Question on Christmas Cactus

[articuno75]

I have a question on this. I was given a broken piece of a Christmas cactus and was told that like a potato, if you stuck it in water it would grow roots and you would be able to plant it right? Well, I stuck it in water and waited. Instead of getting roots it got slimy. I cut the slimy end and thought all was done. Hoping not all was lost I just stuck the ends in some soil hoping for the best. Is there anything else I can do, or was someone playing a joke on me? Believe it or not the pieces are actually trying to bloom so I don't know if it's doing that cause of it being on it's last leg or what. Need help here, cause I'd like to save a cactus!

[pikevi]

I think that information is right. But the water has to be treated first .. I add a pinch of of glucose and a bit of powdered aspirin(1/4 size of a small pepper-roughly 50mg) to the water (500ml or so). You could add 'rooting hormone ' if you like. But it is imperative that the water be changed every few days: say every 3-4 days.

Adding aspirin is not critical.

I have tried it with many plants with 100% success. I do have a few Christmas cacti but I have not tried to propagate them by this method. I will start a few today and see if it works.

If you are using soil mix keep the mix moist but NOT wet and prefereably the whole pot in a saucer with water. Mix should be porous ( like triple mix). Do NOT get the branch wet when you spray water.

Good luck.

[WIB]

I have managed to propagate Schlumbergera just in water, with no additives, and it has worked. It wouldn't surprise me to learn that you could stick a segment or two in potting soil, keep it moist but not soggy, and get good results. - Bill

[pikevi]

WIB: That suggestion is for articuno75's current situ. It may be at the point of 'disintegrating' with all the bacterial growth in water. That is why I suggested triple mix so it would maintain the moisture without being soggy.

Woody branches may need more water than the soft succulent varieties, I think. I am not qualified to make that sweeping statement and I wish some one else , who is a botanist or a horticulturalist,will help us out here. It has just been so in my experience.

[terry_sealey]

[b]It wouldn't surprise me to learn that you could stick a segment or two in potting soil, keep it moist but not soggy, and get good results[b]
That is exactly what I do, usually in the spring. I just break off a few good, firm leaves and plant them around the edge of a pot with some John Innes soil.

When they have rooted I tend to plant 3 or 4 into the same pot to give a good display quickly.

[Hummer344]

I have done many starts from Schlumbergera. Break off a piece, let it air dry in a cool dry place for 24 hours or until the break dries over. I put mine in Super Soil to grow out, then up pot them using cactus mix. Don't keep them to wet or they will rot. I usually get about 90% sucess rate doing this. They make a great gift.

[evagentry]

I found that the drying off is important or the cutting rots when it is planted.

[articuno75]

I didn't have have special cacti mix to put it in yet, I was waiting to see if it would grow roots first. But since it didn't and it got all slimy first, it took the pieces and stuck it in a little pot with what I had available which was a bit of Aussie Gold, LOL. I gotta go get some cacti mix.

[kmarch]

The info they gave was right. I've started several Christmas Cacti from pieces i've accidentally knocked off or taken off. No special treatment is necessary, just stick the cutting in a glass of rodinary tap water with no special tratment. the roots will emerge from the joints.

The same will happen if you plant a cutting. Plant it deep enough so that at least a couple of joints are burried and keep it gently moist for a few weeks.

[articuno75]

Thanks guys. Will do. These pieces actually have buds on them and hope that they will bloom, even though rootless. I will keep everyone informed and show pics of the results here in a couple of weeks.

[WIB]

I had forgotten that I did allow my segments to dry out for a day before putting them in water. Maybe that's why it was so easy. -- Bill

[articuno75]

Originally Posted by WIB

I had forgotten that I did allow my segments to dry out for a day before putting them in water. Maybe that's why it was so easy. -- Bill

They did dry out for a day, but like I said after being in water for a about a week, they became slimy and well, gross. So I stuck the ends in soil instead. Keep your fingers crossed!

[kmarch]

You dont' need to let them dry for a day, just take them straight off th eplant and into water or dirt. No special attention or needs necessary.

[cupcake]

This is "Maisie"! I grew her from bits that I knocked off her mum. Just stuck the bits in water, you must change it on a regular basis et voila!
I sometimes get slime, but just wash it off , these are SO easy to propogate!

[pikevi]

That is a lovely colour, cupcake.

[articuno75]

By the looks of the buds on this little cacti, I think that is what the color mine will be. I'll have to post a pic as soon as I can.