The reason for a rotting, dying cactus is because of overwatering, slow-draining soils, and cold temperatures, which cause the cactus to turn brown or yellow with a soft, mushy texture. Cactus are drought-resistant plants that need the potting soil to dry out between each bout of watering.

Keep reading to learn why your cactus is dying from the bottom (basal rot disease), dying from the top downwards (stem rot), dying in Winter or why your cactus is dying after repotting, and how to implement the solutions to save your dying cactus…

Cactus Dying From the Bottom-up (Basal Rot Disease)

Desert cacti turn brown and soft with a dying appearance at the bottom of the plant due to basal rot disease. The rot is caused primarily because of overwatering and slow-draining soils, however, cold temperatures are often a contributing factor.

To save our dying cacti, it is important that we understand how they grow in their native environment and then attempt to replicate these conditions in our homes…

Most houseplant cacti are native to hot and dry, arid climates with low average rainfall, growing in sandy or stony soils that are well-draining and do not retain much moisture.

Cacti develop basal rot disease at the bottom of the plant that spreads upwards with a brown mushy texture (sometimes causing the cactus to lean) if they are in conditions contrary to their dry native environment.

The most common mistake I see is because people of water too often, or their cactus has been planted in ordinary potting soil that retains too much moisture around the roots.

I must emphasize that cacti need to be in a gritty specialized potting mix that replicates the soil structure of its natural habitat and only watered when the potting soil has dried out completely to be healthy and avoid rotting at the base.

Cacti Dying at the Base in Winter

Whilst basal rot disease can occur at any time of year, this is a problem that is most often reported to me for a cactus dying in Winter.

This is because cacti are in a state of dormancy in Winter, where they do not grow due to the cold Winter temperatures and fewer hours of light.

Cacti should be watered less often in Winter, during dormancy in comparison with active growth in the Spring and Summer when there is a higher demand for water.

I made the mistake of watering the cactus at the same frequency in the Winter as in the Summer. The lack of demand for moisture in Winter means the cacti’s roots are uptaking water at a much slower rate, if at all. This meant my potting soil stayed damp for much longer, which promotes the conditions for both stem rot and basal rot disease.

The cold temperatures can also be contrary to some species of cacti preferred conditions, which promotes rot; however, cacti are a diverse family of plants, and some cacti are perfectly capable of tolerating cold temperatures as long it does not go below freezing.

Personally, all my cacti houseplants have been fine when grown indoors as they are very comfortable at room temperature.

The only exception I can think of is if your cactus is on a cold window sill and potentially in contact with the cold window pane. This is the sort of scenario that can give cacti cold stress.

Usually, the bottom of the cactus turns brown or yellow with a soft, mushy texture, which can spread upwards and cause the cactus to die back.

However, I have personally saved a cactus with basal stem rot…

Save a Cactus Dying at The Base

To save a cactus dying at the base it is important that you first address the environmental problems that caused the basal stem rot disease in the first place.

This means watering with the right frequency at different times of the year and possibly repotting your cactus into well-draining soil that mimics the soil of the cacti’s native range.

• Only water a cactus when the soil has dried out completely. Cacti grow in an environment where they experience a deluge of rainfall followed by a period of drought. Therefore, it is important to replicate this cycle of watering indoors to prevent and treat the rotting base.

The best method I have to establish the optimal watering frequency of a cactus is to feel the soil at the bottom of the pot through the drainage hole in the base. If the soil feels damp, then delay your watering for a few days. If the soil feels dry, then this is the perfect time to water cacti.

I would also urge you to pick up the cactus’s pot after watering to assess the weight and then periodically afterward, as it should feel progressively lighter as the soil dries out. I do this regularly to gauge the correct time for watering.

• It is important to acknowledge that cacti should be watered far less often in Winter while they are dormant. Typically, I only water my cactus every 4-6 weeks in Winter to avoid rot. Cacti can always cope much better with underwatering than overwatering, so if in doubt, delay watering for a week or so. It is worth checking to see whether the soil at the base of the pot is damp periodically.
• If you have potted your cactus in ordinary potting soil, then it is likely that it is retaining too much moisture for the cactus to tolerate, and this is the reason your cactus is dying from the bottom. Repot the cactus in succulent and cacti soil (available online and in garden centers), which is composed of gritty soil that replicates the soil conditions in the cacti’s native environment.

• Clean the cactus’s pot with disinfectant, as the pot can still harbor the fungal pathogens that cause basal stem rot. I use hot soapy water to kill all fungal pathogens.

Once you have corrected the environmental conditions, then it is possible that the cacti can recover, but I would strongly recommend that you take a cutting from your cactus for propagation as even if you create the optimal conditions for the cactus, it is possible that the basal stem rot spreads and kills the cactus.

Cacti are extraordinarily capable of growing from propagated sections, cuttings, and offsets from the remaining healthy growth. I have personally propagated my cactus many times. Who doesn’t love free plants? This is an easy and fun way to grow a cactus. Watch the helpful YouTube video for a great visual guide to propagating cacti…

Cactus Dying From The Top (Soft Brown and Mushy)

If a cactus is dying from the top downwards with a dried-out tip and a brown, soft, mushy, textured layer underneath, it is due to stem rot, which is caused by overwatering, slow-draining soils, and cold temperatures.

These three factors (overwatering, slow draining soils, and cold temperatures) are responsible for basal stem rot (rotting from the bottom upwards) and any rotting from the tip downwards or any other brown or yellow dying mushy section of cactus.

Therefore the treatment is more or less the same as I stated previously.

Correct any environmental problems by (as described in the section of the article above):

1. Only water when the soil is dry,
2. Reduce watering frequency in Winter.
3. Plant cacti in ‘succulent and cacti soil’ to improve drainage.

I would also recommend that you plant cacti in terracotta or unglazed clay pots as they are porous which allows the soil to dry out more evenly after watering, whereas ceramic or plastic pots are impermeable and retain moisture which promotes the conditions for rot. Often, when people tell me their cacti are dying, they are in plastic pots.

In terms of specifically treating a cactus that is rotting and dying from the top downwards, it is essential that you cut the brown rotting section off with a sharp pruning tool way back to healthy growth.

When this happened to my cactus, I cut it back to healthy green growth, as this reduces the chance of the rot spreading. The wound where the cactus is cut should callus over, and in my experience, the cacti can survive. However, the wound where the cacti are cut is still vulnerable to infection.

Therefore I recommend that you sterilize the wound with a natural fungicide called ‘neem oil’ which is a natural, non-toxic oil that has anti-fungal properties and should help to prevent the wound from being reinfected.

If there are any offsets growing from the cactus, then I would recommend cutting these off for propagation, just in case the problems of rotting from the top persist on the main plant.

Why is my Cactus Turning Soft, Brown, or Yellow and Mushy?

The most common reason I see for cacti is turning soft, brown, and mushy in sections is a type of stem rot also caused by overwatering, slow-draining soils, and cold temperatures. Desert cacti are drought-resistant plants and do not tolerate excess moisture around the roots which causes the brown, rotting, mushy areas of the cactus.

Therefore, it is, again, important to follow the same steps of only watering when the soil is dry, scaling back the watering in Winter, and planting the cactus in well-draining, gritty soils.

Cut out any brown, soft, rotting sections out of the cactus completely back to healthy, normal, non-mushy growth with a sharp pruning tool, or the rotting, mushy sections spread and cause the entire cactus to die back.

I would recommend sterilizing the wound with a fungicide such as neem oil to prevent any reinfection and spread of rot.

If you are repotting the cactus, it is worth looking at the roots to check whether they are healthy or rotting.

• Cacti roots that are healthy should appear white (or light brown) with a firm texture, whereas roots that are rotting appear slimy and dark brown with an unpleasant smell.

I would snip back any roots that are rotting back the base of the cactus. Repot the cactus in succulent and cacti soil and discard the old soil as it can harbor the disease that causes the roots to rot.

Wipe the blades with a cloth soaked in alcohol disinfectant between each cut to prevent spreading the fungal pathogens from diseased roots to healthy sections of root.

Clean the cacti’s pot with disinfectant and repot the cacti.

Whether or not the cacti are going to recover, I find, depends on how severe the root rot is, but the cacti are capable of growing new roots and surviving.

If possible, I would also consider propagating any offsetts, pads, or cuttings from the cactus in case the main plant dies back.

My Cactus Dying After Repotting…

The most common reason I come across for a cactus dying after repotting is usually because of root rot due to compacted soils, slow-draining soils, or because the new pot does not have drainage holes in the base, causing the cactus to turn brown soft, and mushy.

A common mistake I see when repotting a cactus is over-potting, which is when the cactus is planted in a pot that is significantly larger than its previous pot.

Larger pots have a greater capacity for soil and, therefore, a greater capacity to retain moisture. If there is too much moisture around the roots of the cactus for too long, then the roots start to rot, which results in a soft, brown, rotting cactus.

How to Save it…

To save your cactus, I recommend repotting it into a pot that is only an inch or two larger than the previous pot. If the pot is of a similar size, then the soil should dry out at a similar rate, thus mitigating the risk of root rot.

Repot the cactus in succulent and cacti potting soil as this imitates the soil type of the cacti’s natural environment, with excellent drainage.

I would look at the roots to see if they are rotting (dark brown with a soft, rotting texture and foul smell), in which case cut the rotting roots back to healthy growth with a sterilized pair of pruners.

Wash the pot with disinfectant before repotting to remove any fungal pathogens and ensure that the pot has drainage holes in the base.

Always empty saucers and trays underneath the pot of excess water regularly to ensure good drainage and prevent root rot.

Cut any soft, brown, or yellow rotting sections of cacti back to healthy growth with a sharp pruning tool to prevent rot from spreading, and treat the wound with a fungicide such as neem oil.

Again, from my personal experience, if your cactus is rotting anyway, I personally recommend propagating the cactus from any remaining health growth as cacti propagate easily, and it could be the best way to save the plant.

Key Takeaways:

• A cactus turns brown and soft and dies from the bottom because of basal rot disease, which is due to overwatering, slow-draining soils, and low temperatures. Cacti need the potting soil to dry out completely between each bout of watering, or they start to rot and die back.
• A cactus turning brown and dying from the top indicates the soil is too damp from overwatering and poor drainage.
• Usually, the reason for a cactus dying after repotting is because the cactus is overpotted, and the soil is not drying out fast enough, causing the roots to rot. Always re-pot cacti in pots that are only 2 inches wider than their previous pot to prevent overpotting, resulting in root rot.
• Cacti die in Winter if the soil is too damp and the temperatures are too cold. Cacti are dormant during Winter and have a much lower demand for water. If you water the cacti as often as Summer then cacti are likely to die of root rot or basal stem rot disease.

The most common reason desert cacti turn brown and soft is because of root rot due to overwatering and poor drainage. Cacti turn brown at the base due to basal stem rot, which is caused by overly damp soil due to overwatering during Winter. A cactus that is turning brown and shrinking indicates the cacti is underwatered.

In my case, the surface of the cacti turned brown with a rough texture due to corking, which is typically a result of underwatering in Summer, physical damage to the surface, or a sudden drop in temperature.

Keep reading to learn why your cactus is turning brown and how you can implement the solutions to save your cactus…

Why is my Cactus Turning Brown (and Yellow) and Soft? (Overwatering and Poor Drainage)

To learn how to save our brown cacti, we must understand how they grow in their native environment.

Most houseplant cacti species have specifically adapted to growing in arid climates with low rainfall, low humidity, and fast-draining sandy soil that does not retain much moisture.

To grow cacti indoors successfully and avoid the cactus stem from rotting and turning brown, soft, and mushy, it is important to replicate some of the conditions of its native environment in our houses by planting the cactus in gritty, well-draining potting soil that drains efficiently and only watering when the soil has dried out.

A classic mistake that I see a lot of people make is watering their cactus too often or planting it in ordinary potting soil which stays damp for too long means there is too much moisture around the cacti’s roots for this drought resistant desert plant to tolerate.

Damp soil promotes the conditions for the cactus to develop stem rot and root rot, which results in your stem turning brown and soft to the touch.

As cactus plants are so well adapted to drought, it is important that we wait until the potting soil has dried out completely between each bout of watering.

I have personally cultivated a mature Barrel cactus that was neglected for as long as three months without watering. To my amazement, it didn’t suffer any ill effects due to its superior ability to store moisture and tolerate drought.

I should also emphasize that cacti also need to be watered less often in Winter as they are typically dormant at this time, which reduces their demand for water. Because the roots are not uptaking moisture, the soil stays damp for too long, which results in soft brown and yellow cacti stems.

It is also important that your cactus is planted in a pot that has drainage holes in the bottom to allow excess water to escape and that you empty any saucers or trays underneath the pot of excess water regularly to allow the soil to drain properly to avoid root rot.

How to Save it…

• Reduce how often you water your cactus. I urge you always to wait until the soil has dried out completely before watering again, then water with a generous soak, ensuring that the potting soil is evenly moist. Watering cactus like this replicates the -deluge of rainfall, followed by a period of drought- cycle of soil moisture that the cactus typically experiences in its native environment.

My favorite method to establish the correct watering schedule for my cactus in my climate (I have moved around a lot!) is to feel the potting soil at the bottom of the soil through the drainage hole in the base. If the soil feels damp, then you need to delay watering. If the soil has dried out, then this is the perfect time for watering.

This is the best method that I have tried to meet the cactus’s watering requirements without risking root rot and brown rotting stems.

• Once the potting soil has dried out, take your cactus out of the soil and inspect the roots. The roots of a cactus should be light colored (sometimes discolored slightly brown due to the soil) and feel firm when you squeeze them, whereas rotting roots appear dark brown, with a slimy or mushy texture and an unpleasant smell. Cut any brown, rotting roots back to the base with a pair of pruners.
• I cannot emphasize enough the importance of Wiping the blades of the pruners with a cloth soaked in disinfectant between each cut to prevent the spreading of fungal pathogens that are responsible for the rot from diseased roots to otherwise healthy roots.
• Replant your cactus in a well-draining succulent and cacti potting mix. This potting mix replicates the cacti’s natural, well-draining, gritty, porous soil structure, which increases the rate of drainage and which I find significantly reduces the risk of the cactus turning brown and soft due to root rot.

• Clean the cactus’s pot with disinfectant prior to repotting, as the pot can harbor the fungal pathogens that are responsible for root rot. I wash my pots in hot, soapy water to make sure they are free of disease.
• Plant the cactus in a pot with drainage holes in the base. My favorite pots for cacti are terracotta or unglazed clay pots, as they are porous and allow the soil to dry out more evenly. Cactus plants are able to grow in plastic and ceramic pots, but from my experience, as these materials are impermeable, they retain more moisture, which can increase the risk of root rot.

Top tip: Avoid repotting a cactus in a pot that is too large as larger pots have a greater capacity for soil and therefore a greater capacity for retaining moisture, which can also promote the conditions for root rot.

I usually just wash the cacti’s pot and replant it in its original pot rather then repotting to a larger pot.

Once you have created the optimal conditions for your cactus (by watering less often and replacing the soil) and snipped back any diseased roots, you should see cactus can start to grow new roots and revive. When you will see results depends on the time of year. In Spring and Summer I would expect to see the cactus start to recover in the next three weeks.

However, if the brown soft area of the cactus is increasing in size, then I would advise you to cut these brown rotting sections of the cactus back with a sharp blade to prevent the rot from spreading.

Whether or not the cactus recovers depends on the severity of the rotting. A great last resort is to propagate the cactus, which can be done with offsets, pads, or cuttings from any remaining healthy tissue.

I propagate cacti every year because it is so easy, and who doesn’t love free plants? Because propagating is better explained visually, I recommend watching this YouTube video for how to propagate cacti:

My Cactus Turning Brown at the Base of the Plant

Most often, the reason I see cacti turn brown at the base of the plant is because of basal rot disease, which is caused by overwatering and moisture-retentive soils. Basal stem rot causes the cactus to turn brown and rotten at the soil line, which can cause the cactus to droop and fall.

As desert cacti are mostly native to desert areas of Mexico and the United States, they do not tolerate damp conditions well at all.

Desert cacti need a ‘rest’ in Winter as part of their seasonal cycle with reduced watering, cooler temperature, and less fertilizer to prevent developing basal stem rot.

How to Save it…

If you are watering your cacti at the same frequency in Winter, then this is usually the cause of rotting stem at the base of the plant, which can spread upwards and cause the cactus to die back.

I always recommend adjusting your watering schedule in the Fall and Winter (compare to Spring and Summer) and the importance of a well draining succulent and cacti potting medium.

I always find it takes longer for the potting soil to dry in Winter as the cactus does not draw up water at anywhere near the same rate, and in my experience, I only water my cactus once or twice in Winter (I always feel the potting soil at the base of the pot through the drainage holes to assess whether the soil has dried properly before watering).

You can address any watering problems and re-pot your cacti into well-draining potting soil. To be honest, I find it difficult to revive a cactus with basal stem rot, so I recommend propagating the cactus from any off-sets, pads, or cuttings.

I have found Propagating as a means of saving the cactus from basal rot can be particularly effective as the rot is unlikely to have traveled and infected other parts of the cactus, therefore there is often a lot of healthy tissue from which to make a cutting.

Watch the YouTube video further up this article for a great visual guide to propagating cacti.

Overwatering in Winter is a super common mistake that I see people make, so I always recommend paying close attention to the soil moisture by feeling it a regular intervals, and I also lift my pot up quite often to assess the weight of the point which helps me to judge whether the soil is still damp or whether it has dried out.

Cacti tolerate drought stress much better than overwatering, so if I am in any doubt, I day watering for a few days until I am absolutely sure the soil is dried out.

Why is My Cactus Turning Brown and Shrinking?

A cactus that is turning brown and shrinking in size indicates that the cactus is not being watered generously enough.

Sometimes, I observe that the advice that ‘cacti do not need much water’ is misinterpreted to mean that cacti do not require a great volume of water when watering.

However, the potting soil of the cacti should be watered thoroughly so that excess water trickles from the base of the pot to ensure the soil is evenly moist, then allowed to dry out before watering again.

The cactus likes evenly moist soil after watering from which it can draw up with its deep roots and store the moisture it requires in its fleshy watering-storing stem.

If you water your cactus too lightly, then only the top inch or so of the potting soil becomes moist, and the water does not infiltrate the soil properly to reach the roots where it is required.

When the cactus is underwatered, the cactus has to deplete the moisture reserves in the stem which means the entire cactus shrinks in size and turns brown as a sign of stress.

How to Save a Cactus That is Turning Brown and Shrinking

This happened to my cactus when I first started collecting them, and I solved it with the following steps…

I placed my cactus in a basin of water, ensuring that the rootball was submerged for 10 minutes. This gave the soil ample time, to properly absorb the moisture.

The reason I submerge it in water is that I found that once the soil dries out completely, it can become hydrophobic (which means that it repels water off the surface of the soil without infiltrating properly.

I found that a good soak was what was needed to properly hydrate my cacti and to improve the texture of the soil.

Every time you water your cactus, water thoroughly to the extent that excess water trickles from the drainage holes in the base of the pot.

This ensures that the water has infiltrated the soil so that it is evenly moist to allow the roots to access the moisture they require.

After one or two watering cycles, my cactus replenished its moisture reserves, and the pads of the facts increased in size and, to my relief, recovered beautifully from its shrunken state

I would also urge you to ensure that the cactus is not directly next to a source of indoor heating. The cacti can tolerate the heat, but if the pot gets too hot, then this can dry out the soil particularly quickly and result in drought stress.

Your Cactus is Turning Brown Due to Corking…

If your cactus has a section that is brown, dry, and somewhat deformed with a rough texture on the surface, then this is known as corking, which can be an indication of physical trauma, a sudden drop in temperature, or underwatering in Summer.

I can assure you that corking can also be a natural process as the cactus matures. (My oldest cacti all have some corking).

Fortunately, the corking does not mean the cactus is dying although there may need to be some adjustments made to the cultivation to ensure the cacti is healthy and not stressed.

Cacti are native to warm climates (but can tolerate cold nights) and prefer normal household room temperatures in the Summer but cacti do not tolerate chilling below 40°F in Winter.

Desert cacti thrive at room temperature, so this is not necessarily a big problem for most of the year, but it can be if your cactus is on a draughty window sill in Winter.

During Winter, the temperature can be high during the day and into the evening because of indoor heating, but there can be a significant and sudden drop at night, so ensure that cactus is kept in a room that stays above at least 40 (4°C), but ideally warmer.

The specifics of the temperature range are less important as cacti can endure a wide range of temperatures, but it is important to avoid a sudden temperature drop.

I move my cactus away from any cold windows in Winter for this reason.

As I stated before, to prevent corking, it is always best to water the cactus with a generous soak in Summer, ensuring the potting soil is evenly moist. I find a good way to establish whether the soil is evenly moist is by lifting the cactus’s pot and assessing the weight, as the pot should be notably heavier if the water has properly infiltrated.

Wait until the soil dries out before watering again and this should prevent the corking appearance on the surface of the cacti.

The actually brown corking does not turn green again, even if the environmental problems have been addressed, but it also does not harm the cactus.

(To learn more, read my article, how to revive a dying cactus).

Key Takeaways:

• Cacti turn brown and soft if they are overwatered. Cacti are drought-resistant plants that do not tolerate damp, moisture-retentive soils as this causes root rot. Cacti should only be watered when the potting soil has dried out completely to prevent it from turning brown and dying.
• Cacti turn brown at the base of the plant due to basal stem rot, which is a symptom of overwatering. Once the rot develops at the bottom of the cacti, it can fall or droop, which can be very difficult to save.
• If the cactus is shrinking and turning brown, this indicates the cactus is underwater in summer. Cacti need a good soak so that the potting soil is evenly moist. If the soil is watered too lightly, then the moisture does not reach the roots where it is needed, and the cactus draws from its moisture reserves in the stem, causing it to shrink.
• Cactus can turn brown on the surface with a rough texture due to ‘corking,’ which is due to underwatering in Summer, physical injury, or a sudden drop in temperature.
• To save a cactus that is turning brown and soft, recreate the conditions of the cacti’s native environment by only watering when the potting soil is dry and repotting the cactus in well-draining, gritty soil. Cut back any diseased roots and cut any brown, rotting sections of the cactus back.

Therefore, I have lots of experience reviving these plants back to full health, and I have included all my methods and tips in this article so you can save your Christmas cacti, too…

Overwatering and cold temperatures result in a wilting Christmas Cactus with dropping leaves. Christmas cacti need the first 2 inches of the soil to dry out between bouts of watering. If the soil is consistently damp, the stems droop, fall apart and die back due to root rot.

Summary of reasons I encounter for a dying Christmas cactus…

To revive your dying Christmas cactus, it is important to recreate some of the conditions of its native environment by increasing the humidity with regular misting, allowing the first 2 inches of potting soil to dry between each watering, and locating the cacti in bright indirect light.

Keep reading for my step-by-step process for saving a dying Christmas cactus…

Why is My Christmas Cactus Wilting and Leaves (and Stems) Dropping? (Overwatering and Underwatering)

• Symptoms. Stems droop, and sections of the stems randomly fall off. Sometimes, the stems also turn yellow.
• Causes. Usually, stress is due to overwatering, slow-draining boggy soils. Underwatering, cold temperatures, and low humidity are contributing factors.

From my experience, wilting stems are the Christmas cacti’s are early warning signs that the cactus either does not have enough water or the soil is too damp due to overwatering and poor drainage.

Usually, I find the cause of wilting stems is overwatering. Christmas cactus grows on rocks or other trees in its native environment in Brazil and, therefore, has very good drainage around the roots. If the roots are sat in damp soil, the stems will wilt as a sign of stress.

Overwatering and compacted soils exclude oxygen from the soil around the Christmas cactus’s roots. Without enough oxygen, the roots cannot respire effectively, which interferes with their ability to draw up water and nutrients, resulting in a wilting Christmas cactus.

If the cactus is persistently damp soil for too long, then I see sections of the stem begin to fall off, and the remaining stems can turn yellow.

Christmas cactus do not have leaves but rather sections of flattened stems which are specialized to photosynthesize and function like leaves.

Sections of stem falling apart are also associated with unfavorably cold temperatures. Temperatures cooler than 50ºF (10ºC), combined with overwatering, tend to cause stem sections to fall off.

(Cold temperatures and sudden temperature fluctuations can also cause flower buds to fall off).

This happened to my Christmas cactus in Winter when it was kept on a window sill with some of the stems in contact with the glass.

The glass at night was significantly cooler than the room’s ambient temperature, which exacerbated the cold stress and caused some sections of the stem to fall off.

However, I discovered that wilting and dropping leaves can also be caused by low humidity.

The Christmas cactus is native to humid tropical Brazil. If the humidity is too low, then the cactus loses too much water from its stems, which causes it to wilt and for pieces to fall off.

This also happened to me when I lived in an apartment, and the air conditioner would dry the air too much for my Christmas cactus to tolerate.

How I Revive Wilting Christmas Cactus That is Dropping Leaves

The key to reviving a wilting Christmas cactus is to recreate some of the conditions of its natural habitat by watering when the soil is dry to the touch, maintaining the optimal temperature range, and increasing the humidity with regular misting.

• I would only water your Christmas cactus when the top inch of the soil feels dry to the touch. I use my finger to detect moisture to determine when the soil typically dries out and water accordingly. This watering balance ensures that the cactus’s watering requirements are fulfilled, allowing the soil to dry sufficiently to avoid wilting and root rot. (I think feeling the soil is more accurate than any moisture meter that I have tested).
• I mist the cactus’s stems regularly to recreate a humid microclimate that mimics the conditions of its native Brazilian rainforest environment. Misting creates optimal conditions for your Christmas cactus and prevents it from losing too much moisture through transpiration. I also recommend using a special plant humidifier (which is available online)e if you can’t mist your plant every day.
• When repotting Christmas cactus, my favorite potting mix is a mix of 2/3 potting soil and 1/3 inorganic material such as grit or perlite. A potting mix with grit or perlite helps to increase the porosity of the soil, allowing for water to drain efficiently and for oxygen to reach the roots for root respiration. This is another way I imitate the typical drainage conditions of the Christmas cactus’s native habitat.
• Keep your Christmas cactus in temperatures of ideally more than 50ºF (10ºC). The exact preferred temperature range of the Christmas cactus varies throughout the year according to seasonality, and the plant requires a specific sequence of temperatures as a prerequisite to flowering. keep the cactus away from cold, draughty areas of the house.

(Read my article, why is my Christmas cactus not flowering to learn more about how to increase the number of flowers).

I followed all these steps, and my Christmas cactus was revived from its wilting appearance and perked up in the next 3 weeks.

If some stem sections have fallen off, I use this as a great opportunity to propagate my Christmas cactus. Christmas cacti are very easy to propagate and grow relatively quickly in the right conditions.

Here is my photo of a section of Christmas cactus that fell off the original plant and was successfully rooted in a potting mix of approximately 60% soil and 40% horticultural sand. It has grown into an impressive plant after just two years of growing in the right conditions, even flowering significantly, to my delight!

A well cared for Christmas cactus can live for more than 100 years.

Why are My Christmas Cactus Leaves (stems) Turning Yellow?

• Symptoms. Yellowing leaves (stems) and a drooping appearance.
• Causes. A lack of nutrients or overwatering, underwatering, low humidity, and cold temperatures.

If a Christmas cactus is turning yellow, then this is usually your first warning sign that the roots are in potting soil that is too damp for it to tolerate.

The first signs of overwatering are typically drooping, however, the stems turn yellow if the overwatering problem persists for long enough, add in some other unfavorable growing conditions such as sudden temperature fluctuations and low humidity, and the yellow effect is often exacerbated.

In this case, you should follow my instructions detailed above pertaining to overwatering by allowing the top 2 inches of soil to dry between bouts of watering, ensuring the soil is well draining, and emptying any saucers, trays, or decorative outer pots of excess water which can pool around the base of the pot and keep the soil in a consistently damp state.

However, yellowing leaves can also be due to underwatering if you are watering too lightly or the potting soil has dried out completely, which can cause it to become hydrophobic and repel water off the surface of the soil without infiltrating properly.

My personal Christmas cactus turned yellow because it was in a pot that was too small. Christmas cacti can tolerate being pot-bound, which can even increase the chance of flowering, but I left mine in the same pot for around 5 years.

The roots were actually visible growing out of the soil as they were so desperate for more soil and space to grow. The roots had exhausted the available nutrients in the potting soil, and the cactus needed repotting and the occasional application of a general houseplant fertilizer.

How I Revived My Yellowing Christmas Cactus

• If your Christmas cactus has been in the same pot for many years (and roots are visibly growing out of the soil), it may be necessary to repot it to a pot one size up. Only re-pot The cactus into a pot one size up from its original pot, as over-potting tends to lead to root rot. Ideally, re-pot your Christmas cactus in the Spring, as this is when the plant is most resilient to stress. I advise using a potting mix of 60% potting soil and 40% grit or perlite.
• I recommend using a general houseplant fertilizer at half concentration in the Spring and Summer. As Christmas cacti are adapted to growing on other trees or on rocks in their native habitat, they require a lower concentration of fertilizer compared to other houseplants, so I would urge you always to use half strength. The houseplant fertilizer provides the cactus with all the nutrients it requires to stimulate growth.
• Always water Christmas cacti with a generous soak to ensure that the soil is evenly moist after watering. Watering too lightly only moistens the top few inches of the soil, and the moisture does not reach the roots where it is required, resulting in yellowing stems and a drooping appearance.
• If you have forgotten to water for too long, the soil can dry out and bake hard, which prevents water from infiltrating properly and reaching the roots. I would scratch back the potting soil and feel it to see if it is dry despite watering. In this case, place the cactus in a basin of lukewarm water, ensuring the root ball is submerged for around 10 minutes to allow the soil to absorb moisture properly. This improves the structure of the soil and should prevent the problem of hydrophobic soil. You should be able to water your cacti conventionally the next time you need to water.

Once you find the right balance of watering and address any potting problems, then the Christmas cactus can often revive its original appearance and turn green again.

However, in my experience, it is much easier to revive a yellowing, dying Christmas cactus that is suffering from underwatering or low nutrients than it is from overwatering. If it has been persistently overwatered, then root rot can be the cause of the yellowing stems, which causes the plant to fall apart and die back.

Why is my Christmas Cactus Turning Red or Purple?

• Symptoms. Leaves turning red or purple, often at the edges initially.
• Causes. Too much sunlight.

To understand why our Cacti are turning red, it is important we know how they grow in the wild.

Christmas cacti are native to coastal and mountain regions of Southeast Brazil, where they grow under the canopy of a forest and are typically only exposed to filtered light through the trees at most if not relative, shade.

Therefore, the Christmas cactus’s leaves (which are actually stems) are adapted to bright light but are sensitive to any harsh direct light.

As a defense mechanism, the leaves turn red or purple (depending on the specific cultivar), which is the cactus’s attempt to mitigate any further scorching and damage. (A clever adaptation, don’t you think?)

The Christmas cactus increases the concentration of pigments anthocyanin and carotenoid, which are photoprotective to ensure that the leaves do not scorch to the point they cannot photosynthesize.

I have seen cacti turn purple when cacti are cultivated in fairly deep shade and then suddenly moved to a more sunny aspect without any time to acclimate to the new conditions.

The solution is to simply move the cactus to an area of bright, indirect light that replicates the preferred lighting conditions in its native environment.

Bright light is still important as this promotes flowering.

The best locations for Christmas cacti are bathrooms, as they enjoy the bright light and high humidity, or in a bright room with a sheer curtain, which I find does a great job of diffusing the light, which prevents the cacti from suffering in the sun.g

I have seen the reddish purple colorations reduce once the Christmas cactus has been moved to an area without harsh sunlight in the following weeks.

Key Takeaways:

• A dying Christmas cactus is usually because of overwatering and temperatures colder than 50ºF (10ºC). Christmas cacti need the top 2 inches of soil to dry between bouts of watering and prefer warm tropical temperatures. If the soil is consistently damp and the air is too cold, the cactus’s leaves droop, fall off, and die back.
• Christmas cactus leaves turn red or purple if they are located in too much direct sunlight. Christmas cacti are native to Brazilian rainforests and grow in the shade; therefore, indoors, they should be grown in bright, indirect light to avoid turning red or purple.
• Christmas cacti turn yellow because of overwatering, underwatering, or low nutrients. Mature Christmas cacti can exhaust the potting soil of nutrients, which turns the leaves yellow with a drooping, dying appearance.

These days, I have lots of experience reviving cacti and succulents in my job supplying garden centers.

I have also been fortunate enough to speak with expert cacti growers who taught me all their tips and tricks to not only keep a cactus healthy but save it even when it has turned yellow…

Most often, the reason I see cacti turning yellow is usually because of overwatering. Cacti are drought-resistant plants that do not tolerate consistently damp soil. If the soil is too damp and does not dry out between bouts of watering, the cacti develop root rot, which causes the cacti to turn yellow and soft.

My cacti turned yellow in Winter because of a combination of overwatering and temperatures lower than 40°F. Cacti are dormant during Winter, significantly reducing their demand for water and leaving them at a higher risk of root rot due to overwatering.

Another common culprit that doesn’t;t involve watering that I have encountered is that cacti can turn yellow at the top due to sunburn if they are moved from an area of relative shade to full sun without time to acclimatize to a higher light intensity.

This is rare, but I should mention that cacti can also turn yellow and wrinkled if they are not watered often enough or watered too lightly.

To save my yellowing cactus, I replicated the conditions of its native environment by watering when the soil has dried out, ensuring a temperature range of 55°F to 85°F (13°C to 29°C), and removing any diseased roots with a sterile pair of pruners.

Keep reading to learn how to pinpoint the reason for your cacti turning yellow and for my top secret techniques to save it.. …

Why is My Cactus Turning Yellow, Soft, and Mushy?

Whenever I see a soft yellow cactus, the first thing I do is check if the soil is damp and take note of the temperature…

This is because the reason for a cactus turning yellow and soft is almost always overwatering and cold temperatures. Cacti are drought-resistant plants that need the soil to dry out between each watering and prefer a temperature range of 55°F to 85°F. If the soil is too damp and cold, the cactus turns yellow and mushy, which is exactly what happened to my cactus one Winter.

To save our cacti, I always think it is best that we understand how they grow in the wild so we can seek to emulate these conditions in our houses…

Cactus are drought-resistant plants that have specifically adapted to thrive in warm and dry environments with well-draining soils and infrequent rainfall.

To grow a cactus successfully and to avoid the leaves turning yellow (note that I see some cacti turn yellow AND brown due to overwatering), what we need to do is recreate the conditions of the native environment by planting cacti in gritty, well-draining potting soil and only watering when the soil around the roots has dried out.

If the soil is consistently damp around the roots of the cactus, due to overwatering or slow draining soils, parts of the cactus can turn yellow and brown with a soft mushy texture which can indicate root rot.

I. should say that it is not just overwatering that causes damp soil. I often see saucers, trays, and decorative outer pots underneath cacti, which prevent water from escaping from the pot and cause it to pool around the roots and can be the cause of root rot and result in a yellow, mushy cactus.

How I Saved My Yellowing, Soft Cactus

• I scaled back how often I watered my cactus. If you are watering your cactus more often than once per week, then this is the reason your cactus is turning yellow and soft. Cactus plants should only be watered when the soil around their roots has dried out completely. In my case, this typically takes around 14 days, but I have observed that this can vary according to the pot size, the climate, and the soil drainage.
• Lift the cactus out of the pot, remove the soil, and inspect the roots for root rot. If your cacti roots are healthy, they should feel firm and thick and look a whitish color (or slightly brown due to the potting soil, which I realize can be confusing), whereas diseased roots are mushy and rotten with a bad smell and brown. I used sterile pruners to cut any diseased roots back to healthy growth. Sometimes, I had to cut the roots back to the base of the cacti. I recommend wiping the blades of your pruners with a cloth soaked in disinfectant (I use hand gel, which works great) between each cut to prevent potentially spreading pathogens from diseased roots to otherwise healthy roots.
• I re-poted my cactus in new soil. I must insist that you pot the cactus in specially formulated ‘succulent and cacti soil,’ replicating the gritty, well-draining soil of the cactus’s native environment. Normal potting soil holds onto moisture too long for the drought-adapted cactus to tolerate and is often the reason for a cactus turning yellow (a classic mistake!). ‘Succulent and cactus soil’ significantly reduces the risk of root rot from overwatering, and it is available in garden stores or online for a reasonable price.

• Always plant a cactus in a pot with drainage holes in the base and empty saucers and trays regularly. Cacti can be planted in various pots if the pot has drainage holes in the base, allowing excess water to drain effectively to prevent root rot. Terracotta or clay pots are my favorites as they have a porous structure that allows the potting soil to dry out more evenly, which suits the cactus’ preference for dryer conditions.

Pro tip: Plant cacti in pots proportionate to their size as larger pots contain more soil and, therefore, a greater capacity for holding moisture, which slows the rate at which the soil dries out and increases the risk of root rot.

To establish when the cacti potting soil has dried out around the roots, I feel the soil at the bottom of the pot through the drainage hole in the pot’s base.

Expert tip: If the soil feels damp, then I delay watering the cactus for a few days. When the soil starts to feel dry, this is the perfect time to water your cactus.

Watering your cactus when the soil has dried out, effectively emulates the natural conditions of -rainfall followed by drought- cycle to which the cactus is specially adapted.

Once you have addressed the causes of why your cactus is turning yellow, soft, and mushy and implemented the appropriate watering schedule, then the cactus can start to recover.

However, if the root rot is extensive it can be very difficult for the cacti to recover, which it was for me, Therefore the best option I had was to propagate my cactus from any remaining healthy growth.

I also cut any yellow, soft, and mushy sections of your cactus off with a sterile pair of pruners, which also helps to prevent the rot from spreading.

Almost all houseplant cactus plants propagate easily from pads, offshoots, and even healthy portions of the stem. My cactus that I saved was a bunny ear cactus (Opuntia microdasys), which had a healthy pad and was so easy to save as it readily propagates.

Watch this helpful YouTube video for how to easily propagate a cactus plant from pads, cuttings, and offshoots to save your cactus:

Why is My Cactus Turning Yellow in Winter

The reason for a cactus turning yellow in Winter is usually also due to root rot from overwatering. You need to consider that in Winter, cacti are dormant and stop growing due to low temperature and less light, which reduces their demand for water, which makes them vulnerable to overwatering, turning them yellow and mushy.

Cacti are more susceptible to overwatering in Winter because:

• Cacti are dormant with fewer hours of light and cool temperatures, and they practically stop growing during Winter, so they do not need as much water. During Winter, the roots do not draw up moisture, which means the soil stays moist for longer, and the damp soil promotes the conditions for root rot.
• With cooler temperatures and less light, the rate at which the soil dries slows down considerably, which means the soil around the roots stays damp for longer and increases the risk of root rot, which turns the cacti yellow.

My Tips for Saving Cactus That is Turning Yellow in Winter

• Scale back how often you water cacti in the Winter. Exactly how often to water your cacti depends on the temperature of the room, the size of the pot, and the size of the cactus. Typically, I water my cacti every 2 weeks in Winter, but I recommend always feeling the soil at the pot’s base through the drainage holes in the base to check whether the soil is dry before watering.
• I would move the cacti to an area of more light. The more light, the better during Winter, so I move my cactus to the sunniest window sill in the house.
• Keep the temperature in the preferred range of 55°F to 85°F (13°C to 29°C) and avoid temperatures lower than 40°F. Most houseplant cacti are native to hot and dry areas, so keep it in a room with the preferred temperature range. This helps to ensure the soil does not remain damp for too long after a bout of watering.

When I lived in my apartment, I only had a southwest-facing window, which was angled, so I didn’t really get enough light from my cactus in Winter.

Pro tip: If, like me, your cacti struggle in the Winter, then I recommend using a grow light above your cacti. I supplement my cacti’s light in Winter, and since then, my cacti have been far more resilient, and they have not suffered from root rot. Trust me, it makes a huge difference.

The steps of saving a yellowing cactus in Winter are otherwise the same steps set out above for saving an overwatered cactus that is yellow and mushy.

This means replacing the soil and checking the roots for root rot. Cut back any diseased roots with a sterile pair of pruners and repot the cactus.

I would recommend propagating any offsets, pads, or cutting from any healthy remaining growth to help save the cactus, as if the root rot is severe, the main cactus stem can be difficult to save. Overwatering is the most common cause of a dying cactus.

Cacti Can Turn Yellow Due to Sun Burn (Ironically!)

Now, I know this seems implausible given that cacti live in the desert, but I can assure you this is true as I have seen it myself!

The reason for a cactus to turn yellow at the top can be because of sunburn. Cacti can scorch yellow when they are moved from low light to full sun without any time to adjust to the increase in light intensity. The sudden increase in light turns the cactus yellow with a scorched appearance.

Most houseplant cactus plants are native to hot and dry conditions and often tolerate full sun.

However, you need to consider that they are often cultivated or stored in the store or nursery before sale in an environment with lower levels of light.

Cactus plants are very adaptable, and what they do is adjust to their environment, even in low light conditions that are less than ideal.

But crucially, it is when they are moved from a shadier location to full sun or even outdoors the cactus is not accustomed to intense blazing sunshine, and the sudden contrast in light intensity is the reason the cactus turns yellow.

Fortunately, I can assure you It is often easy to identify whether sunburn is the reason for your cactus turning yellow (rather than over or under-watering) because the side of the cactus that is most exposed to the sun has the most scorched yellow appearance.

The sudden increase in light intensity is also associated with an increase in temperature, an increase in the rate at which the soil dries out after watering, and usually a decrease in humidity, which can also stress the cactus and contribute to the yellowing. So consider whether a combination of these stress factors is causing your cactus to turn yellow.

How I Save Cactus from Sun Burn

A cactus can adjust to full sun after a period of relative shade. However, the expert growers I talked to told me that they should be exposed to the higher light intensity gradually by locating the cactus in the sun for 20 minutes longer each day over the course of 2 weeks or so.

They assure me that this allows the cactus to acclimatize to the increase in light intensity over a period of time, which prevents the cactus from scorching yellow.

If the cactus has been scorched yellow then unfortunately, I’m afraid it does not turn green again as the surface of the cactus does not have the capacity to recover from sunburn.

However, whilst the sunburned areas of the cactus do not look aesthetically pleasing, they should not necessarily harm the plant (assuming it has been protected from further sun damage).

Your cactus should continue to grow as long as the conditions are favorable (do note that cacti go practically dormant during Winter and do not grow noticeably).

Perhaps the best way I have found of saving a yellow, sun-damaged cactus is to propagate cactus is to propagate it from any offsets that have grown, pads or cuttings of healthy undamaged tissue, which allows you to grow more cacti which can grow a healthy green color.

Why is My Cacti Yellow and Wrinkled? (Underwatering)

Cacti turn yellow because they are not watered often enough or watered too lightly. Cacti require a -soak and dry- watering cycle to ensure the water has reached the cacti’s roots. If the cactus is watered too lightly, the cactus can wrinkle and turn yellow due to drought stress.

I know it is confusing that cacti can turn yellow due to both underwatering and overwatering, but I can report that yellowing is much less likely due to the cacti’s drought resistance, but I have seen it still happen.

A common mistake when caring for cacti is to misinterpret the advice that ‘cacti do not need much water‘ to mean that a cactus only requires a small trickle of water when watering.

What I find is that people water their cacti too lightly, so only the top inch or so of the soil becomes moist, and the water does not reach the roots where it is required.

Cacti store water in their fleshy stem. If there is not enough moisture in the soil available, the cactus draws upon the moisture reserves in the stem. As the cactus depletes its moisture reserves, it shrinks in size, causing it to turn yellow and have a wrinkled appearance.

The cactus also turns yellow with a wrinkled appearance if it is not watered often enough. Factors such as high temperatures, more sun in Summer, and low humidity can also contribute to a yellow, drought-stressed cactus.

My Tips for Reviving a Yellow, Underwatered Cactus

• Water the cactus with a generous soak so that excess water trickles from the base. This ensures that the soil is evenly moist and the water has reached the roots where it is required. However, you should ensure that any saucers or trays underneath the pot are regularly emptied of excess water to avoid root rot.
• Water the cactus when the soil feels dry at the pot’s base. Typically, I water my cactus every 2 weeks, but it can depend on your climate, the temperature of the room, and the potting medium. Always feel the soil through the drainage hole in the pot’s base to determine whether the soil is dry before watering. This is important to avoid overwatering your cactus.
• Keep the cactus in a room that is between 55°F to 85°F (13°C to 29°C). This is the preferred temperature range of most cacti. If the cactus is turning yellow and wrinkled, it can be because it is too close to a source of indoor heat, which dries out the soil too quickly.

I have recovered yellow, wrinkled cacti in as little as 2 or 3 watering cycles. A thorough watering allows the cactus to draw up moisture to replace its depleted reserves in the stem, which should restore its appearance. You can literally see the cactus plumping up after a few days!

I should emphasize that a cactus can recover from a yellowing appearance because underwatering is much easier than overwatering, so always check that the soil is dry before watering.

Will a Yellow Cactus Turn Green Again?

If the reason for the cactus turning yellow is root rot, then no, the soft yellow parts of the cactus do not turn green again and should be cut out of the cactus to prevent the rot from spreading throughout the cactus.

If the cactus has been scorched yellow by sunburn, the cactus does not turn green again. Protect the cactus from full sun and propagate any undamaged offshoots, pads, or cuttings to grow a new green cactus. But sunburn is not fatal, and the cactus can recover.

If the cactus is turning yellow and wrinkled from underwatering, then my cactus turned green again after I watered the cactus generously so that the soil was evenly moist. This helps the roots replenish the cacti’s moisture reserves to restore the cactus’s yellow appearance back to green and healthy.

(Read my article, how to revive a dying cactus).

Key Takeaways:

• Cacti turn yellow at the base because of root rot due to overwatering. Cacti are drought-resistant plants that require the soil to dry out between each watering. If the soil is consistently damp and the temperature is lower than 40°F, the cactus develops root rot, turning yellow, soft, and mushy.
• Cactus turn yellow in Winter because of root rot. Cacti are dormant in Winter and need watering less frequently. Damp and cold soil due to overwatering during winter promotes conditions for root rot, which causes the cactus to turn yellow and mushy.
• Cacti can turn yellow at the top due to sunburn if they are moved from a relatively shady area to full sun without time to acclimate to a higher light intensity level. The sudden contrast in light conditions can scorch the cacti yellow.
• Cactus plants can turn yellow and wrinkled if they are not watered often enough or watered too lightly. Cacti store water in their stem. If it’s not watered often, the cactus depletes its moisture reserves, causing the cactus to turn yellow and wrinkled in appearance.

I personally love cacti and grow them all the time in my day job at a garden nursery where we supply garden centers. I have been lucky enough to talk to some expert growers over the years who taught me all their tips and tricks to not only look after cacti but also save it if it is dying.

A lot of the problems I cover in this post I have had to deal with myself at some time, so I am well qualified to address each problem. In this article, I am going to share with you everything I have learned…

The reason for a dying cactus is usually root rot due to watering too often and slow-draining potting soils. Cacti need the soil around the roots to dry out between bouts of watering. If the cactus is in consistently damp soil, it turns yellow, brown, or black with a squishy texture.

If your cactus is in too much shade cactus, this causes the stem to droop or lean over, whereas a cactus that is moved from an area of shade straight into full sun (without gradual exposure to more intense light) turns white with a scorched appearance. ( I have made this mistake myself!)

Essentially, we have to remember that a cactus dies when it is living in conditions that are significantly contrary to those of its natural environment.

To revive a dying cactus, we need to emulate the natural conditions by placing the cactus in at least 6 hours of sun, only watering when the soil has dried out completely, and by planting or repotting the cactus in specially formulated draining gritty succulent and cacti soil to improve drainage so the cactus can recover.

Keep reading for how to save your dying cactus plant…

Why is My Cactus Turning Yellow, Brown, or Black?

• Symptoms. Cactus stems turn yellow often from the base of the plant. The stems may feel somewhat squishy or start to lean.
• Causes. Damp soil is caused by overwatering, slow-draining soil, excess water pooling in saucers or trays underneath the pot, or decorative outside pots without drainage holes in the base. Repotting cacti in large pots that hold too much moisture can cause root rot, as can the wrong type of potting soil. If the cactus is turning yellow and shriveling, this is because of underwatering.

Cacti turn yellow because the soil is too moist from overwatering or slow-draining soils. Cacti are adapted to tolerate drought, so you should only water when the soil has dried out completely. If the soil is too damp, your cactus’s roots cannot uptake nutrients and water as efficiently, causing it to turn yellow.

To save our cacti, we need to remember how they grow in the wild…

Desert cacti commonly sold in garden centers are drought-resistant plants that have specifically adapted to grow in hot and dry environments with well-draining, gritty soil and relatively infrequent (although heavy) rainfall.

To grow your cactus successfully and to avoid the stem turning yellow, we need to recreate some of the typical conditions of the cactus’s native environment by planting them in a gritty, well-draining potting soil and watering them when the soil around the roots has dried out.

The classic mistake I see people make is watering cacti too often or planting the cactus in normal potting soil (which retains moisture for too long) results in too much moisture around the roots of this desert dwelling plant to tolerate.

Too much moisture around the roots causes the cacti stem to turn yellow and brown which can then develop a squishy texture.

It is specifically the combination of a yellow cactus and a mushy feel to the stem can potentially indicate root rot.

Most cacti require the soil to dry out completely around the roots between bouts of watering, which emulates the typical watering cycle in their native environment, with drought-like conditions followed by a deluge of rain.

We also need to consider the pot that the cacti are in. Cacti must also be planted in pots with drainage holes in the base to allow excess water to escape after watering.

Saucers, trays, and decorative outer pots can also cause excess water to pool around the bottom of the pot, which causes the soil to become boggy, resulting in root rot and a yellowing, dying cactus.

How I Revive a Dying Cactus Turning Yellow Brown or Black

• The first thing we need to do is scale back the watering. If you are watering your cactus more often than once a week, then this is the reason your cactus is turning yellow. I only water my cacti when the soil has dried out completely, typically once every 14 days. However, we need to remember this can vary according to the pot’s size and the soil’s capacity to retain moisture (test to see if the soil is moist by feeling the soil through the drainage holes in the base).
• Re-pot your cactus in new potting soil. Even if you water your cactus when the soil has dried out, your cactus can still turn yellow and squishy if the potting soil retains moisture for too long (like a sponge) rather than draining efficiently and not holding too much moisture (which is the soil conditions of a cactus in its native environment). If your cactus is planted in ordinary potting soil, then I would empty the pot and replace the soil with specially formulated succulent and cacti soil (available from garden centers and on Amazon), which mimics the gritty, porous well-draining soil characteristics of the cacti’ native environment and reduces the risk of root rot which causes the cactus to turn yellow.

• Always plant cacti in pots with drainage holes in the base. It is essential that excess water can drain efficiently out of the pot so that water does not pool around the roots and cause root rot. Terracotta or clay pots are my favorites as they have a porous structure that allows the potting soil to dry out more evenly, which caters to the cactus’s preference for dryer soil conditions.
• Plant cacti in pots that are proportionate to their size. If the pot is too large, it contains more soil, which takes longer to dry out after watering, which can increase the risk of root rot and your cactus turning yellow. I only plant my cacti in pots that are 2 or 3 inches in diameter larger than the actual cacti.
• Empty saucers and trays underneath cacti pots regularly. Saucers, trays, and decorative outer pots can all prevent water from escaping properly, causing the soil to become boggy. Do not let water pool at the bottom of the pot.
• Place the cactus in more hours of sun to help combat the effects of overwatering and to mimic their preferred natural conditions of at least 6 hours of sun.

Pro tip: To establish when to water your cactus, I feel the soil at the bottom of the pot through the drainage hole in the base. If the soil feels damp then I delay watering my cactus for a few days. If the soil feels dry, then this is the perfect time to water your cactus.

Once you have addressed the causes of why your cactus is turning yellow and mushy (adjusted how often you water and replaced the soil) and implemented the ideal watering practices, then your cactus can start to recover even if the stem appears yellow, as long as you let the soil dry out.

How quickly your cactus revives depends on how long it has endured stress, but I typically find it should show signs of recovery over the following weeks.

How to Save a Cactus From Severe Root Rot…

If the cactus continues to turn yellow and progressively turn squishy, then I’m afraid it’s likely the cactus has root rot. If the cactus has root rot, it is very difficult to save the entire plant; however, I recommend that you take cuttings from healthy tissue to save the cactus.

Cactus propagates relatively easily from offshoots, pads, or cutting propagation. I have done it loads of times, as sometimes this can be the only way to save your cacti.

Watch this helpful YouTube video for how to propagate cacti of all species easily…

Why is My Dying Cactus Turning Soft, Squishy, and Drooping?

• Symptoms. Cactus has a squishy feel and may turn yellow, brown or black. The cactus may also start to droop and lean over to one side.
• Causes. Temperatures cooler than 40°F (5°C) overwatering and compacted soil.

This is a problem I had myself when I first started growing cacti.

A cactus turns squishy because of too much moisture around the roots caused by overwatering, slow-draining soil or pots without drainage holes in the base. If the cacti are turning yellow and squishy, this indicates root rot. Temperatures cooler than 40°F also cause cacti to turn soft and squishy.

Specifically, my cactus was squishy because it was on a window sill that got really cold at night, much colder than the cactus prefers (55°F to 85°F (12°C to 30°C), and the cacti’s soil dried out much slower due to the lower temperature.

Most houseplant cacti are adapted to tolerate dry and hot conditions in their native habitat, where they thrive in gritty soil with infrequent rainfall.

The thick stem of the cactus stores water as an effective survival strategy to cope with drought, blazing sunshine and high temperature with, relatively little water. Pretty amazing right?

Due to these adaptations to drought and high temperatures, the cactus is very susceptible to overwatering, which can turn the stem squishy, soft, and mushy in texture and cause a drooping appearance.

If the soil dries out too slowly (because of the cold conditions), then the cactus is more likely to develop root rot and turn squishy as mine did.

In freezing temperatures, your cacti turn squishy and black.

As with a lot of cacti problems, I find it pays to check if your potting soil is compacted or slow draining and always remember to empty the saucer and trays after watering as this can all keep the soil too damp for the cactus to tolerate, causing root rot and for the stem to turn squishy.

A healthy cactus should feel firm, so if the cactus is squishy, then it can start to lean under its weight.

My Tips for Reviving a Squishy, Drooping Cactus…

• Ensure the cactus is in a temperature range of 55°F to 85°F (12°C to 30°C). This is the typical temperature range for most cactus species, and at this temperature, the soil should dry out properly between watering to avoid root rot.
• Scale back the watering. I only water a cactus when the soil is completely dry. Feel the soil through the drainage holes in the base to detect when it dries out before watering again. If you are watering more often than once a week, then this is the reason your cactus is squishy.
• Lift the cactus out of the soil and inspect the roots. It would be best to snip away the brown, mushy, rotten roots and have a bad smell with a sterilized pair of pruners. Cut back to healthy growth with no signs of rotting. I wipe the blades of my pruners with a cloth soaked in disinfectant between each cut to prevent spreading fungal pathogens to otherwise healthy root tissue.
• Replace the potting soil with well-draining succulent and cacti soil. Discard the old potting soil, as this can harbor the fungal disease pathogens that turn the cactus squishy. The well-draining and porous stricture reduces the risk of root rot significantly as it replicates the soil conditions in the cactus’s native environment.
• Ensure the cactus is planted in a pot with drainage holes in the base. I find terracotta and clay pots are best as they are porous and dry out evenly. Empty any saucers and trays underneath the pot regularly to prevent water from pooling underneath the pot.
• Locate the cactus in at least 6 hours of sun to recreate the natural conditions to which they are adapted.

Whether your cactus can revive or not typically depends on how long it has endured overwater and cold temperatures, but I found that my cacti started to show signs of recovery 3 weeks after I moved it to a warmer place and replaced the soil.

I should note that my cacti always recovers from any ailments in the Spring, whereas recovery is much slower but still possible in the Fall and Winter.

A cactus can recover in the following weeks with the right watering schedule, potting soil, temperature, and lots of sunshine.

If the cactus has a large area that has turned squishy and perhaps turned yellow, brown, or black then it is likely the root rot is severe and the only way to save it is by propagation from any healthy remaining tissue or offshoots (see YouTube video further up the article for a guide on how to do this).

Why is My Cactus Leaning, Drooping, or Falling Over?

• Symptoms. Cactus leaning over to one side. There could also be sections of the cactus that are soft and mushy.
• Causes. Cactus may be growing towards the strongest source of light. Overwatering, compacted soil, cold temperatures, and underwatering can also cause a leaning, drooping, or falling cactus.

My own cactus started drooping because it was in too much shade. Cacti are adapted to growing in full sun and require at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Not enough sunlight causes the cactus to weaken and look for more light, resulting in leaning or drooping over as a sign of stress.

In my experience, I see more leaning cacti in the Winter as there are fewer hours of daylight, particularly in Northern latitudes where daylight can be limited to a few hours, but drooping can also occur at any time of year if the cactus is in the shade, rather than in direct sunlight.

I had this problem when I lived in New York, and my southwest facing window only got a few hours of light in Winter. My cacti drooped in the direction of the most light.

I see this problem a lot with a cactus leaning over to one side towards the sun if it is not turned regularly.

Cactus grow towards the strongest source of light, so they naturally tend to lean towards the window to capture the most sun.

I quickly learned the best method is to turn the cactus 45 degrees around each time you water so that each side has even exposure to direct sunlight to achieve a more even appearance.

As with pretty much every cacti related problem, I should also point out that damp soil as a result of overwatering, slow draining potting soil, or if saucers and trays underneath the cactus are not emptied regularly, can cause a cactus to droop and fall over.

Cactus are adapted to tolerate drought between bouts of watering and grow in sandy, gritty soils that are well draining. If the soil is too damp, then one of the signs of stress is a drooping appearance (other signs of stress are cactus turning yellow, soft, and mushy).

Most cactus species grow in a temperature range of 55°F to 85°F (12°C to 30°C). So if your cacti is exposed to temperatures cooler then 40°F (5°C) or even freezing temperatures that cactus can turn black, mushy and droop or lean to one side.

How I Revive My Leaning, Drooping Cactus

• The first thing I did was to locate my cactus in an area of 6 or more hours of direct sunlight. However, I should caution if you are moving your cactus from an area of full shade, then expose the cactus to sun gradually (a sudden move from shade to the blazing sun can cause the cactus to burn and turn white) by exposing it to two hours of direct sun for a 3 or 4 days then gradually increase the hours over the course of 2 weeks, by which time the cactus can acclimate to full sun.
• I always rotate my cactus 45 degrees every time I water it. Rotating the cactus as frequently as watering (typically once every 2 weeks) ensures even growth and prevents the cactus from leaning too much on one side.

Rotating your cactus frequently and placing the cactus in more sunlight can correct a leaning cactus as long as it has not been in the shade for too long.

Pro tip: For my drooping cacti in New York, I had to buy a grow light to supplement the natural light in Winter. I place it under the grow light for around 2 hours each evening in the Fall and Winter (along with my other cacti and succulents), and the cacti looks much better.

However, suppose the cactus has been in the shade for too long and is leaning considerably or even falling over. In that case, I recommend propagating the cactus, as once it has lost all its structural integrity, the cactus is too weak to grow properly again.

A cactus can still be propagated to produce a healthy new plant if there is healthy tissue on the leaning plant.

For how to propagate cacti, watch the YouTube video further up this article.

If your cactus is drooping because of overwatering, cold stress, or damp potting soil…

• Scale back the watering. Only water the cactus when the soil has dried out. Exactly how long this takes depends on your climate and the time of year, but typically, watering once every 2 weeks in Spring and Summer and every 3 weeks in Fall and Winter is appropriate.
• Re-pot your cactus in succulent and cacti potting soil to improve drainage. Succulent and cacti soil is specially formulated to replicate the typical soil conditions of the cactus native environment. The soil is more porous, contains more sand, and does not retain too much moisture. This significantly reduces the risk of root rot and associated drooping.
• Keep your cactus in a temperature range of 55°F to 85°F to prevent cold stress. Whether your cactus recovers from drooping due to cold stress depends on how low the temperature is (lower than 40°F can significantly harm a cactus) as long it has been exposed to cold temperatures. Cold, damaged parts of a cactus often turn black and squishy. If this has happened, scale back the watering frequency( so that the soil dries out between bouts of watering), and the black squishy area can dry out, and then callus over, at which point the cactus can begin to recover.

Once the cactus has a watering schedule that allows the soil to dry between each watering and the cactus is planted in the appropriate, succulent, and cacti potting soil within a temperature range of 55°F to 85°F then the cactus has the best chance of recovering from its drooping appearance.

Another reason your cactus could be drooping or leaning over is underwatering, in which case…

• Always water a cactus with a generous soak. While cacti do not need to be watered as frequently as other plants, they require a thorough watering so that excess water trickles from the pot’s base. This ensures the water has infiltrated the soil and reached the roots where it is required so that the cactus’s roots can draw up moisture. A soak followed by a period of drought replicates the typical – a deluge of rainfall followed by a drought- cycle of watering in the cactus’s native environment.

If the cactus is watered too lightly, then the cactus stem shrinks in size and droops as it relies on storing moisture to maintain its structural integrity.

Why is My Cactus Shrinking?

• Symptoms. Cactus are shrinking in size, sometimes with a wrinkled texture to the stem or leaning over to one side.
• Causes. Underwatering and small pots.

If your cactus is shrinking, then you are not watering it often enough. The stem of a cactus stores moisture as a method of coping with drought. If the cactus does not get enough water, then the stem shrinks in size as the cactus draws upon the moisture reserves in the stem, which causes the shrinking appearance.

As the cactus draws on its moisture reserves, its surface can also appear wrinkled. Cactus rely on uptaking moisture to store in the stem to maintain their size and shape.

The water pressure in the stem keeps the cactus tall and plump with a firm texture.

This ability to store water is an important survival strategy so that the cactus can tolerate the high temperatures and infrequent rainfall in their native desert environment.

The reason I see for houseplant cacti shrinking is because of watering too lightly or due to the pot being too small. If the cactus is watered too lightly, then only the top inch or so of the potting soil becomes moist, and the water does not reach the roots where it is required.

I think what happens is people misinterpret the advice that “cacti don’t need much water” to mean cacti do not need a great quantity of water, whereas the truth is that cacti need a good soaking, it’s just that they need to be watered less often than most houseplants.

Another problem I see come up is when the pot is too small for the size of the cactus, then there is less capacity for soil, which holds moisture, and the pot can dry out too quickly even for a cactus, particularly in high temperatures.

How I Save a Shrinking Cactus

• Always water a cactus with a generous soak. Water with a good soak, but allow the soil to dry between bouts of watering, or you run the risk of root rot. What you need to do is water generously so that excess water trickles from the base of the pot to ensure the moisture has infiltrated the soil and reached the roots.
• Repot the cactus to a larger pot. If the cactus roots appear to be pot-bound or the cactus is very large and the pot looks disproportionately small, I repot the cactus to a pot one size up and replant with succulent and cacti potting soil to ensure good drainage. Always repot your cactus in a pot that is proportionate to the size of the plant, as excessively large pots can hold too much moisture and cause root rot.

My shrinking cactus revived after one really good soak and should completely recover after 2 or 3 cycles of watering. Ensure that any saucers or trays underneath the cactus pot are regularly emptied of excess water to prevent root rot.

(Read my article on how to save a cactus that is turning yellow).

Why is My Cactus Turning Turning White?

• Symptoms. The Cactus turns white with a somewhat scorched appearance.
• Causes. Moving the cactus from an area of low sun intensity to full sun without giving the cactus time to acclimate. This typically happens in Summer due to the increased intensity of the sunshine.

I had this happen. My mistake was to move my cacti from an area of relative shade to intense sun, which has scorched my cactus a white color. Cactus are often adapted to living in full sun, but the contrast of being moved from shade or partial shade to full sun without chance to acclimatize causes the cactus to turn white.

Cacti can grow in full sun and have often specifically adapted to live in these conditions in their native environment.

However, what I discovered was that cacti can adapt to an environment with less light (although this is likely to affect growth and flowering).

If you have been growing your cactus in partial shade and then moving it to a window sill in full sun or outside during the Summer, the stem can scorch white as it is not able to tolerate the contrast in light conditions so suddenly.

This can also happen if the cactus has been in transit from a nursery or in a store for too long without full sun.

If you are moving a cactus to an area of full sun or you have noticed the cactus is turning white then return the cactus to the light conditions where it was originally (partial shade or morning sun followed by afternoon shade should be ideal).

I was told by expert growers the best method of preventing this is to expose the cactus to full sun gradually by placing it in more hours of light each day before moving it back to shade so that it does not scorch white.

Pro tip: Move your cactus to a sunny spot for gradually more time over 2 weeks. After two weeks, the cactus should be able to cope with the increase in light and grow much better in the long term than if it remained in the shade.

Whether the area of the cactus that is scorched white recovers depends on the extent of the sunburn. Often the white area does not return to green, however the cactus can carry on living despite a scorched appearance.

I would always recommend turning a cactus 45 degrees each time after watering to ensure even growth. So, each side of the cactus can acclimatize to higher levels of light to reduce the risk of scorching the cactus.

(Read my article, how to revive a dying succulent).

Key Takeaways:

• A dying cactus is usually because of too much water around the roots due to overwatering and slow-draining soil. Most cactus species require the soil to dry out completely between bouts of watering. In damp soil, the cactus turns yellow, brown, or black with a drooping, dying appearance.
• The reason for a cactus turning yellow is either because of overwatering or underwatering. If the cactus turns yellow with a drooping appearance, this indicates root rot due to being watered too often. If the cactus is shirking and turning yellow, it is not watered often enough or lightly.
• A cactus drooping and turning squishy is because of cold temperatures and damp soil. Cacti grow best in a temperature range of 55°F to 85°F in well-draining soil. If the cactus is exposed to temperatures cooler than 40°F for a long time or the soil is too damp, this can cause the cactus to droop and turn mushy.
• The reason for a shrinking is because of underwatering. Cactuses draw up moisture to store in their stem. If the cactus is not watered often enough or watered too lightly, it draws upon the moisture reserves in its stem to cope with drought, which causes a shrinking appearance.
• The reason for a cactus turning white is because of sunburn. If the cactus is moved from an area with fewer hours of sun to an area with intense midday sun, the cactus can turn white with a scorched appearance.
• To revive a dying cactus, recreate the conditions of the cactus’s natural environment by watering only when the soil has dried out completely, locating the cactus in full sun, and repotting the cactus in well-draining, gritty, porous soil.

I discovered that the reason my Christmas cactus’s buds were falling off was because I was unintentionally exposing my cactus to too much artificial light…

Christmas cactus drop flower buds because of drought stress, fluctuating temperatures, or due to artificial light interrupting the 12 hours of darkness required for the development of flower buds.

I learned that Christmas cacti are ‘short day’ plants, which means they require more consecutive hours of darkness than light to form flower buds.

To establish why the buds fall from Christmas cacti, I think it is important that we know the optimal conditions for bud formation.

This is because the cause of bud drop is usually due to a sudden change in conditions or a significant deviation from the optimal growing environment.

The Optimal Conditions for Christmas Cactus Flower Bud Formation

The flower buds of Christmas cactus form most often in September.

The following conditions are required to ensure your flower buds develop properly:

• 12 or more hours of uninterrupted darkness from September onward every evening for at least 6 weeks. Christmas cacti are short-day plants that require more hours of darkness than light during bud formation. This is due to adaptations to detect a seasonal change in its environment, which stimulates flowering.
• Cooler temperatures during bud formation than usual. The optimal temperature for bud formation is around 60°F (15°C) during the 12 or more hours of darkness. This temperature change emulates the cooler seasonal temperatures at this time of year in its native Brazilian environment.
• Bright indirect light during the day gives the Christmas cactus the energy required for bud formation. Too much shade can contribute to flower buds falling off.
• Watering around once per week so that the surface of the soil is dry to the touch between bouts of watering is the optimal balance of moisture, for Christmas cactus during bud formation. Mist the plant once or twice per week and keep it out of any significant air currents.
• Do not apply any fertilizer from late Summer when the flower buds are forming. Additional fertilizer can stimulate foliage growth rather than the formation of buds.
• A consistent environment without moving the plant or turning it around. Christmas cacti get very accustomed to their surroundings and do not like to be moved when the buds are developing.

If your Christmas cactus experiences conditions contrary to this, then this is the likely cause of flowers not forming or dropping off.

Keep reading to learn why your buds are falling off before they can display flowers…

(I have listed the causes of bud drop in order of which is most common).

Underwatering and Low Humidity Causes Buds to Drop off

As our Christmas cacti are native to the mountainous rainforests in Brazil, they thrive in high humidity and frequent rainfall.

This is in stark contrast to other desert-dwelling species of cactus that we know and love, which thrive in hot and dry conditions with little rainfall.

If the humidity is too low in your home, the flower buds drop off Christmas cactus during their formation. (This has happened to me before!)

Houses tend to have low humidity anyway, but I have noticed that some things can exacerbate the lack of humidity and increase the risk of bud drop, such as:

• Air currents from air conditioning.
• Fluctuating heat and airflow from forced air.
• Draughty areas of the house.
• Convection currents are caused by sources of heat during Winter.

My solution to this is to try to locate your Cactus in a relatively still area of the house (although moving the plant during bud formation is not advised).

To counteract these causes of low humidity and to mimic the conditions of the cactus rainforest habitat, I used to spray mist on the leaves two or three times a week, but now I have a humidifier because I have so many topical plants in need of humidity! From experience, the misting worked well for retaining my Christmas cactus’s buds, but the humidifier is a lot more convenient.

This helps to reduce water loss (transpiration) from the leaves to mitigate drought stress and creates more favorable conditions for the Christmas cactus to develop its flowers.

Underwatering…

I think because people associate cacti with drought tolerance and desert conditions, the topical Christmas cactus is often underwater, which causes drought stress and harms the formation of flower buds.

From my conversation with a houseplant specialist at my garden center, they taught me that the correct balance of watering is critical to avoid flower buds dropping.

Typically, I water around once per week so that the soil is evenly moist but the surface is dry to the touch between bouts of watering, meets the moisture requirements of the cactus, and avoids any problems with overwatering or underwatering.

However, there are many variables to watering, so I recommend that you read my article on how often and how much to water Christmas cactus and for all the best watering practices.

Interrupted Darkness Interferes with the Formation of Flowers

I had to do a lot of research for this bit! Christmas cacti are relatively unusual in that they are ‘short day‘ plants, which means they rely on shortening day length to stimulate the formation of flowers.

There must be more hours of darkness (more then 12 hours) then light for your Christmas cactus to form flowers properly.

If you turn on a bright light in the middle of the night, even for a short time, this interrupts the plant’s period of darkness and can either cause the plant to not display flowers or the developing buds to fall off exactly the reason my Christmas cactus kept dropping its buds! At first, it was so mystifying!

If it is difficult to find a room in your home that is typically dark without any artificial light for more than 12 hours (as I did) then I recommend using a light excluding cloth over your Christmas cactus for the 6 weeks or so whilst the buds are developing.

You can also use a cardboard box over your plant, as long as you remember to take it off after the 14 or so hours!

I personally use a thick table cloth, which works perfectly well. As you can see in the photo above, my Christmas cactus is now flowering abundantly, to my heart’s joy!!

(If your Cactus does not display any flowers at all, then read my article Why is my Christmas cactus not blooming for the solutions).

Moving the Christmas Cactus can Cause Flower buds to drop off

When I first heard the 12 hours of darkness rule for Christmas cacti, my first instinct was to move my plant not into a cupboard underneath the stairs in my house, but I’m glad I didn’t!

A common mistake that results in bud drop is relocating the cactus whilst the flowers are developing.

I’ve learned that Christmas cactus requires quite a specific sequence of conditions for flowering, so moving the plant can disrupt the environment to which the plant is familiar which causes flower bud drop.

Interestingly enough, a change in airflow is often a culprit of bud drop, as is a difference in the direction of the light source. I think we need to just consider how specific that is for a moment, it can be the difference in light direction!

When preparing Christmas cacti for sale, the growers make sure that the Christmas cactus has one solid, consistent direction of light so that it can develop its buds and flower when on display for sale.

I turn a lot of my houseplant around 90 degrees every time I water to ensure even growth, but do not do this for your Christmas cactus.

Turning the plant around or moving it to a different window sill changes the direction of light. What I’ve observed is that the flower buds often grow toward the new source of the brightest light and then drop off as a response.

Ensure that your cactus stays in one consistent place during the flower bud formation from around September and try not to move it or turn it around for any reason to reduce stress and prevent the buds from dropping.

Saturated Soil Causes Flower Buds to Drop

Whilst Christmas cacti are rainforest plants they are epiphytic which means they grow on other trees branches and off the ground, which means they do not tolerate their roots being in Damp or boggy soil.

The secret is to keep the soil evenly moist but well-draining.

Too much moisture around the roots can cause root rot, an overall drooping appearance, and flower buds to drop.

Several factors cause damp soil and result in buds falling off:

• Overwatering. Typically, watering once per week is enough during bud formation.
• Pots without drainage holes in the base. Christmas cactus does not tolerate its roots in standing water. Ensure that your pot has drainage holes in the base and that they do not become blocked with compacted soil or roots.
• The use of saucers, trays, and decorative outer pots. Excess water should be able to escape freely from the bottom of the pot. If the saucer, tray, or outer pot pools water then the soil can stay too damp and the flower buds fall off due to stress.

Ensure that your potted Christmas cactus plants have good drainage to maintain the optimal balance of moisture during bud formation and avoid the flower buds falling off.

(If your Christmas cactus is excessively drooping or wilting read my article why is my Christmas cactus wilting for the solution).

Fluctuating Temperatures

I’ve found that Christmas cacti are fairly adaptable when growing g vegetatively outside of flowering. Mine is in the kitchen and often gets a range oof temperatures but fluctuating temperatures whilst the flower buds are forming often causes them to drop off.

As we’ve discussed, Christmas Cactus are native to mountainous Brazilian rainforest regions and they are accustomed to cooler temperatures and shorter days whilst the flower buds develop.

My Best Tip: The advice I received from expert growers is to try to keep the temperature at around 60°F (15°C) from September for around 6 weeks in order for buds to develop. Any temperatures that are considerably different from this can cause the flower buds to drop.

Once the flowers have emerged, a temperature of 68°F (20°C) is thought to prolong the flowering time.

(Read my article, how to revive a dying Christmas cactus).

Key Takeaways:

• The reasons for the Christmas cactus dropping its flower buds are drought stress, fluctuating temperatures, overwatering, and too much artificial light at night.
• Christmas cacti require evenly moist soil, higher humidity, and more hours of darkness than light for 6 weeks from September to form buds.
• If you relocate the cactus during flower bud formation and change the direction of the brightest light, then the flower buds often try to turn towards more light and then drop off as a sign of stress.
• Keep Christmas cactus at lower temperatures during bud formation and spray the leaves to increase humidity.

I had the same problem. My Christmas cactus buds either fell off or did not emerge. So I did some research and consulted some experts at work (I work in a garden center) who taught me all the tips, secrets, and techniques to get a Christmas cactus blooming.

It turns out that Christmas cacti need a very specific set of conditions to bloom. From my first-hand experience, I take you through all the tips that helped me identify why my Christmas catus wasn’t blooming and the techniques to ensure it blooms in time for Christmas in a step-by-step guide…

If you only have 2 minutes, here is a quick explanation…

The Christmas cactus does not bloom because of drought stress or too many hours of light, as it is a short-day plant. Christmas cacti are adapted to rainforests with high humidity and rainfall. They do not flower if they are dry or if there are too many hours of light during flower formation.

FYI there are Christmas cacti and Easter cacti which are both very similar and flower during the corresponding holidays so, if your CHRISTMAS cactus is not flowering I would check the label to ensure it is not an EASTER cactus!! I’ve seen a lot of people get caught up in this one!

Several other factors can prevent Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera) flowering, which I have summarized here:

Keep reading to learn why your Christmas cactus is not flowering, the best practices, and how to implement solutions so that it can display flowers.

1. Under Watering and Low Humidity

So I was taught that in order to make your Christmas cacti to flower you have to simulate some of te conditions of its native environment…

Christmas cactus is a plant that is native to the tropical rainforests of Brazil where it grows in hot and humid conditions with relatively high rainfall, and whilst shaded by the canopy of trees.

This is, of course, in stark contrast to how we think of most cacti species, which grow in hot sandy deserts with low humidity and infrequent rainfall and have several adaptations to cope with drought.

When people hear the word ‘cactus’ when referring to the Christmas cactus, the associations with the desert-dwelling species cause people to assume that the Christmas cactus does not need much watering when the opposite is true.

What I’ve seen first hand is that drought stress prevents Christmas Cactus from flowering. If the cactus is underwatered, the soil dries out too quickly and the humidity is too low Christmas cactus does not flower due to drought stress.

This is a mistake that I personally made and my cactus did not flower properly until I recreated some of the conditions of the cactus native environment with higher levels of humidity and watering more often.

To encourage a Christmas cactus to bloom, I followed these steps…

• Water your Christmas cactus more often. I did some experimentation and found that, for me, watering once per week provided my cactus with the optimal balance of moisture to meet the water requirements without causing root rot so that the cactus could bloom without any undue moisture stress. The advice I had was to wait until the top inch of soil feels dry before watering, which, for me, took a week, but I recommend that you test this yourself to establish how long it takes for the top inch of soil to dry out on your plant as there are some variables (such as climate) that are specific to you and your Christmas cactus.
• Spray the cactus with mist regularly, particularly if you live in an arid climate. Houses tend to be lower in humidity anyway compared to outdoors and much lower than rainforests, so I was advised that misting is essential to create a humid micro-climate to slow water loss from the leaves and recreate the plant’s ideal conditions. For best results, I spray the leaves at least once a week in temperate climates and 2 or 3 times a week in dry climates.
• Water the cactus with a generous soak. Watering too lightly causes the water to not infiltrate the soil properly, and the moisture does not reach the roots, causing drought stress, which prevents flowering.

Another potential problem when it comes to underwatering is if the cactus is planted in potting soil that contains peat as peat repels water off the surface when it dries out.

I saw this first hand when my friends Christmas cacti appeared to be suffered from underwatering despite waterng once per week. I learned that when peat dries out it can repel water off its surface. This can prevent water from infiltrating the soil properly and the roots are not able to uptake the moisture they require.

So the solution that I tested for this was to submerge the soil in a basin of water for 10 minutes to ensure that water can absorb properly to reach the roots.

This of course worked for a short time but eventually I replant the cactus in more porous soil amended with horticultural sand or grit which allows water to reach the roots much better to avoid the problem of dry soil.

With regular watering and higher levels of localized humidity due to spraying mist on the leaves to emulate the natural environment, the Christmas cactus has a better chance of blooming in your home.

(Read my article to learn how often and how much to water your Christmas cactus according to your climate and conditions).

2. Christmas Cactus Requires at least 12 Hours of Darkness to Flower

Okay, so this is the sort of thing that, if you weren’t taught this, it is unlikely that you would discover it on your own! I’ve learned that Christmas cactus is rather unusual in that it is a ‘short day plant‘ which means requires at least 12 hours or more of unbroken darkness to form flower buds.

If the 12 hours or more darkness is interrupted by turning on lights in the middle of the night then this can interfere with the development of the cacti flower buds and prevent it from flowering.

So if your Christmas cactus is in your kitchen and you pop in there for a midnight snack, then the light that is on even for a moment can disrupt the period of darkness to the extent that the Christmas cactus does not flower!

This is due to the Christmas cactus being adapted to sense seasonal change by detecting changes in daylight hours to initiate flower bud formation.

Most plants detect a seasonal temperature change, which then promotes the formation of flower buds, whereas Christmas Cactus relies on both day length and temperature change in its native rainforest environment to stimulate the formation of flower buds and signal the right time for flowering.

To promote blooms at around Christmas time ensure that your cactus is in a room that stays dark at night as even turning a bright light on for a few minutes can interfere with the development of flowering.

One potential solution is to place a light-exuding cloth over the top of your Christmas cactus to ensure that it has a long enough period of darkness to promote flowering. Which is exactly what I do to keep it dark.

Avoid this common mistake: Do not put your Christmas cactus in a cupboard overnight (which was my first instinct!) as Christmas cacti are fussy about being moved a lot! Every time you move them they have to get used to a new set of conditions which, from experience, can also interfere with bud development and flowering.

(Read my article for more, if your flower buds are forming and then drop off, why are my Christmas cactus buds dropping?)

3. Prefers Being Pot Bound for Flowering

So when I spoke to my colleagues at the garden center they taught me Christmas cactus actually has a preference for smaller pots with their roots being somewhat restricted and pot-bound.

The reason I discovered this is Christmas cacti don’t necessarily flower if they are not under some kind of stress.

If your Christmas cactus is planted in a large pot then their energy tend to be redirected into growing out the roots system rather then into flowering.

I have noticed this effect happen with some of my garden plants too, with roses tending to flower better after 2 or 3 years after planting.

When the Cactus is pot-bound, it prioritizes producing flower buds over the growth and development of the plant, as flowering is the plant’s way to reproduce as a strategy to survive even in hostile environments. Which, if you ask me, is a shrewd survival strategy.

If the plant is perfectly content with its conditions, then there is less incentive to produce flowers as there is less of an urgent threat to its survival.

So to get your Christmas cactus flowering, I recommend Planting your Christmas cactus in a pot just larger than the root ball (rather than a large pot with excessive capacity) to help promote blooming.

I personally leave it 3 or 4 years between repotting and my Christmas cactus flowers very well. Even when I do repot it, I do so in a pot that is only around 1 size up from the last pot to further incentivise flowering.

4. Too Hot or Too Cold Can Prevent Christmas Cactus from Flowering

From my research, I ascertained that the optimal growing temperature for Christmas cactus is around an average room temperature of 68°F (20°C) but it can tolerate a wide range of temperatures due to its adaptability to fluctuating conditions in its mountainous rainforest environment.

In the Northern Hemisphere, Christmas cactus starts to develop its flower buds in September.

Important tip: The flower buds then develop for 6 weeks with an evening temperature slightly on the cooler side of approximately 60°F (15°C), but once the flowers have emerged, they tend to last longer with a more consistent temperature of 68°F (20°C).

Remember we talked about simulating the conditions of the plant’s native environment? This sequence of temperatures replicates the same cycle for bud formation in the Christmas cactus’s native environment.

Whilst these temperature ranges are best practices for promoting flowers, I have personally seen an excellent display of flowers year after year when my plant is placed on a kitchen window sill, which receives indirect bright light, slightly cooler temperatures, and higher levels of humidity than other areas of the house without necessarily following a strict pattern of temperature change.

However, if your cactus is not flowering, then keeping it nice and cool during bud formation is going to give it the best chance of flowering.

I think the most common mistake that catches people out is that their plant is on a window sill above a radiator. The radiator increases the heat in the room at night, which is in contrast to how the Cactus grows in the wild, where it experiences cooler temperatures at night.

So find a nice unheated spot for your cactus, such as a window sill away from a radiator.

5. Overwatering Prevents Blooming

As we discussed, our Christmas cactus thrives and flowers best with an optimal balance of watering.

Christmas cactus is an epiphytic plant (grows on trees) that attains water from the air or moist areas of the tree or plant where it grows.

Therefore Christmas cactus has a preference for porous, aerated soil that holds some moisture yet allows water to drain quickly.

If you water Christmas cactus too often or plant it in relatively compact soil, then this can exclude air from around the roots which can prevent effective root respiration and cause root rot which causes the cactus to droop or wilt and turn yellow.

(There can be several reasons why Christmas cactus wilts other than overwatering, read my article why is my Christmas cactus wilting for the solutions).

When the cactus is in overly damp soil, it does not flower.

Other causes of too much moisture around the roots are:

• Potting soil that has not been amended with sand grit or perlite. We need to amend the soil to increase the drainage.
• The use of saucers, trays, and decorative outer pots. Empty any saucers, trays, or pots regularly that are used to prevent excess water from spilling in your home. This prevents watering pooling around the roots which keeps the soil too damp and causes root rot.

As I work in a garden center I am able to observe what potting soil commercial growers use for potting up Christmas cacti. I even had some direct correspondence with them asking their opinion for the best potting soil to ensure that the plant flowers.

Pro Tip: They told me that you should ideally, plant the cactus in soil that is 3 parts potting soil and 1 part grit or perlite to maintain porous soil structure.

They told me that the large particle size of grit and perlite allows air in the potting medium to allow water to drain efficiently and to prevent root rot.

However, they emphasized that good soil has to be in conjunction with the right watering practices. Therefore, we need to water our Christmas Cactus once a week with a generous soak and mist the leaves but allow the surface of the soil to dry to the touch to allow for an exchange of gas for root respiration.

This helps to achieve the preferred balance of moisture for your cactus so that it can flower rather than suffer moisture stress or root rot.

6. Too Much Sun Impacts Flowering

Whilst most cacti prefer full sun, Christmas cactus is a plant that has adapted to growing in bright, indirect light under a tree canopy.

I have observed that if the cactus is located in an area of sun, the leaves turn purple or red as they try to prevent sunburn.

Full sun is contrary to the conditions to which it is adapted, and the stress of too much sun prevents flowering and can cause drought due to drying out the pot too quickly and lowering humidity.

Therefore what we need to do is to place our cactus in an area of bright indirect light (rather than shade) to give the plant enough energy to flower but not to suffer sunburn or drought stress.

7. Too Much Fertilizer In Fall Prevents Flowering

So the advice from professional growers is that Christmas cacti are not necessarily heavy feeders and do not necessarily require fertilizer for flowering.

If you have been applying fertilizer during the period of bud formation from September, then this is likely to prevent flowering, and the plant can grow droopy.

However, according to research a half strength liquid ordinary house plant fertilizer applied once per month during Spring and Summer can prevent any nutrient deficiency that can reduce flowering.

It is worth emphasizing that you should always apply at half-strength only feed once per month and avoid fertilizing from late Summer for optimal bud formation and more flowers.

(Read my article, how to revive a dying Christmas cactus).

I’d love to see pictures of your Christmas cacti and hear your perspective. What has or hasn’t worked for you? Do you have any questions?? Let me know in the comments below!!

Key Takeaways:

• Christmas cacti don’t flower if they suffer from drought stress due to underwatering, low humidity, and too many hours of light during flower bud formation. It requires frequent watering and regular misting and at least 12 hours of darkness for 6 weeks before flowering.
• The Christmas cactus prefers cooler temperatures of around 60°F (15°C) from September while the flower buds are forming to emulate the natural conditions in its native habit. For optimal growing conditions, the Christmas cactus prefers temperatures around 68°F (20°C).
• Overwatering can cause cactus stress and root rot, which prevents flowering.
• Too much sun can burn the plant and dry it out quickly, causing drought stress, which can also prevent flowering.

I, too, was perplexed by this very problem when I started growing Christmas cactus, and after doing some research, I discovered I was underwatering my plant.

I now work at a garden center and frequently hear about this problem, which I think is because people assume the Christmas cactus is like a desert cactus and needs watering very infrequently when, in actual fact, it is native to a much more rainy part of the world and therefore needs a careful balance of watering to prevent it from wilting!

So, I did the research and consulted some of my colleagues at the garden center to learn all the tips and secrets for looking after Christmas cacti and how to pinpoint the reason for their wilting.

In this post, I’ll share with you all the tricks I learned in a step-by-step guide so you can make the necessary adjustments and save your wilting plant as I did with mine!

Here is my 2 sentence explanation that gets straight to the point…

A Christmas Cactus wilts because it has been underwatered, watered too lightly, or has the humidity too low. Christmas cacti are native to rainforests and require more moisture than desert cacti to prevent wilting.

I know this is confusing, but it should be noted that wilting is also a symptom of too much moisture around the roots, which causes root rot and wilt as a sign of stress.

Before you read the article, I should probably mention that when a Christmas cactus is mature, its leaves (which are actually modified stems) cascade down quite elegantly, which may be misinterpreted as wilting!

Keep reading to learn the best practices for preventing a wilting and how to revive a wilted Christmas cactus…

Under Watering Causes Wilting

As I mentioned Christmas cacti are not desert plants but in fact they are native to tropical Brazilian rainforests where they thrive in humid conditions in partial shade with consistent rainfall.

This is in stark contrast to most cacti species, which thrive in desert environments with little rainfall, often in direct sun, high temperatures, and low humidity.

Therefore, from my experience, the association of the word ‘cactus’ is often the reason why the Christmas cactus is commonly underwatered in the home, causing it to wilt when it really requires more moisture.

For that reason, to grow Christmas cactus in the home successfully and to prevent wilting or reviving a wilted plant, we need to recreate some of the moisture conditions of its native environment with a more regular watering cycle than typical cactus species.

My solution…

When I revived my wilted Christmas cactus (caused by underwatering), I increased the frequency of watering so that the soil stayed consistently moist (but not damp).

Pro Tip: My colleagues at the garden center taught me that the top inch of soil should just be drying out to the touch before watering to achieve the optimal moisture balance, meeting the cactus’ requirements without overwatering.

For my Christmas cactus in my home I water once per week with a really generous soak. I did soome testing and found out it takes a week for the first inch of soil to dry.

However, I must stress that there are several variables to be aware of when it comes to watering, such as how hot your climate is and how big the pot is. etc. Therefore, I would use my watering once-a-week advice as guidance, and ideally, you need to experiment to see how fast the first inch of soil dries in your home and water accordingly.

(To learn how to water Christmas cactus properly in different environments and for all the best practices to avoid drought and overwatering, read my article on how to water Christmas cactus).

To help it recover, I moved my cactus out of the way of air conditioning or draughts while it was wilting, just so it didn’t have to contend with low humidity as well.

The correct watering frequency should be applied in conjunction with good well draining potting soil and a suitable humid micro-climate to help restore the cactus from its wilted appearance.

When I started watering my Christmas cactus with the frequency I described, my plant recovered in as little as 2 or 3 watering cycles, and it looks much better for it!

Watering Too Lightly

Whilst watering frequency is important for avoiding drought stress and subsequent wilting, it is also important to water with the right quantity.

We need to think of big soaks and not small sips!

I always water Christmas cactus with a generous soak so that water visibly trickles from the base after watering.

This ensures that the water has infiltrated the soil and reached the roots so they can uptake the moisture they require to keep the plant healthy.

Watering too lightly only moistens the top inch or so of the soil and does not drain down to the roots where the water is actually needed.

This causes drought stress, similar to underwatering, and wilts the leaves and structure of the Christmas cactus overall.

My Method of Watering…

I suspected that the surface of the soil of my Christmas cacti was repelling water off the surface, and the water was trickling down the inside of the pot and out of the drainage holes in the base rather than infiltrating the soil and reaching the roots.

My suspicions were confirmed when I picked up my Christmas cactus pot straight after watering when it should have felt noticeably heavier due to the potting medium soaking up all the water when, in fact, it felt light.

Therefore, I decided to experiment with my watering technique to prevent this from happening again. What I found works is to water from the top as I was doing but allow the tray I placed underneath my pot to fill with water.

I noticed that after half an hour, all the water from the tray had been drawn up by the soil, and the potting soil was now evenly moist and much heavier!

This helped to alleviate the stress from underwatering, and my Christmas cactus now thrives!

Low Humidity Causes Wilting

As we discussed, our Christmas cactus is adapted to growing in rainforest conditions; it prefers some additional humidity when growing indoors.

The lower the humidity, the more moisture is sapped from the leaves and the quicker the soil dries out, which causes the Christmas cactus to wilt due to drought stress.

Several factors can exacerbate low humidity indoors, such as:

• Air currents from air con or forced air.
• Sources of heat such as radiators.
• Draught-prone areas of the house, perhaps due to open windows.

I used to live in a small apartment, and I had to use heating in the winter and air-con in the Summer, both of which upset my Christmas cactus and caused it to wilt.

I learned that while you may be watering the Christmas cactus responsibly, too much airflow can sap moisture from the plant quicker than the roots can draw it up, creating a moisture deficit and causing it to wilt.

My solution…

I was advised to Mist my Christmas cactus regularly to create a humid micro-climate. The resulting moist atmosphere helps to replicate the humid conditions of Brazil’s rainforest to which the cactus is accustomed.

S the traditional advice that I have read elsewhere is that the lower the natural humidity of your climate, the more frequently you should mist the plant.

This can work, but to be honest, I found that to really counteract dry air in arid climates, the best solution that I implemented was to group my houseplants that love humidity close together and use a humidifier to create the conditions that they love.

When I lived in the arid climate of Southern California, I found misting was not necessarily enough to prevent my Christmas cacti from wilting, and if you forgot to mist, then your plant would suffer the consequences!

I’ve found it is also essential that you locate the Christmas cactus in a room with a relatively still atmosphere rather than in the direct path of airflow to prevent it from drying out and wilting.

Now that I live in a more temperate climate, I’ve found that my Christmas cactus can adapt well to growing in more humid rooms such as bathrooms or kitchens, which can be problematic for some plants without the need to keep them misted.

(Low humidity can also cause Christmas cactus to drop buds, read my article to learn more).

Too Much Sun Causes Leaves to turn Red and Wilting

Our Christmas cactus is an epiphytic plant that commonly grows on trees and is often under the shade of a tree canopy rather than in full sun.

In your home, the cactus should be in bright indirect sunlight and not full sun.

This is another common mistake I see, which I think is, again, a result of people misinterpreting the word cactus and thinking their Christmas cactus needs to be in a simulated desert.

Full sun is too intense and often too hot for Christmas cactus plants which causes it to turn red (to cope with sunburn) and dries out the plant and soil too quickly causing it to wilt.

What you need to do is to place your Christmas Cactus in an area of bright indirect light to avoid excessive drying and drought stress and to promote blooms.

Important Tip: A great way that I’ve achieved this is to either place my Christmas cactus in my bathroom, as it has frosted glass that diffuses the light, or to use a sheer curtain, which has the same effect.

Too Much Moisture Around the Roots

Okay, so I know we’ve just talked at length about how dry soil conditions are the reason why your Christmas cactus is wilting, but, rather confusingly, damp soil is another potential cause of your Christmas Cactus wilting due to water stress and potentially root rot.

While Christmas cacti prefer more moisture than most cacti, too much moisture around the roots causes Christmas cacti to wilt as a sign of stress and also prevents flowering.

(There are several reasons why your Christmas cactus may not be blooming, so read my article for the solutions).

Too much moisture around the roots can be because of:

• Overwatering (typically watering once per week is sufficient).
• Slow-draining soils (Christmas cactus requires well-draining porous soils for the optimal balance of moisture).
• Pots without drainage holes in the base (pots with drainage holes prevent excess water escaping).
• The use of saucers and trays underneath pots (causing water to pool around the roots).
• Decorative outer pots without drainage holes (traps excess water after watering causing root rot).

So earlier in the article, I said that I let my Christmas cactus sit in a tray with water, but crucially, I do this for half an hour and then discard any excess water after this period to avoid problems associated with overwatering and root rot.

My solution…

Check to see if the soil feels damp or saturated rather than evenly moist at the surface and underneath the pot through the drainage hole.

• Scale back the watering to about once per week. Watering once per week with a good soak is a far better method of watering for the development of healthy roots, rather than watering little and often.
• Ensure that the cactus is planted in well-draining soil. For Christmas Cacti, my advice is to use 1 part horticultural sand or grit and 3 parts potting soil, which creates a porous soil with good drainage yet retains enough moisture to meet the requirements of the plant. I learned this from some specialist growers at the garden center where I work. This is the potting mix that is used at scale for commercial Christmas cactus cultivation.
• Transfer the cactus to a pot with drainage holes. This allows excess water to escape rather than pool around the roots and cause root rot. Check to see if any compacted soil or roots could be slowing down drainage.
• Ensure that all saucers, trays, and decorative pots are emptied regularly of excess water. Christmas cactus should not be in standing water indefinitely, or it will wilt.

Once you have implemented a more appropriate watering regime and created conditions that allow the soil to drain freely, the Christmas cactus has a chance to recover.

But if I am being honest with you, if the roots have been in saturated soil for a long time, then they can be difficult to revive. In this case, I recommend that you propagate your Christmas cactus from any remaining healthy growth.

Too Much Fertilizer

Another consideration is that applying too much fertilizer or too high a concentration of the cactus can prevent flowering and cause the growth to droop as a result of excess Nitrogen, but to be honest, I think this is unlikely if you have been following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Scale back the use of fertilizer to once a month with a well-balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer to support flowering yet prevent wilting.

If you consistently care for your Christmas cactus, it should recover eventually, but in my experience, it can take a year for some houseplants to recover if they have had too much nitrogen from fertilizer, so it takes some deferred gratification.

(Read my article, how to revive a dying Christmas cactus).

Do you have any insights into caring for Christmas cactus? Or any other tips and tricks? Please leave a comment below; I’d love to hear from you!!!

Key Takeaways:

• Wilting Christmas cacti is caused by a lack of water, which can be caused by not watering often enough, watering too lightly, or low humidity. Christmas cacti are rainforest plants and require higher levels of moisture than most cacti to prevent wilting.
• Christmas cactus requires higher humidity to prevent wilting. Mist the cactus regularly to create a humid micro-climate that replicates the humidity of its rainforest environment.
• Christmas cacti grow in the shade of the canopy, so too much sun can cause them to dry out quickly and wilt.
• Too much moisture around the roots caused by overwatering, slow-draining soils, and pots without drainage holes can prevent excess water from escaping, causing the cactus to wilt as a sign of stress. Ensure Christmas cactus is planted in well-draining soil.

I had made the classic mistake of misinterpreting that because it was a cactus, it did not need much water.

Since then, I have done lots of research, and I even grew Christmas cacti commercially in the garden where I work and through first-hand experience, I’ve learned all the tips and tricks to water Christmas cacti so that they meet their watering requirements and support flowering.

In this article, I’ll share with you all the techniques and methods that I learned for watering in a step-by-step guide so you know exactly what to do…

Not much time to spare? Let’s get straight to the point!

Christmas cactus is native to rainforests rather than deserts and requires watering so that the soil is evenly moist. Water the Christmas cactus with a good soak once per week and mist the leaves twice per week to recreate the optimal watering cycle and humidity of the Christmas cactus native environment.

Christmas cacti are very unusual for cacti in that they are adapted to rainforests rather than deserts, which means they prefer more frequent watering, less sun, and higher levels of humidity compared to most cacti.

Keep reading for how often and how much to water Christmas cacti in your home for the optimal balance of moisture so that it thrives…

How Often to Water Christmas Cactus

So, for us to understand how to water our Christmas cactus, I think we need to appreciate how they grow in the wild…

Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera) is a type of cactus that grows in cool, mountainous forests in Brazil in shaded areas with high humidity and relatively frequent rainfall.

This environment is in stark contrast to that of most cacti, which tend to thrive in dry, arid, sunny areas.

Therefore, one of the most frequent problems with growing Christmas cacti is usually not watering often enough as they are adapted to cool humid conditions unlike their desert-dwelling counterparts.

It’s a classic mistake that I made myself!

To grow Christmas cactus successfully in your home, we need to simulate some of the watering and humidity conditions of its native habitat.

Christmas cactus requires higher humidity then most house plants.

It is important to note that whilst I water my Christmas cactus once a week in my current flat (in New York), I had to water every 3-5 days when I lived in a much dryer climate in California.

This point illustrates that universal watering advice is, in my opinion, rather redundant as watering frequency depends on several factors.

However, there is a way to tell when your plant needs watering regardless of climate…

The method for watering that I was taught by commercial growers was that the soil should feel evenly moist for most of the week, but the top inch of soil should dry slightly before the next bout of watering.

Once you establish how quickly it takes for the top inch of the soil to dry out in your home then you can establish a watering frequency that is tailored to your conditions.

I have found that Christmas cactus is also somewhat more drought tolerant than most houseplants and can go 2 weeks without watering as long as it is not in an air current or if the air isn’t too dry, so it is forgiving if you miss the odd watering.

There are several factors that we need to be aware of that can cause your Christmas cactus to dry out faster or slower in the home due to:

• The humidity and temperature of your home (houses are often low in humidity, which is contrary to Christmas cactus’ preference for high humidity).
• The size of the pot or container (smaller pots dry out quickly).
• The material of the pot (clay and terracotta are breathable, whereas plastic and ceramic retain moisture).
• Whether the cactus is near a source of heat or in the current of air-con or forced air (which saps moisture from the leaves and dries the soil).
• The capacity of the soil to retain moisture (Christmas cactus requires moist yet well-draining soil).

All of these factors influence the speed of the soil drying out, but the method of feeling the soil can help you keep the right watering schedule regardless of how man variables there are to consider.

How I Increase The Humidity…

So, the traditional advice that I read online from other sources was to mist the leaves (which are actually modified stems) of your Christmas cactus to increase the humidity.

I found this effective when I lived in the Pacific Northwest, which has a more temperate climate. I misted the leaves twice a week, and my Christmas cactus was happy.

However, I have also lived in California and New York, as I mentioned. California had naturally low humidity, and in New York, I had to use a lot of indoor heating in the Winter, which created an environment so dry that my Christmas cactus began to wilt, regardless of how often I misted.

So, I tested several different methods of increasing the humidity…I experimented with growing it in:

• I located one in the bathroom for a boost in natural humidity.
• I grouped my houseplants near each other, and I filled a tray with water, propping the cactus out of the water with pebbles (the idea is that consistent humidity from the water increases the humidity).
• I tried a humidifier that I bought online.

I found that the tray of water and pebbles trick worked well most of the time, but it couldn’t counteract the very dry air in the Winter when I had to use a radiator, and my plant began to wilt.

The cactus in the bathroom grew very well, but I noticed it didn’t like the cold blasts of air when I opened the window to air the room out, and the flower buds would drop, so this is not always a good option.

What worked the best was using a humidifier, as you can set the humidity precisely, and I found it more convenient than misting regularly. When I used the humidifier, my plant looked the best, flower well, and didn’t wilt, so in my opinion, a humidifier is the best option for increasing the humidity.

Remember that Christmas cactus prefers indirect light rather than full sun. Too much sun would burn the leaves and cause the cactus to lose too much moisture.

How to Tell if the Christmas Cactus is Overwatered or Underwatered…

I’ve observed that the cactus can shrivel and droop in response to over- or underwatering, so the only way to distinguish the cause is to feel the soil.

If it is dry both at the surface and at the base of the pot (I feel the soil at the base through the drainage hole), then the cactus is suffering from underwatering.

In this scenario, I recommend Increasing the frequency of your watering if your soil is drying out quickly over the course of 7 days so that the soil is more consistently moist rather than dry.

I would mist the under-watered cactus more regularly (or use a humidifier as discussed) to increase the humidity and reduce water loss through the leaves.

If the soil feels damp or even saturated, then I would check that nothing is blocking the drainage hole and empty any water that may be in a tray or saucer used underneath the pot.

Overwatering or damp soil can prevent the cactus from growing and blooming properly and even cause root rot, so it is important to scale back the watering and ensure good soil drainage.

(For more information, read my article Why is my Christmas cactus wilting?)

How Much to Water a Christmas Cactus

Knowing how much water to use is vital to the success of your Christmas Cactus.

Whilst the variability of the climate, temperature, air currents, etc. can all influence how often you water your plant, how much water you use when watering Christmas cactus should stay the same.

I always water the Christmas cactus with a generous soak so that excess water trickles out of the base of the pot.

I do this because watering with a good soak ensures that the water infiltrates properly and reaches the roots of your Christmas cactus so it can uptake the moisture it requires.

A generous soak also encourages the roots to grow and establish in the potting soil.

Avoid this classic mistake! Watering too lightly only moistens the top inch or so of the soil which can cause the roots to grow shallow or prevent the roots from reaching the water altogether, causing drought.

Watering with a good soak and misting regularly helps to replicate the natural watering cycle and level of humidity to which the Christmas cactus is accustomed.

I have experimented with a few ways of watering, and I’ve found it is better if I water my Christmas cactus with a generous soak from the top and then Ileave water to collect in the tray underneath my pot for 30 minutes.

I found that If I leave my plant sitting in water for half an hour, the soil medium usually draws up all the moisture through the drainage holes in the base of the pot, which ensures the potting soil is evenly moist.

I first did this when I noticed my friend’s Christmas cactus was suffering from underwatering because the potting soil was repelling moisture off the surface and not absorbing it properly therefore, it needed to sit in water to give the soil time to draw up the moisture,

This combination of watering from the top and allowing water to absorb through the bottom is the method that I found works best for watering Christmas cactus.

Pro Tip: I pick up my cactus pot regularly to assess the weight. Once the cactus feels noticeably lighter, I know the soil is drying, and my cactus needs watering.

(If your Christmas cactus is dropping buds, read my article for more information)

Well-Draining Soil Maintains an Optimal Balance of Moisture

I learned from the experts that good watering practices should be in conjunction with the right sort of well-draining yet moisture-retentive potting mix to keep Christmas cacti healthy so that the soil can stay moist but not damp to avoid root rot.

Whilst I was working at the garden center I asked some of the commerical growers about thhe best potting mix for crhistmas cacti. The taught me that they mix 3 parts potting soil with 1 part horticultural sand or grit to ensure the soil can retain moisture yet allow excess water to drain away from the roots.

Christmas cactus is an epiphyte like many cacti which means it derives a lot of moisture and nutrients from the air which is why it prefers humidity and porous soil.

With well-draining soil yet moisture-retaining soil, you can provide enough moisture to meet the plant’s requirements without causing root rot.

(Read my article, how to revive a dying Christmas cactus).

Plant Christmas Cactus in Pots with Drainage Holes

I know this may seem obvious to a lot of people, but I have a lot of beginner indoor gardeners come to me with houseplants dying due to the plant being potted in a pot with drainage holes and the roots sitting in boogy soil, so I think it is worth mentioning…

Whilst Christmas cacti prefer moist and humid conditions, they dislike their roots being sat in water for any length of time.

Your pot or container must have drainage holes in the base to allow excess water to escape from the bottom of the pot.

Watering so that water trickles from the base of the pot is also a good way to ensure you have used enough water to infiltrate the soil and reach the roots of your Christmas cactus.

If your cactus is planted in pots or containers without drainage holes in the base, water will pool around the roots, causing root rot, and the plant will die back.

It should also be noted that from research and first-hand experience, Christmas cactus prefers smaller pots and is somewhat root-bound as this promotes flowering.

(There are several reasons for not flowering, so if your Christmas cactus isn’t blooming read my article for the solutions.)

We should consider that water can still pool around the roots and cause root rot if:

• The drainage holes become blocked up due to compacted soil or roots. If you notice the soil draining slowly, then check to ensure that water can escape freely from the base.
• A saucer and trays are underneath the pots or containers. Christmas cactus requires well-draining soil. Saucers and trays are often used to prevent water from spilling in the home. Empty the saucer or tray after 30 minutes to ensure water does not pool around the roots indefinitely.
• Decorative outer pots. Christmas cacti are often sold in stores and presented in decorative outer pots that do not have drainage holes. Ensure that you empty the pot regularly to prevent root rot or just plant Christmas cactus in a pot with drainage holes in their base.

Do you have any tricks and tips that you use for watering Christmas cacti? If so, please leave a comment below, as I’d love to hear them all!!

Key Takeaways:

• Water Christmas cactus with a generous soak once per week and mist the leaves twice per week to create the optimal balance of moisture. Christmas cactus is native to rainforest and requires more watering and humidity than most species of cactus.
• Always water with a generous soak to ensure water reaches the Christmas cactus roots.
• Plant Christmas cactus in well-draining soil that retains some moisture yet allows excess water to escape to allow the plant to uptake the moisture it requires and also prevent root rot.
• Christmas cactus should be planted in a pot with drainage holes in the base. Empty saucers and trays regularly to prevent the soil from staying damp and promoting root rot.