As with any plant, it’s important to match the environment to its needs. Since the evergreen branches are no longer living, they don’t need any sunlight. Sun and wind exposure on these holiday containers will likely accelerate the drying and browning of the cuttings. If possible, try to pick a location that gets protection from strong winds and afternoon sun to extend their freshness. Most front entryways protect against the elements, but if not, you can place your container under a covered porch or near an exterior wall. Just avoid placing them around outdoor heaters and ceiling fans.  ​

Having houseplants is a great way to create your own tropical oasis at home. They can bring relaxation, air filtration, and aesthetic upgrades to spaces. However, just like kids outgrow their clothes, plants outgrow their pots. While it is not a frequent job, it is essential to know when, why, and how to repot your plants so that they will grow and thrive in your home, helping you to succeed as a plant parent.

​You may also need to select a more suitable container size, but not how you think if your plant has issues like dropping leaves, pest problems, or the soil stays saturated for long periods. These are often signs of an unhealthy and sad plant that needs to go down a pot size. When a plant's pot is too big, it can cause root rot, fungus gnats, leaves to drop, and more. If this is the case, your plant's roots will likely be brown, collapsed, and have a foul smell. In this instance, use a clean pair of shears to remove all brown and rotted roots. After being cleaned, place your plant in a smaller pot appropriately sized for the root mass, using the aforementioned size guideline. This could mean going down one pot size or more, depending on the extent of the problem. While going down a pot size may seem counter-productive, your plant will thank you in these instances.

You should plan on repotting most houseplants every 12 to 18 months, but the exact timing depends on their differing needs, growth rates, and watering preferences. Repotting should only be done during the active growing season to ensure success, ideally from April to September in Kansas and Missouri. Longer days and warmer weather are best for plant recovery and faster root growth in the new pot. A dormant plant is at a higher risk of shock, leading to a stress response that often involves wilting, yellow leaves, slowed growth, or even death.

​Knowing the exact needs of the houseplant you are considering repotting is the key to success because some houseplants prefer to be root-bound and grow more when the roots are tight in their pot. Examples of these kinds of plants are ZZs and Sansevierias, which typically only need repotting when the plant physically breaks its pot. Only then should the plant go up a pot size. While it may sound surprising, these plants rely on their roots to keep the plants compact, upright, and stable. 

01. Removing the Plant From Its Current Container
To remove a plant from its current container, slightly tilt the plant sideways, hold it carefully by the stems or leaves, squeeze the sides of the pot to aid in loosening the soil, and pull the bottom of the pot to remove the root ball.

02. Loosen the Roots
Once your plant is out of the container, gently use your hands to loosen the roots, avoiding forceful pulling or tearing. Separate and untangle the plant's roots, removing any excessively long, thin root hairs while preserving the thicker primary roots near the base of the plant. If the plant is "root bound," where the roots have grown in tight circles around the root ball, gently tease apart these circling roots and trim them as needed. If the root ball is too tight to unravel, carefully score the roots with a clean blade to loosen. Many plants will tolerate scoring to help release and change the root growth direction.

03. Remove Old Potting Mix
Removing roughly a third or more of the old potting mix around the root ball is recommended when repotting a plant. The plant has likely depleted many of the nutrients in the existing soil, so replace it with fresh, nutrient-rich Family Tree Nursery Potting Mix for optimal growth. 

04. Check for Drainage
Here at Family Tree Nursery, we recommend that every potted plant has a drainage hole, so we provide hole-drilling services for pots. Drainage is essential for proper watering habits, allowing you to thoroughly saturate the roots without drowning the plant. If your pot has no drainage hole and cannot be drilled, we recommend potting your plant in a plastic nursery pot, which you can then slide into the decorative pot and remove for watering. ​

05. Add Plant and New Potting Mix
Add a small layer of our FTN Potting Mix to the bottom of the pot, and pack it down to eliminate any air pockets. Next, hold the plant in the center of the new pot and gently backfill around it on the sides. Once the sides are filled, gently tap the pot to settle the dirt between the roots. Finally, top off the pot as needed with soil, leaving half an inch of space from the soil level to the lip of the pot to avoid overflow when watering.​

06. Add Top Dressing (Optional)
Include your own personal flare to your potted plant by adding decorative top dressings such as moss, rocks, or gravel. Adding heavy gravel or rocks not only adds a decorative element but can contribute to the stability of your plant, making it heavier and more challenging to knock over. It can also provide structure to the plant and help keep it upright if needed. 

07. Water In Your Plant
After repotting, give your plant a good watering to help the soil settle around the roots. When watering plants, it is essential to saturate the roots thoroughly; this means watering with enough water to fill the pot 2-3 times. The drainage hole will allow the excess water to drain while the plant absorbs the water it needs. 

08. Enjoy Your Newly Repotted Plant!

​Hopefully, this article will give you confidence in repotting your plant yourself. However, if you need assistance, you can meet us at our Potting Bench at any of our three stores, where our knowledgeable staff can provide repotting services. Family Tree Nursery is committed to sharing information and resources to create successful plant parents.

Holiday cacti are triggered by day length and night temperatures to achieve blooms, similar to other seasonal blooming plants such as mums and poinsettias. There are several varieties of holiday cacti, each with a different bloom time, and they are named for the holiday to which they bloom closest. Thanksgiving cacti are best known for blooming during November and December. Christmas cacti bloom around January and February, and the Easter cacti will bloom between March and May.​
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​Aside from the blooming times, holiday cacti differ slightly in leaf and flower shape. Christmas cacti have rounded, scalloped leaves, while Thanksgiving cacti have teeth-like points on the leaf's edges. Easter cacti are the most unique, with tiny bristles on the foliage edges. Holiday cacti blooms come in shades of pink, red, white, orange, and purple, making them an excellent plant for any home style. The flowers have a unique shape, featuring long tubular petals.

​Planting and Soil
Regarding potting, holiday cacti are easy. They prefer to be pot-bound, meaning that the roots are slightly tight in the container, allowing them to put all their energy into leaf and bloom growth. When the plant becomes excessively root-bound, it's time to consider repotting. Going up 1 to 2 inches in pot size is perfect. When repotting, we recommend using a well-draining potting mix. Our Family Tree Nursery Premium Potting Mix, which consists of a blend of sphagnum peat moss, composted pine bark, perlite, and dolomite, is the perfect solution. We use it for our tropical plants.​

Lighting
Like a regular cactus, holiday cacti prefer to be in bright indirect light; placing them near a west or south-facing window is perfect. If you choose to move your plants outside in the summer, keep them in a semi-shady location. Too much direct sun can burn the leaves.
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Watering
​When your holiday cactus is in bloom, you will want to thoroughly water the plant when the soil has dried halfway down. If the plant's leaves start to pucker or shrivel, this is an indicator that the soil is too dry and your holiday cactus is ready for a drink. How often you water can depend on the plant's placement. You may need to water it more frequently if placed near a sunny window. During its vegetative state, you can reduce watering, allowing the soil to dry 3/4 of the way down before watering. After watering, always enable excess water to run through the container's drainage hole. Soil that stays wet for too long or is soggy can harm the plant.

Fertilizing
To encourage blooming, fertilize your cactus once a month during the sunny growing season of spring and summer with a diluted, water-soluble, balanced fertilizer—our Family Tree Nursery All Purpose Water Soluble Plant Food is a perfect option. The fertilizer will give the plant the energy it needs to produce all those beautiful and vibrant flowers during the expected bloom time. 

Pruning & Propagation
To prune your holiday cactus and keep it in a preferred shape, pinch any leaves off the stem to your liking. Be mindful not to remove more than a third of the plant's foliage, which may harm it. If you want to use the plant trimmings to form new plants, also known as propagation, use the healthy branches and root them in a fresh potting mix. Water sparingly until rooting occurs and new growth begins. If not too severely damaged, wilted segments will recover and become firm as new roots develop.

Blooming
A full bloom cycle for holiday cactus can be expected to last about 4 to 6 weeks. Deadheading spent blooms is the best way to ensure blooming throughout the holiday season.

Reblooming the Following Season
You will need to follow a few simple steps to get your plant to bloom during the holidays the following season.

01 Starting in September or October, reduce the frequency of watering your holiday cactus. Between waterings, allow the soil to dry 3/4 of the way down the container. When you do water, you need to water thoroughly.
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02 Keep your holiday cactus cool by placing it in an area where the temperatures remain 50 to 60 degrees, limiting the daily hours of light it receives for six weeks. If you cannot provide ideal temperatures indoors, you can simply give your plant a few extra hours of total darkness, ideally 13 to 14 hours a day, to force it to bud. This can be accomplished by moving the plant to a dark room or covering it with a dark cloth.

If you keep your holiday cactus outdoors, place it in a spot that receives morning daylight and afternoon shade. The cooler temperatures and shorter days of September and October provide an ideal environment as long as the temperature remains above 50 degrees. When bringing your plant from outdoors to inside, you will want to treat it for potential insects with a horticultural oil, such as neem oil.

03 Once flower buds form, your plant can be placed indoors in normal conditions, and flowers should start opening in a couple of weeks. Keep your holiday cactus away from drafty areas, as the new blooms are sensitive to significant temperature changes.
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​​Many holiday cacti become family heirlooms that can live to be over 100 years old. This beautiful plant can put on a show year after year if properly cared for using these simple tips. You can choose from various colors and sizes to keep your home festive and colorful for the season. If you have any questions about how to care for your holiday cacti, please ask our knowledgeable staff.