The Right Time to Prune
The best time to prune your Christmas cactus is just after its flowering finale, usually around January or February for true Christmas cacti.
If you’re tending to a Thanksgiving or Easter cactus, be aware that the pruning timeline may differ slightly.
It is imperative to prune soon after the last blooms have faded, allowing your cactus ample time to grow new shoots where future buds will emerge.
Effective Pruning Techniques
When pruning, you can either pinch off leaves between your fingers or utilize sharp scissors or shears.
While finger pinching may not leave the neatest cuts, it is an efficient method given the cactus’s structure.
Should you choose to use tools, ensure they’re clean and sanitized, as this improves the plant’s healing and minimizes infection risks.
Promoting Bud Formation
For your Christmas cactus to bloom beautifully, it needs specific environmental cues.
These plants typically flower in the cooler months, so mimicking these conditions can be beneficial.
Outdoors, you might notice tiny buds beginning to form at the tips of the leaves.
When this happens, give your cactus one last application of fertilizer—choose a formula rich in potassium and phosphorus, but low in nitrogen.
Avoid fertilizing again until the spring, as excess may damage roots during dormancy.
If your plant has been outside, bring it indoors before frost threatens, as it is sensitive to cold.
Ideally, your cactus should experience about six weeks of cooler temperatures between the high 50s and mid-60s Fahrenheit, paired with shorter daylight hours to set those buds.
Source: Epicgardening