee98971d39c60af2-2-300x300.jpg)
Here are some simple care tips for your Christmas Cactus now the it’s finished flowering.
Pruning a Christmas Cactus helps it become a full bushy plant and produce more flowers next holiday season. The best time to prune a Christmas Cactus is about 4-6 weeks after it has finished blooming. During the first 30 days or so keep the soil drier than usual. You should never prune a Christmas Cactus after the month of May. A Christmas Cactus is easily propagated in the spring using these stem tip cuttings. Use at least three jointed segments from a healthy stem in each small pot. Allow the stem cuttings to dry out for a few hours before planting them to avoid stem rot.
Don’t rush to move your Christmas Cactus to a larger pot. Christmas Cactus plants grow better and bloom more when they are slightly root-bound in smaller pots. When your Christmas Cactus needs to be re-potted, usually only every few years, wait until it has finished flowering in the spring. Never re-pot a Christmas Cactus when it is in bloom.
Christmas Cactus are wonderful plants; they often live for 50 years or more!