When it comes time to prune a Christmas cactus, it’s important to make sure you’re doing it the right way. Cutting back a Christmas cactus is all about timing and knowing which parts of the plant to trim.
If you would like to know about how you cut back a Christmas cactus, then this is the right post.
In general, you will want to trim off any dead or damaged branches, as well as any growth that’s coming out of the soil. You should also cut back any long branches, so the plant can grow more evenly.
Let’s get started!
How do you cut back a Christmas cactus?
The best way to cut back a Christmas cactus is to remove the plant’s oldest, most damaged leaves. The plant will create new leaves and branches in their place, adding more color and life to your home.
Only prune it after it has bloomed. This is the best time to prune it and it will cause growth of the plant after you prune.
Here is the process to cut back a Christmas cactus:
- Take the knife/scissors to remove one or two segments from the Christmas cactus stem. Do not remove a complete stem.
- The segments can also be twisted by your hands if you dont have scissors nearby.
- Repeat the process for older stems and stop when you get the desired size of your Christmas Cactus plant.
Now, you get the segments, you can plant them to propagate them.
How Far Can You Cut a Christmas Cactus?
You can cut back less than one third of your Christmas Cactus in a single year. However, while cutting always remove a segment from a branch and not entire leaves.
Also, it is better to cut back only the branches which has already bloomed. Cutting on those branches would trigger to grow them back quickly.
How Do You Trim Overgrown Christmas Cactus?
If you have a Christmas cactus growing for several months or years, then it is likely that your plant was in bloom during that time.
Here, you will want to do something else to save your plant from further damage.
In this situation, you can manually remove the flower head of the Christmas cactus. You should do this before you decide to cut back the Christmas cactus due to overgrowth issues.
When trimming, you should always ensure that you have the right tools on hand. For example, you can use a pair of scissors to trim the flower head of your Christmas cactus if you don’t have shears handy.
Using scissors, cut back the flower head of the Christmas cactus.
To do this, you should pinch the flower head between your fingers before snipping it off with the scissors.
If you are worried about damaging or cutting your hands, then use waterproof gloves to protect your hands from being cut or injured by the plant’s thorns when you remove its flowers.
Where Do I Prune a Christmas Cactus?
When pruning Christmas cactus, you should ensure that you don’t cut too much of the plant at once. If you do this, the plant will regrow some of the removed parts.
In addition to cutting back your Christmas cactus in small sections, you should also make sure that you are pruning away from the trunk of your plant.
This is especially crucial for plants with large trunks or blooms on their branches.
Can You Split a Christmas Cactus?
Once the plant has gone big you may feel to divide the plant to multiple ones. You can split Christmas cactus into multiple smaller plants.
However, you need to cut the stem, root properly and replant them in a separate pot.
Conclusion
Let’s conclude the post on How Do You Cut Back a Christmas Cactus!
Knowing how to cut and trim a Christmas cactus is important for keeping the plant healthy and looking its best. Follow the steps above to ensure that your cactus stays trimmed and tidy.
Never cut lots of stem of your healthy plant. Only trim them by segments.
I hope you enjoyed reading the post.