As the holiday season approaches, you may be looking forward to enjoying the beautiful blooms of your Christmas cactus.
But did you know that the temperature outside can have a big impact on the health and blooming of your plant?
In this post, I will discuss when to bring in Christmas Cactus from outside to promote its bloom and healthy growth.
Let’s get started!
When to bring in Christmas Cactus from Outside?
You should bring in the Christmas cactus from outside when the temperature drops below 55 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s true that your plant requires a cool environment for blooming but the extremely low temperatures will not help in blooming but kill the plant.
Christmas cactus is more like an epiphyte rather than a desert cactus which requires a humid environment to thrive.
The succulent can ignore your mistakes in warm weather but it becomes hard to sustain in freezing temperatures.
You should give special attention to your Christmas cactus in the winter season as it is the blooming season.
Moreover, if you keep your plant outside of your home on extremely cold nights then it can be deadly.
For more information on the humidity requirements for Christmas cacti, see our article on humidity
Temp at which Christmas cactus can stay outside (Max and Min)
Christmas cactus is a thermo-photoperiodic plant that starts producing buds in mid-winter. When the day duration becomes equal to the night duration and the temperature range is between 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit then it’s the best time to keep succulent outside your home.
You should stay highly alert at this time and check if the temperature drops further. Once the night temperature drops lower than 50 degrees Fahrenheit, it is dangerous for the plant to stay outside.
This is the minimum required temperature for which the Christmas cactus can stay outside. On the other hand, the maximum temperature is 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
You can keep the succulent outside in summer when the temperature is equal to or below 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bring in the potted plant when the temperature increases beyond this level as it may scorch the cactus.
What temperature is too cold for a Christmas cactus?
Christmas cactus demands slightly humid weather conditions with moderate temperatures to grow well. The best spot for succulents is the shady spot where the temperature stays between 50 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once the temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit or 10 degrees Celsius, it becomes too cold for the Christmas cactus to survive. It can’t tolerate freezing temperatures.
Leaving it exposed to extremely cold temperatures will freeze the plant and stunt blooming. Further, the succulent will appear white and start decaying.
Will a Christmas cactus come back after a freeze?
Yes, a Christmas cactus comes back after a freeze on its own. If it doesn’t, you can still save it with proper care and attention.
You should know that a frozen cactus needs time to heal. If any part of the plant appears green, the chances are high to save it. However, if it is overly damaged then you may need to repot the cactus.
Tips you need to know to make sure you bring in your Christmas Cactus at the right time
The above sections clearly state the right time to bring Christmas cacti inside the home.
Here are additional tips you need to know to ensure that you can’t leave your cactus outside anymore.
- The tissues of the circulant become extremely soft to touch.
- These tissues turn white and then black after some time.
- Some portion of the plant starts decaying.
- Some frozen cells burst.
- The plant appears flaccid.
- Leaves start falling off.
Once you have found the symptoms and you are sure that the cactus is frozen, then apply the solution below to revive it.
- Make sure you never leave the plant outside in extreme cold temperatures.
- If by mistake you have left it outside, spray warm water on it. Also, switch on an oscillating fan near it.
- Trim the black parts off the plant.
- Avoid adding fertilizer to the plant until it becomes healthy again.
- Chop off dead leaves.
- Avoid watering it for a few weeks until the top soil appears dry.
After a few weeks, the plant will become healthy and start regrowing from the trimmed section.
Conclusion
Let’s conclude the post!
In order to ensure that your Christmas cactus plant blooms and stays healthy, it is essential to bring it inside your house when the temperature drops below 55 degrees Fahrenheit(cold).
Try to keep your plant in a spot where the temperature stays between 50 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit and avoid exposing it to temperatures higher than 80 degrees Fahrenheit(higher temp). Also, do avoid any snowfall on this plant.
I hope you enjoyed reading this post and find this helpful.