Ask the Plant Expert:

I have a limp Christmas cactus.  How large a container & what kind of soil mixture should I use?  This is a cutting that is special.  Also, there are bugs on the soil – not the plant – help, please!

I don’t have a photo, but the plant hasn’t bloomed since I planted the cuttings.  The cactus has been in the house and I wonder if I should put it outside since I live in Palm Desert, CA.

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply: You do need to re-pot your Christmas cactus. I like to use a potting soil specifically blended for Christmas cactus (for example Fafard Cactus and Succulent potting mix). I would transplant it into a pot that is 1½ times larger than the existing pot.  If you have mealy bugs, try to remove all of them as your transplant the Christmas Cactus.

Christmas cactus can bloom up to two times a year inside. So moving it outside is not necessary. However, you may need to fertilize it or prune it.

Please read Flower Shop Network’s article, The Unique Beauty of Christmas Cactus, it has very valuable information about Christmas cactus.

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