I got my middle name, Marie, from my great grandma. I'm told that I got my sewing and gardening skills from her. She passed away around the time I was born, so I never got to meet her. My parents recently went to Chicago to visit with family, and they brought home a cutting of a Christmas cactus. The Christmas cactus used to be my great grandma's, so I was super honored to have received it. Since I am only 24, I am amazed that this cactus has been alive for so long! It is definitely a cactus that I would like to keep alive for sentimental purposes and because it's a new cutting that I've never tried before.
Here is what the Christmas Cactus cutting look like when I got it.
Cut the Christmas Cactus into 2 to 3 segments with a clean, sharp knife or pair of scissors.
After making the cut on the Christmas Cactus, you'll see that there is some liquid coming out from it. Allow it to callus (sit out and dry) for about a day before planting the cutting.
Here are the cuttings I took from the large cutting of the Christmas Cactus. I had the main stem, 3 single segments, 1 double segment, and 7 of the 3-segment cuttings.
While you wait for your cuttings to callus, you can prepare your pots. I use clear plastic cups, so I can see when the cuttings start to root. I put regular potting soil into 9 pots. I decided to put the four little cuttings in 1 pot to save space. Using a pencil, or something similar, make a hole in each one of your cups.
This is a 3-segment Christmas Cactus cutting. I buried 1 segment in the soil, and kept the rest above the soil. I firmed the soil around it so that it would stay up, and then watered the cutting.
I buried the Christmas Cactus stem piece about 2 inches into the cup.
I put the single segment cuttings of the Christmas Cactus around the outside of the cup, and buried them halfway. For the 2-segment cutting, I buried 1 segment in the soil and left 1 segment above it.
Now, I just have to wait and see which types of cuttings root the fastest, and I'm hoping that they all take! I put them on my heating mat, with the assumption that cactus like heat. We'll see! I read that cuttings can take from 3 weeks to as long as 3 months to root, but I'll stay patient. I also read that they can flower within a year from cuttings, so that is inspiring in itself!
