Don’t Do This One Thing to Your Holiday Cactus in January – It Can Kill Your Plant

The holiday cactus refers to a number of different houseplants: the Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata), Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii), and Easter cactus (formerly Schlumbergera gaertneri, now Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri). Although technically different plants, they all have very similar needs and come with the same room for errors, especially when it comes to fertilizing.

It doesn't matter if you're caring for a Christmas cactus or caring for a Thanksgiving cactus, all holiday cacti can be harmed if fertilized in January due to this being in the middle of the dormant season. This is even true for the Easter cactus which is yet to bloom at this point in the year. Fertilizing now may result in symptoms like discoloring foliage and bud drop.

Having said that, while the general rule is you shouldn't fertilize a holiday cactus in January, they actually all have slightly different feeding needs. Here, I take a closer look at what happens if you do fertilize a holiday cactus in January and when to do it instead for each type.

Why You Shouldn't Fertilize a Holiday Cactus in January

There's no doubt fertilizing your holiday cactus is important. It provides a boost of essential plant nutrients to encourage bright, long lasting blooms (especially when you use specific feeds, like this Thanksgiving cactus fertilizer from Walmart).

But, getting the timing wrong can be detrimental and is a common holiday cactus mistake.

This is because, generally speaking, holiday cacti are dormant in January.

It's a fertilizing mistake to feed plants during dormancy because it can oversaturate roots (causing root rot) and even burn roots, as the plants aren't soaking it up.

This can result in leaf discoloration, drooping, leaf and bud drop, and (in the worst case) even kill off the plant.

But, in terms of when to fertilize holiday cacti, they all have slightly differing needs. Here's a quick breakdown:

Thanksgiving Cactus

It's common to mix up Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus but the biggest giveaway is the fact the former blooms earlier, around the Thanksgiving holiday.

This means by January, blooms are scarce. The plant is in dormancy at this time and won't put on any active growth until all flowers have faded.

Once spring arrives, you can fertilize it every three weeks up until the end of summer, just before it blooms again. You can even use an all-purpose succulent fertilizer (from Amazon) for your holiday cactus.

Christmas Cactus

This holiday cactus is likely to still be blooming in January. In fact, there are a number of things your Christmas cactus needs in January, though fertilizer is not one.

This is because the Christmas cactus is coming towards the end of blooming and growth is slowing down, so feeding is not needed and won't necessarily help extend the blooming season.

Instead, you should fertilize your Christmas cactus from summer into fall, ahead of it flowering around the festive season.

Easter Cactus

When growing an Easter cactus, you'll only see blooms appear in spring (around Easter, of course).

But, you still shouldn't fertilize your holiday cactus in January.

Although it is ahead of the growing season, the winter is still a dormant period for these succulents. Oversaturation from fertilizer can cause rot and burn during this time, hindering its performance in spring (especially if flower buds drop as a result).

Rather, you should wait around a month after blooms appear to start feeding your Easter cactus every three weeks through summer, pausing again in fall.

Alternatively, use slow release succulent plant food (like this from Amazon) to provide a gradual, steady supply of nutrients.

FAQs

Can You Use Coffee Grounds on a Holiday Cactus?

Yes, you can use a coffee ground houseplant fertilizer for holiday cacti to provide a boost of nitrogen.

However, it isn't necessarily the best feed for these flowering succulents. To encourage brighter, longer lasting blooms, opt for a bloom boosting fertilizer (like this one from Amazon), rich in nutrients like phosphorus.

If you're struggling to get your Christmas cactus to bloom (or other holiday cactus), it might be that you've missed the essential Christmas cactus dark period that helps trigger flowering.

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