'Tis the season to be jolly, and what does that mean? It's time for some Christmas décor. Pull out your decorations, lights, and stockings! Nothing says fun more than vibrant and blooming holiday plants gracing your home!

Repotting may feel a little stressful because of the effort and dirt involved, but it is a necessary part of the gardening process, and it'll enhance the life and growth of your plants if done right. Keep reading to learn how to repot your Christmas cactus without stress!

About The Christmas Cactus

Purple flower in a pink pot

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The Christmas cactus is a succulent, but unlike its desert cousins, it is a forest cactus and thus requires a bit more care. It's also not prickly! It needs more water and humidity than desert cacti and is much less drought-tolerant.

To bloom, the Christmas cactus must also stay in temperatures between 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The blooming season is around December, and the flowers can come in various colors, from pale pink to even yellow and white.

Christmas cacti have necessary light requirements for the blooming season. To produce blooms, they need around 16 hours of darkness with only 8 hours of indirect sunlight. Too much light can cause issues with blooming.

Here are some tips if you're looking to repot your Christmas cactus!

Materials You Will Need

gardening tools

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Now that you're ready to repot your Christmas cactus, start by gathering everything you need in one place. You might also want to spread out a tarp on the floor to help make the post-potting cleanup process easier. Below is a list of things you will need.

  • A terracotta or ceramic pot, 1 to 2 inches larger then the previous
  • Gardening gloves
  • Well-draining sterile potting mix
  • Watering can
  • Your Christmas cactus
  • All-purpose fertilizer

When To Repot

Christmas Cacti

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Generally, you only need to repot your Christmas cactus once every two to three years. The plant grows bigger and fuller when it's slightly rootbound, so don't be in a rush to transplant it. However, you must find the right balance between keeping it slightly pot bound and too root bound. If there's too much root for its small container, it can affect the blooming.

That being said, you will notice signs of the plant becoming too rootbound such as hardening of the soil, roots poking out of the drainage holes, and yellowing or browning of the stems. Regularly check your Christmas cactus for pest infestations, especially mealybugs. If you see an infestation, then consider repotting. Another reason to repot is root rot. Leaving rotting roots can affect the plant's health, so you must remove the plant and remove the rotting roots. In such a case, you might as well repot it.

If you're trying to get your cactus to bloom, repot it after the blooming season. Around April works best so that the plant can grow to its fullest extent in the new pot but at the same time not become too full. Before the blooming season, put your Christmas cactus in a completely dark spot for about six weeks to help with bud formation.

Don't rush to repot the plant if it's simply struggling from underwatering. Frequent repotting can impact the ability of the plant to bloom. Unless you notice specific issues like the ones mentioned above, it's better to take a little extra care and then think about repotting if the problems don't resolve.

Select A Container

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When finding a new home for your Christmas cactus you need to select a larger pot than the one that previously held your dear plant -- Preferably, 1 to 2 inches bigger.

You can work with many materials, including terracotta or ceramics. The crucial step is ensuring it has proper drainage holes, as this plant cannot stand in water. Terracotta is a wonderful option because it will absorb excess moisture.

Soil Requirements

Choosing the Right Soil for Citrus Trees

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Use a well-draining sterile potting soil with high organic material and a good quantity of perlite to help absorb extra moisture. You can also opt to buy a succulent potting soil mix from the store.

Tips To Transplant It Right

plant roots growing

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Remove the plant from the pot and gently remove the soil attached to the roots. Christmas cacti tend to become rootbound, so be gentle with this procedure and don't damage the roots. If the soil is stuck, gently wet the soil to loosen it.

Removing the old soil so the plant can absorb nutrients when placed in the new pot is essential. Make sure you remove as much of the soil as possible without damage. If there are any rotting roots, cut off those roots.

Place the plant so that the top of the roots is not too deep, only an inch or two below the pot's rim. Fill the remainder of the pot with soil. Lightly pack the soil in. The pH of the soil should be balanced, ideally between 5.5 to 6.2.

Pro Tip: This is a good time to prune the plant back before starting the process. Cut off any withering or wilted stems and ensure the unhealthy bits are removed. You can also take some cuttings to propagate the plant in another pot.

Aftercare And Fertilizer

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Once you've transplanted the Christmas cactus, make sure you water it lightly but thoroughly. It's also a good idea to either add some compost or a 20-20-20 fertilizer for an extra nutrient boost. As a rule of thumb, watering should only happen when the top inch of soil feels completely dry to the touch. You don't have to let it dry out completely, but overwatering can also kill the plant and affect bud growth.

When it comes to fertilizer an all-purpose option is best for Christmas cacti. It should be a 20-10-20 or a 20-20-20 mix with trace elements. Cacti also require higher magnesium levels than other plants, so consider this when planting. Try sprinkling epsom salt on your plant to increase these nutrients.

Christmas cacti generally have very strict light requirements for blooming, so don't immediately place it in a sunny spot. Place it in a shady spot for a day or two before going back to its regular care routine.

Enjoy A Very Merry Christmas Cactus!

Once you've repotted your Christmas cactus, all that's left is to let it grow out before you start the process of blooming care. If you time your repotting carefully and follow a regular watering, light regulation, and fertilizing schedule, you will have a brilliant bloom in December!

How was the repotting process for you? Do you have any thoughts or ideas? Leave them in the comments below! Don't forget to subscribe and share! Happy Christmas!