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Easter Cactus Plants

Q.Trouble with Easter Cactus

Zone Massachusetts | Sinjin added on October 16, 2014 | Answered

My problem is that my Easter Cactus drops segments of growth. I let it dry out almost completely, so too much water is not an issue. They are indoors, and in a very bright room with no direct sunlight filtering in. Also, I add water to the container they are in, so the water is drawn up by the roots, and not directly on top. Please let me know what might be going on.

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theficuswrangler
Answered on October 17, 2014

It is possible to underwater also - are the leaves nice and firm, or they a bit soft? If soft, this would be a sign that they're not receiving enough water from the roots. There's no real reason to water from the bottom; watering from the top, allowing the water to run through, is usually a better idea. Allow the water to stay in the saucer; if there's any left after a day, you can pour it out, although you don't really need to, just so long as you don't leave the plant sitting in water for weeks.
Another possibility is elevated salt levels, especially if you've been fertilizing monthly, but never allowing water to flow through the soil and out the drainage holes. Unused fertilizer, which is almost always present if you fertilize alot, remains in the soil as salts, and the salt level gradually rises. The fix for this is to leach the soil by running several quarts of water through it.
Another thing you could try is elevating the humidity around the plant. Also you could try moving it closer to the window, or some other way to increase the light.
This article has some tips you might find useful: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/cacti-succulents/easter-cactus/caring-for-easter-cactus.htm

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