Christmas cactus not blooming...?

Question

I have had this christmas cactus for years and about 2 years ago it stopped blooming. I have tried it all, I have repotted it in cactus fertilizer and now brought it outside in the shade and it is growing like crazy. All the leaves are reddish but I still get no blooms. How can I force it to bloom to see if it still will?

Answer 1

Temps are not the only thing to trigger blooming. The Christmas cactus blooms are triggered by changes in light and temperature and that is why I leave mine in my bathroom next to a drafty window. The lights are almost always off in the bathroom and the only light it gets is from the window. There is no heat and air return in my bathroom either so it gets full benefit of the colder temps. This allows the CC to experience the change in season and light. Longer and cooler nights are what trigger blooms and that is why they typically bloom in December and January.

Here is a site you might find useful. It tells you how to force bloom time.
http://users.bestweb.net/~habitat/Christmas%20Cactus.htm

Good Luck

Answer 2

The trick is, to put this plant in the dark spot about a month before its blooming time. You can also cover it with a plastic bag or something. It'll do the trick for mine. Is your pot big enough for the plant? You might need to divide it.

Answer 3

This sounds crazy but put it in the fridge over night and take it out It will bloom in about a month or less. good luck