Help Diagnosing Christmas Cactus Issue

Question

I inherited this plant from my grandma about 2.5 years ago. It has lived happily in our sunroom since. I repotted it when I got it. It gets watered once, sometimes twice a week. I probably don’t give it enough fertilizer, so I’m wondering if that is the issue. The leaves are starting to turn yellow on the edges and there have been a couple of small 2-3 leaf sections that have dropped, but otherwise, the plant seems to be happy. Can you help me to figure out what the issue is before it’s too late for my plant? Thank you!

• 
• 
• 
• 

Answer 1

This appears more related to wet, or thick soils. They can be somewhat drought resistant, and are epiphytes, which means they feed in a slightly different manner than typical plants do.

They get their nutrients in a similar manner to an orchid, and will prefer a mix that is only slightly heavier than this. A little bit of compost mixed with an orchid mix does wonders.

An orchid fertilizer will work, fine, here. Just spray the plant with a half strength solution once per month. This should be done after a soil change.

Another thing to consider is humidity. They will enjoy a good spray, at least, once per day.

One last thing to consider will be light amount. They prefer shade, or dappled light. Try to avoid direct sun for extended periods, since they will grow in the shade of other trees in nature.

Here is an article that will help you to care for the plant:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/cacti-succulents/christmas-cactus/advice-for-christmas-cactus-care.htm