How to Water Your Christmas Cactus the Right Way: 5 Pro Tips

Christmas cacti erupt into bloom around the holidays. Their bright, fleshy blossoms add ornamental charm to indoor spaces. Care for them similarly to poinsettias—they appreciate cool, brightly lit rooms, well-drained soil, and consistent moisture. 

There is no right or wrong way to water a Christmas cactus! You simply want to water your plant when it’s thirsty. Water it too much and the roots may rot, but water it too little and the plant will exhibit weak, yellow leaves throughout. You want to achieve a perfect balance for your potted plant.

Mimic Natural Conditions

All houseplants have a place of origin outdoors! Although they adapt well inside our homes, they prefer the conditions common within their native range. Christmas cacti are no different; they originate from tropical regions in Brazil. 

Considered epiphytes, these cacti latch onto trees or craggy cliffs with their roots. They grow off the ground, with steady airflow, filtered light, and consistent moisture. They rarely suffer from root rot in their natural environment as they grow in free-draining bark or rocks rather than moist potting soil. 

Up high on trees or on cliffsides, these epiphytes receive constant moisture through high humidity levels. They appreciate the humidity, and they’ll suffer in dry rooms indoors. Consider adding a humidifier nearby, or place a pebble tray near your plants to help them adapt inside your home. 

Although it may seem difficult to match these conditions, it’s not! A few easy methods will help you modify your home to accommodate these cacti and their fussy needs. Provide them with bright, but filtered sunlight or grow lights, and grow them in a well-draining mix. 

If you face recurring growing issues with holiday cacti, consider growing the hybrid type or its varieties. Look for Schlumbergera x buckleyi online and at local plant nurseries. This type is a hybrid of two wild species, and it grows better under indoor conditions than its parents do. It’ll tolerate growing in normal potting mixes for houseplants.

Use Well-Drained Soil

At first, you may wonder what soil has to do with watering techniques. The answer is simple—a proper mix allows you to water your Christmas cactus in a way that matches what it receives in its natural habitat. 

Although a holiday cactus prefers growing inside bark or rough rocks, it’ll thrive in a well-drained potting mix. Use one with plenty of perlite or vermiculite to facilitate adequate drainage. These particles absorb excess moisture so the roots can access it; they also hold pockets of air for the roots to breathe. 

Materials like compost, leaf mold, or worm castings also help boost soil drainage while adding fertility. They leach nutrients as they decay, and their particles create air pockets like perlite and vermiculite. Blend them with soilless materials like coco coir for a free-draining but fertile potting mix.

When you use well-draining soil, you create the ideal environment to accommodate regular watering. Rather than letting the dirt dry between waterings, you can add irrigation weekly or biweekly during the growing season without fears of root rot or fungal pathogens.

Store-bought Christmas cacti may come in soggy, wet soil that harms sensitive roots. Water your specimen infrequently if this is the case, and repot it during spring using a well-draining but fertile blend. 

Provide Proper Moisture

You can water consistently if you’re using well-drained soil. This is best for Christmas cactus health as it matches the conditions it would face in its native habitat. During the dry season in Brazil, these epiphytes still receive between two and three inches of monthly rainfall!

Most holiday cacti recommendations suggest letting the surface dry between waterings. This is only necessary when using soggy or wet dirt that doesn’t drain well. Houseplant and garden potting mixes aren’t free-draining enough for these plants and require some adaptations to succeed.

You can use the finger test to determine what type of soil your cactus has. Stick your finger into the container weekly to sense the moisture levels. The mix is free-draining if it’s dry after a week or two, and soggy if it takes longer than two weeks to dry. 

Water every three to four weeks as the dirt dries on top. Let it dry an inch or two downwards, and use the finger test to determine how wet it is below the surface. The plants may require more irrigation as they endure more light during the growing seasons, about every two weeks. 

Free-draining soil requires more water than more waterlogged sites, although your plants will likely grow better than ones growing in less-than-ideal conditions. Water them every week to two weeks, and avoid letting their roots dry out completely.

Water Less in August

There are two main reasons why you should start watering less in August, or whenever autumn is in your region. Firstly, Christmas cacti prefer lower water levels while they form flower buds; the low moisture hardens the stems to hold heavy blossoms. Secondly, low moisture levels are beneficial in autumn while the plants receive less light and cooler temperatures according to the seasons.

Fall begins in August in the Northern Hemisphere. Water less during March in the Southern Hemisphere, as this is when autumn occurs in the lower portions of the world. Wait for shortening days, cool temperatures, and rainfall. These signal that winter approaches and it’s time to water your cactus less than normal.

From fall through winter, how often you water depends on the soil your plant grows roots into. Add water to waterlogged or moist mixes once a month or less. Wait for the top two to three inches to dry, then add plenty of water until it flows from the container’s drainage holes.

Plants growing in optimal, well-drained blends should receive more water than those in soggy sites. From autumn through winter, grant them water every two to three weeks. Wait for these specimens to dry on the surface, but don’t let them dry out completely. 

The finger test works better than most other tests for knowing when to water. There are other options if you prefer a different solution. Try using a moisture meter indoors for easy readings. It’ll tell you how wet or dry it is deep below the surface where your fingers can’t reach.

Watch for Root Rot

Root rot is a common affliction of indoor holiday cactus plants. It occurs on specimens that have too much water, not enough light, and less-than-ideal mixes. Christmas cactus root rot stems from two separate fungi, Phytophthora and Pythium. 

These fungal conditions thrive in wet, humid, and warm environments. They’ll start eating away at the roots before presenting aboveground symptoms. After many of the roots rot away, you’ll start seeing decaying signs in the leaves. They’ll turn from bright green to yellow, brown, and black before falling off the plant. 

Root rot is easily preventable but difficult to treat. Keep it away by watering your cacti consistently so they’re moist and not soggy. Place them under bright indirect sunlight during the day, and fertilize them monthly during the growing season to keep them perky and healthy. Happy plants resist infections better than weak ones.

If root rot symptoms begin to appear, immediately cut back on watering. Trim off dead or dying leaves, and monitor your plant to see if it starts healing. It may bounce back if the root rot is young. If it’s already taken hold of most of the plant, chances are the cactus will succumb to rot. Dispose of it, and sterilize the soil and container before using them again.