A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2004 Christmas Cactus Help please

I inherited a christmas cactus a few weeks ago from a friend who was moving out of town, it is very dreary and dried looking (kinda crinkly on some leaves), I repotted it with some fresh soil that isn't hydrophobic like the soil it was in and I've been keeping it soaking it every other day or so but I haven't seen a change yet.

I'm just wondering if aqnyone has any other suggestions

I seemed to have had a similar problem with mine. I had no idea how to care for it when I got it, and I didnt really care either. I just started to get into gardening within the past year.

I water mine only once a week, apparently it likes to go really dry between waterings.

Also, where do you have yours? I have mine in a spot where it gets a ton of light in the day (12 hours or so) then darkness. This type of schedule is needed for it to bloom.

I have already noticed a ton of growth since I have learned how to care for mine. Good luck!!

Keep in mind that sometimes the babies need a bit of time to recover. Patience, grasshopper.

Here's just a neat little tip: After the plant heals, place it in a dark corner, away from bright light and water it lightly once a week, just enough to keep it alive. In a couple of weeks you put it back in bright light and give it plenty of water and just a little plant food and it will bloom! They are so pretty!

I don't know if this is a common problem but I've noticed with mine that if I don't keep it situated the same way to the light the new tips fall off.......most plants like to be turned around, but this one seems to want to be left exactly the same.......

Thanks for the adviec I will have to give it all a try and see what works

Lighten up on the soaking. Although it may have been dehydrated when you got it, one good soaking of the soil is all that is needed to start it back to recovery. However, keeping the soil constantly wet will rot the roots very quickly. This is especially true if you moved it into a larger pot.

I realize it is too late, but it would have been better if you had not repotted and simly re-hydrated the soil by letting it sit in water for about 20 minutes.