Why does not bloom the Decembrist, what to do?

Why does the Decembrist not bloom at home, although everything is being done for this? It's a shame if the plant was given with the assurance of the annual riot of colors for at least twenty years, and the flowering from year to year is just a dream.

When there is a bitter cold outside, a tropical cactus blooms in the house. It does not have sharp needles and leaves either. Possesses dark green, the original form of shoots, and bright, multicolor flowers. However, it happens that the flower lives at home for several years, but there is no annual flowering.

Lack of lighting

On the one hand, the plant does not like a lot of light, but on the other it is not enough too much.

Intensive coverage in September-October is important.when flower buds are laid.

The bloom of Schömberberger falls on November-January, when the day is short. At this time, the light does not play a major role. In addition, for a full-fledged process, the Christmas tree needs a long night during which it rests.

Wrong temperature

A typical mistake for inexperienced florist. The air temperature in the room should not fall below + 15 ° С.

After the onset of the autumn season, the Decembrist should be moved to the house. No need to leave it on the balconies, open terraces, verandas.

Temperature conditions for flowering:

• The temperature of + 18-20 ° С is important for the vegetation process.
• With the formation of buds: + 12-14 ° C.
• During flowering: + 15-18 ° C.

No rest period

The Decembrists are plants that bloom in the winter. Therefore, it is important for them to have a rest period. This time comes in mid-October and lasts until the end of November. Then the plant does not need to touch. It is necessary to moisturize 1 time in 2-3 weeks, with a small amount of water. And put the flower in a cool place. Such a dream is important to arrange a flower for 50 days before the budding process.

Move

The flower reacts sharply to a change of location, as well as to turns and movements. After the buds have begun to appear, the flower container cannot be touched. Otherwise, the plant starts to panic and drops the buds.

It is impossible not to note the indicator that plays a crucial role in the life cycle of exotic plants - humidity. If the air space in the room is dry, then the zigokaktus cannot fully tie up flower buds. With insufficient moisture, the plant, preparing for the flowering phase, often sheds its buds. Then the next bloom should wait no earlier than 12 months.

Diseases and pests

Schlumbergera or the Christmas tree, like other indoor flowers, is attacked by harmful insects that feed on the sap of the plant, as a result of which it loses vitality, decreases resistance to infectious diseases, and as a result does not bloom.

The main home enemies of the Decembrist:

1. mealy loaf,
2. scythe,
3. spider mite

With the defeat of spider mites, you can notice a yellowish base with reddish patches.

No less pleasant phenomena for the Decembrist - fungal diseases:

They mainly affect the weakened plant, aggravating the condition. If time does not pay attention to the symptoms, the flower is waiting for death.

It is important to note that harmful insects enter the house through the ground, which is not subjected to disinfection.

Problems with the root system of the indoor flower

Zigokaktus root system is weaktherefore at the slightest lack of care, it is at risk.

Often this happens due to excess liquid in the pot or wetting with cold water. Symptoms:

• abscission of segments
• sour soil,
• raspish flowers
• the appearance of black spots on the buds.

When the roots of the disease is necessary to urgently inspect them, remove the rotten areas and transplant into new soil.

Lack of nutrition

During the year, the Decembrist is fed, except for the rest period. Make it a mineral fertilizer. If the plant is not transplanted for a long time, then the soil is depleted. It does not have enough nutrients for full development and flowering. Appearance also speaks about nutritional deficiency:

• pale green color
• lack of growth
• deformation of young shoots
• bud fall and shrinkage of the ovaries (why the Decembrist drops buds and how to fix this problem, read here).

In this case the soil should be fed with nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus fertilizers.

Why is the Christmas tree sometimes not growing for a long time or poorly, weakly growing? This may be due to:

1. improper transplant
2. poor or poor substrate composition,
3. fungal diseases
4. pest attacks
5. bad light,
6. inappropriate irrigation system.

The main thing in time to diagnose the cause, and take action. Then the flower will grow again.

What to do to correct the situation?

1. Maintain a cool temperature in the room.
2. Required without sudden drops and drafts.
3. You must have moist air, about 50-70%.
4. Avoid the lack of nutritional minerals.
5. The pot should be tight.
6. To reduce watering in the period of budding, to moisten plentifully during flowering.
7. Do not touch the flower container after the appearance of buds.

Sometimes careless care gives the flower to reveal its full potential. And excessive custody is not always beneficial. It is important to properly organize the care of forest cactus., and problems with flowering and growth will disappear by themselves. In turn, the Decembrist will please all with a riot of colors, and will definitely become the main pet in the house.

Poor watering

The lack of flowering of the Decembrist, as a rule, is the result of often committed errors in the care of the plant.

Title "Christmas Cactus" - delusion, the flower is not a cactus. In its natural habitat, it grows on the branches of trees in tropical forests, attached to the bark by roots. Unlike typical cacti, it does not grow in a hot and dry desert. Hence the most common mistake when caring for the Decembrist, leading to the absence of flowering - too rare watering.

Do not allow complete drying of the earth in a pot. Too long breaks in watering lead to leaf deformation. The plant after drought is long restored and does not bloom.

Water once a week. Better in the form of a 5-10 minute shower that simulates precipitation. After a shower, the plant needs to dry.

A lot of water in the soil is not favorable, does not contribute to flowering. Do not leave excess water in the pot stand.

Big pot

The Decembrist has a weakly branched root system, should be grown in small pots. Many owners, assuming the large size of the hanging shoots, planted a flower in large containers. A lot of land in a pot, absorbs a lot of water that is not fully used by the plant. Too wet soil leads to a drop in flower buds that have already appeared. It will be easier to maintain the required water level in the soil when grown in a flat pot.

Too warm

A common reason for the lack of flowering Decembrist - growing in too warm rooms. In the natural habitat of the flower, among the branches of trees coolness reigns, we provide the optimum development temperature of 21 ° C. At night, the temperature should be lower, in the range of 15-18 ° C. High temperatures inhibit flowering.

Bad light

Too little light during the day prevents the flower buds from becoming tied. The flower needs a bright place, does not tolerate direct sunlight. Direct sunlight, especially during the daytime, turns the leaves purple. The Decembrist needs only 2-4 hours a day of intense sunlight, preferably at sunset or sunrise.

Decembrist is a short day plant, it takes 12 hours of absolute darkness during the autumn and winter months (from September to December) for flowering. It should not be placed in rooms where at night there is access to artificial light (a street lamp standing a short distance from the window).

Abrupt changes in conditions

Too sudden changes in temperature, humidity and light intensity, hot and cold gusts of air, lead to the fall of flowers and buds. During the flowering period it is necessary to provide the plant with more peace of mind. At the time of flowering should not replant the plant.

What to do to the Decembrist bloomed?

The appearance of flowers, preceded by the restriction of access of light for 12 hours a day, apply a darkening procedure. The procedure begins in October, closing the plant with an opaque bucket or pot for 6 weeks. If the pot is in a dark room, there is no need to cover the plant. It is necessary to close the window tightly so that the plant does not have access to artificial light.

In the process of darkening the Decembrist we provide optimal conditions for growth - a temperature of 21 ° C, during the day good lighting and balanced watering. If you meet the conditions, the Decembrist will award with lush and beautiful flowers.

The reasons why the Decembrist does not bloom

All stages of the development of the Schlyumberger cactus are divided into the following:

• vegetation (spring-summer),
• I rest period (autumn)
• bloom (November-January),
• II period of rest (after flowering before the growing season).

Flowering is one of the stages in the life of a cactus, which falls on the Christmas holidays in the Northern Hemisphere. They coincide with the summer period, which at this time begins in the southern hemisphere of the Earth, from where this plant came to us.

Usually flower growers, which for the first time contain a Schlumberger cactus, make several typical mistakes, because of which the pet refuses to bloom.

Lighting violations

If you believe that the Decembrist needs a lot of light, especially direct sunlight, like other cacti, then make a grave mistake.

The plant can easily get burns if during the period from 11 to 17 o'clock in the afternoon it gets ultraviolet light, especially in summer. But no less adversely affects the state of the cactus and the lack of sunlight. With a lack of sunlight, the plant also suffers.

Nutrient Deficiency

Like most indoor plants, the Decembrist needs additional feeding. There are certain norms for the application of various supplements at different times of the year. It is very important that your pet gets all the necessary nutrients. But there are certain periods for making them. For example, fertilization in the dormant period completely stops the budding of flower buds.

Permutation

This disturbance usually occurs during the period of first rest and flowering. When the cactus begins the process of forming buds or when they have already bloomed, it needs rest in all senses.

To transfer it to a new place, turn the other side to the light and touch it in every possible way is strictly prohibited, otherwise the plant will get a lot of stress and get rid of all the buds (flowers).

Pruning plants

A common mistake in the care of the Decembrist, which leads to the absence of flowering, is ignoring the pruning of the shoots. The fact is that the buds are best formed on young shoots. Therefore, every year at the end of winter, the Decembrist needs to update the crown by plucking segments that do not branch.

Unsuitable place to keep

Many novice growers believe that the larger and more spacious the pot they choose for their pet, the better he will feel and grow faster. This belief is fundamentally wrong.

If the pot does not match the size of the root system, the development of the above-ground part inevitably stops, what to speak of flowering. Sometimes growth stops for a few years.

The fact is that the roots first try to fill all the space inside the pot, and only after that the forces of the plant will be directed to the growth and development of the green part. In addition, a large pot significantly increases the chances of stagnant water.

The second problem may be the content of the zygocactus near the radiators or in the draft. Remember that a slightly lower temperature is better for this plant than hot air.

Root disruption

The root system can suffer as a result of non-compliance with the temperature regime (strong hypothermia), excessive moistening, violation of the rules of transplanting a green friend, and the use of cold water for irrigation. Obviously, with injuries to the roots, the plant will not have enough strength to form flower buds.

What to do to bloom the Decembrist

To get lush bright pink-red flowers for Christmas, for your pet you need to create all conditions as close as possible to the natural ones. It is necessary to take care of the temperature regime, the frequency of irrigation, the lighting and the application of top dressings. Remember that the most crucial period is 50 days before the expected flowering (September-October).

1. Lighting and location. The main thing: to remember that in nature the plant settles in the trees, which means that it is constantly in partial shade. It is unacceptable to put the zygocactus under direct sunlight. The optimal sides of the apartment are the north and west. If it turns out to place the pot only on the south or east side, be sure to create a light shade using curtains or mosquito nets. In winter, additional illumination is not required, because it is in the conditions of the penumbra that the buds of the flower buds take place.
2. The soil. Again, it is worth taking into account the natural conditions of growth of this epiphytic cactus - it settles on a tree, which means that the soil should be as loose as possible with very effective drainage. It should be at least 1/3 of the height of the pot. To prepare the soil, it is necessary to mix in equal parts turf soil, peat and sand (can be replaced with vermiculite).

For the normal formation of flower buds, the plant should be left in a cool room (on the glassed-in balcony or loggia), where the mark on the thermometer is within +5. +15 ° C. Watering occurs once every 1-2 weeks in very small portions, fertilizing is not applied. Additional lighting is not required, ideally, if at night the room will be completely devoid of light.

Knowing the natural needs of your room occupant, it will be quite easy to make a competent care plan. If you follow the simple rules, you can quickly return to life zigokaktus, and he will certainly thank you with bright unusual flowers!

How to water the Decembrist?

The most important thing in caring for the Decembrist - watering mode. The Decembrist must not be flooded - do not forget that this is a succulent (cactus).

Watering Decembrist should be moderate, about 1 time in 10-12 days no more. In the summer, watering is carried out more often - once a week (or with a strong drying of the soil), but do not flood the plant.

Watering is carried out with soft settled water, not cold, at room temperature.

Be sure to spend watering while planting flower buds.

If the leaves of the Decembrist wilted, brightened, it does not mean that it dried up - it means you flooded it.

Pot size for Decembrist

The second rule is to make the Decembrist blossom - small amount of earthy coma. The big pot is simply not needed for the Decembrist, like all cacti. It will grow in it, but is unlikely to bloom.

My Decembrist grows in pots 8–12 cm in diameter and 5–8 cm high. The Decembrist root system is very compact.

The temperature before the flowering of the Decembrist

An important moment for the flowering Christmas tree - temperature condition. In order for the Decembrist to bloom in late December - about 50 days before flowering, it is advisable to lower the temperature to 15-17 degrees.

If you have a glazed loggia, then you can put a flower there. But make sure that the temperature does not fall below +12 degrees.

Try to hold the Decembrist at least 1 month at a low temperature. After that, the Decembrist can be brought into a warm apartment and put on the brightest place.

Light day for the bloom of the Decembrist it is necessary to reduce (in the autumn-winter time the daylight becomes less, so nothing needs to be done with this). But during flowering light should be sufficient for abundant flowering. The Decembrist loves bright ambient light.

After flowering, give the Decembrist a break (rest period), to reduce watering to a minimum and then from March to August, conduct fertilizing with complex mineral fertilizers 2 times a month.

If you do not feed the flowering will be, but not so abundant.

Attention: when your Decembrist has bloomed, its buds will be turned towards the light (towards the sun) - do not turn the flower in any direction during flowering. The Decembrist may reset flowers or fade, but will not release new ones.

Decembrist Formation

The Decembrist is one of the cacti who love to formed. After flowering, the extreme segments (1 or 2) need to unscrew, turning to the side. You have to walk almost all the ends of the branches.

This procedure stimulates flowering next year.

Cut off dry segments for 3-4 hours and put them in the ground, watering the ground a little, soon new processes will appear. Teplichhek for germination is not necessary.

Little about Schlumberber

The plant was brought to Europe by Cunningham in 1816. That plant, cared for by Cunningham, bloomed scarlet flowers.

Но затем селекционеры вывели виды декабриста, имеющие белоснежные, нежно-розовые, лиловые, ярко-оранжевые цветки. Now you can even buy a plant, the flowers of which will be several colors.

The Decembrist has many more names: zigokaktus, epiphytic cactus, Christmas tree. Christmas can live 15-20 years, if you properly care for him.

When grafting, a standard form of a Decembrist is obtained, which blooms very abundantly. To do this, get Peyreskiyu cactus. The upper part of the cactus is cut with a sharp knife, then the stem is slightly split, and then a cutting of 2-3 segments of the Decembrist's stem is placed in the split.

At the end, fasten and wrap a thread of wool. When the cuts grow together, the foliage is cut from the cactus and the thread is removed. When the crown grows around the Christmas tree, it is tied to a peg, then it will not break off.

Temperature

Schlumberger is distinguished by excellent survival with a rather large variation in air temperature. The plant can tolerate heat at 40 degrees and a temperature of +2 degrees.

Immediately before flowering from September to November, the temperature is required to be reduced to + 15-16 degrees. When the plant starts to bud, it is better to put it in a room with a higher temperature. And after flowering, he again needs cool.

Air humidity

The plant loves to be sprayed. In the summer, and especially in hot weather, spray a flower from the spray bottle abundantly.

The Decembrist does not like direct sunlight, otherwise the stems will turn yellowand the Decembrist will grow more slowly. It is better to pritenit. But a deep shadow does not suit him either. The flower needs lighting equal to 8-10 hours a day.

Why does not bloom?

If the Decembrist does not bloom, it means that you violate the conditions of his detention.

• Put it in too dark a place on the north window sill. It is better to put on the east window sill and pritenit.
• Schlumbergera does not bloom due to lack of nutrients.
• Due to too little watering.
• If the plant is attacked by insects.
• If you have not transplanted the plant for several years, then it will not bloom.

What to do to bloom?

From October, when autumn comes, and the temperature outside will be below room temperature, place the plant outside or place it on the loggia.

But the plant should not stand in direct sunlight, pritenite it, and even protect it from rain.

Let the flower stand for about a month outside. Do not water it at this time.

Do not worry if the leaves wilted a little, it's not scary. But when the air temperature drops below 10 degrees, be sure to put the plant back in the room.

You also need to consider the light under which the flower grows. Place it in a place that is lit no more than 10 hours a day. At other times, the plant should be in complete darkness. Count off 50 days, after which the plant should give flowers.

In no case at this time, do not rearrange the pot or turn it, as this may cause the newly formed buds to fall off.

If you need a plant to bloom longer, it should stand at an air temperature of + 17-19 degrees.

Care after

After the Decembrist has fully bloomed, pinch the shoots a little, this will stimulate the growth of new branchy shoots. But do it with your hands, not with scissors.

Put it in a room with a lower temperature and reduce watering. Then the flower will rest until the end of March. Then he is transplanted and cared for as usual.

How to water?

It is watered regularly and fairly plentifully. But you need to water it only after the top layer of soil dries. And after watering, the water that had accumulated in the pan was poured out in half an hour to prevent its roots from rotting. Do not water the flower with icy and hard water. Use boiled water at room temperature.

How to care at different times?

At this time, the Christmas tree blooms, its flowers resemble bells, but the petals have sharp tips. Permanently water the soil until lightly wetted, spray the flower. Feed fertilizers that are used to feed flowering plants. You can not move the pot or even turn it, otherwise the flowers may fall off.

By February the Decembrist ceases to bloom, he is exhausted. Remove all faded buds. Put the zigokaktus in a cooler room. Water the Christmas tree once a week.

Do the same as in February.

Feed the zygocactus with nitrogen and phosphorus once a month. Do not forget pritenyat flower.

Constantly water it, spray it and wash it with settled warm water. By the end of April, you can transplant or propagate the plant.

When the Decembrist is still young, he is transplanted once a year. When the Decembrist grows enough, it can be transplanted 1 time in 5 years.

The plant roots are located close to the surface of the earth. Therefore, it is advised to purchase a wide, but shallow pot, especially if you want to put a flower in a flowerpots and grow it as an ampel. The pot must have drainage holes. Sprinkle the bottom with expanded clay or broken brick.

You can pour into the pot a specially purchased soil mixture for orchids, but mix this composition with garden soil.

You can also make the soil yourself by mixing one part of sand, one part of perlite, one part of fertile land and two parts of peat land. Pour a small amount of wood ash.

If you still have cuttings from the stem after pinching, then use them. Or you can tear off 2-3 segments from the stem at once.

Let the cuttings lie in the shade for two days. Plant cuttings in a well-moistened peat ground.

You can put the cuttings in plastic cups, but first 1/3 of the cups should be filled with clay. When you put the cuttings in the peat, cover the plants with glass jars or plastic bags. From time to time remove the package to wind the cuttings, water the earth. The best air temperature is + 18-20 degrees.

In May, you can also transplant or propagate zigokaktus.

At this time, it is better to put an epiphytic cactus on the street or place it on a loggia. But do not forget that direct sunlight is harmful to the plant, pritenite it. Water the flower as the soil dries. Feed twice a month.

Let the plant stand in the fresh air, but protect it from rain. Feed twice a month. Water the plant.

Do the same as in July.

In September, the Decembrist is in a period of rest. Place the zygocactus in a room with an air temperature of 10-14 degrees. Do not feed the Christmas tree. Gradually reduce the amount of water used for irrigation.

Do the same thing as in September. At this time, they usually begin to heat the apartment, but since the Decembrist needs an air temperature of 10-14 degrees, then:

• you can put it on a glazed balcony if it is warm enough,
• put on the windowsill, but cover the batteries with a blanket or a towel,
• You can place plastic bottles with ice near the window sill and change them.

Put the plant in a place having an air temperature of at least 15 degrees. In November, the plant will form new buds, so gradually increase the watering and slightly increase the lighting. When tying tiny buds, the plant can no longer be rearranged.

In December, Schlumbergera may already bloom.

Top dressing to stimulate flowering

If a number of flowers fall off during flowering, then the plant may not have enough phosphorus and potassium. Therefore, in April, start feeding the plant.

And a month before the Decembrist blooms, stop fertilizing. In the summer, the plant releases its strength to the growth of leaves, therefore, apply fertilizer more often - twice a month. As fertilizer, get fertilizer for flowering plants and cacti. You can also use a highly diluted mullein.

Ash is perfect. When a flower is transplanted, the ashes are mixed with earth. And you can water the flower, diluting 2 tbsp. spoons of ash 1 liter of water.

You can use sugar, diluting 1 tbsp. spoon in half a liter of water and watering this plant.

Cut the crusts of mandarins, oranges, lemons, pour into 1 part of the crusts 3 parts of boiling water. Leave to infuse for a day. Then strain the composition and water, diluting every half liter of the resulting infusion with half a liter of water.

Yeast contains a huge amount of nutrients. Therefore, dissolve 2 tbsp. spoons of yeast and 1 tbsp. spoon of granulated sugar in 1 liter of warm water. Leave for 2 hours. Then dilute with yeast infusion with water, pouring 5 parts of water into 1 part of the infusion.

Why discards buds and stem segments fall off?

1. Dropping a few buds can be the norm, if the Decembrist has a large number of buds and the plant can not provide food for all buds. If the Schlumbergera buds appeared in the spring, they may fall away.

1. The most common cause of dropping the buds is the attack of the red spider mite. If you see that the Decembrist's buds and stem segments fall, then consider a plant. If the base of the stem has turned yellow and covered with small orangish spots, then this is definitely a mite. You can see insects using a magnifying glass.

1. If you do not find insects, then look how firmly the Christmas tree is held in the soil. If the zygocactus is swinging, this means that the roots have begun to die off and it is urgently necessary to transplant it. The Decembrist very often begins to rot the roots:
   • due to high or low temperature,
   • abundant watering or drought,
   • due to burn supplements, insect attacks,
   • changes in soil acidity.

   If you see that the root system has started to rot, then clean it from the soil and rotten roots. Next, rinse with water having a temperature of 40-55 degrees, dry and put in a pot with new soil. First water the Decembrist moderately, but spray frequently. Maintain high humidity. Better cover the plant with a plastic bag.

1. Another plant drops buds due to the stress that it experiences when changing conditions of detention. For example, if the Decembrist, who had been in the shadow for a long time, put in the sun.

1. Also, this phenomenon may occur due to the lack of nutrients in the earth.

1. Due to illness. The roots begin to rot because of the fungus of the genus Fusarium, it is called fusarium. It is possible to get rid of the disease by applying the Mycol and Bayletone fungicides. The root neck starts to rot due to the disease - phithium. In this case, use "Maxim" and "Vitaroz." If you find a brownish spot at the base of the stem, then this is late blight, which starts because of the Erwinia bacteria. Further the spot spreads over the entire stem, sometimes the stem becomes discolored. This disease cannot be cured by fungicides, it is better to remove the diseased part of the plant.

1. Buds fall due to low air temperature at a temperature of 10 degrees.

1. With a lack of watering, tiny tiny buds also begin to fall off.

Frequent mistakes

The most frequent mistake, when the owner of the flower thinks that since the plant belongs to the Cactus family, and does not require careful care, it is not necessary to follow the Decembrist.

Also, the owners of plants often believe that the segments of the stem fall away, and the plants shed their buds from insufficient watering, but this is not true, since in such a situation the Christmas tree will most likely just fade.

Do not leave the Christmas car at the draft. Otherwise, the flower will overcool, the roots will rot and the plant will wither.

If you water the flower too much, then the foliage will begin to fall off.

Very often, people mistakenly believe that if you put the Decembrist in a roomy pot, it will grow more actively. But in the natural environment this plant has small roots, as attached to the trees. Therefore, Schlumberger is planted in a pot as small as possible.

Pick up the pot, which is 3 times shorter than the length of the stem. Then the zigokaktus will spend the forces on growth of a stalk and formation of buds. If you plant it in a very deep pot, it will grow roots, they will begin to surface, and Schlumberger will not bloom.

The plant may fall buds, if they grew too much, because the flowering plants have not enough strength. Therefore, if there are more than 4–5 buds on each pagon, then cut off the extra ones.

Useful video

Find out more about how to make Schlumbergera bloom from the video below:

Although the Decembrist belongs to the Cactus family, but unlike cacti, he does not like direct sunlight, but prefers diffused light. He does not tolerate drought. And the most important thing to remember is that a pot with a flowering plant cannot be rearranged or somehow twisted around its axis.