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    Lyn Chimera is a Master Gardener, consultant and lecturer.

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Christmas Cactus

1/3/2022

 
Picture
By: Lyn Chimera

Christmas cactus(Schlumbergera buckleyi)is a very popular gift plant during the holidays. It’s the gift that keeps on giving as it makes an easy to care for house plant that will give years of pleasure and beautiful blooms.

This year I was given one at Thanksgiving which had more blooms and buds than I had ever seen. Usually there are 1 or maybe 2 blooms per stem but this one had up to FIVE! One bloom and the rest buds. After the first bloom flush faded there was a second flush but after that the remaining buds just dropped off. Obviously, this was an unusual Christmas cactus, so I decided to do a little research.

What an amazingly interesting plant! Most of the plants sold in stores today are hybrids of S. russelliana and S. truncata. The hybrid type determines when it will bloom. There are over 200 cultivars of these plants which give a variety of flower colors.

The other shocker was they aren’t desert cactus at all, originating in the rain forests of Brazil. They typically grow in trees like epiphytes. Who knew? Since they don’t naturally grow in arid conditions they do need to be watered, but not too much.

The two most common varieties are Christmas and Thanksgiving cactus. Thanksgiving cactus is described as having leaves shaped like crab claws with two to four pointy serrated segments on each side (which mine has). The end of each segment is slightly concave. The leaves of Christmas cactus have a more rounded, scalloped edge with a slightly curved end. Both have similar flowers that mostly bloom from the end but sometimes from a leaf join. The flowers look like 2 flowers together one, coming out of the other. A fascinating and showy bloom. Christmas cactus blooms commonly come in pink or white while the Thanksgiving variety also includes red, peach, purple, or orange.

Another surprise was these are not leaves at all but stem segments that are flattened and green to allow for photosynthesis.

Caring for your Christmas/Thanksgiving cactus is easy. Water them when the top inch of soil in the container feels dry to the touch. Soak the soil until water runs through the pot’s drainage holes; wait a few minutes; and then discard any excess water that has accumulated in the drip pan beneath the pot. Overwatering can cause root rot which is indicated by leaves turning a pinkish hue. They prefer humid conditions which is understandable originating in a rain forest. Grouping them with other plants, pebble treys and misting all can be helpful in increasing humidity. Christmas cactus like light but not direct sunlight in the summer which should burn the stems whether the plant is indoors or out.

These cacti thrive if put outdoors for the summer. A sunny spot with shelter from the direct afternoon sun is a good site. I keep mine on the screen porch where they get bright light. The other advantage of putting them outside is that the cooler temperatures in fall help encourage the blossoming response. This season they were outside until November, but it was a warm fall. When temps overnight get to mid-40s I bring them in during the warmest part of the day to avoid shock.

My 1st Christmas cactus was from a cutting my mother gave me over 40 years ago. It blooms every year and gives me great pleasure. Now I’ll have one blooming for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
​
If you want to learn more including how to propagate (which is super easy) go to:
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/schlumbergera-russelliana/



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January 2022 Tips

1/3/2022

 
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Dear Gardening Friends,

 
I hope you all had a wonderful Holiday season and have a HAPPY and HEALTHY New Year!! Here we go with another year. Let’s hope it’s better than the last!
 
Winter doesn’t mean that there aren’t any garden chores to do. The following are a few suggestions:
  • Believe it or not you can still plant those bulbs in the garage! As long as the ground isn’t frozen you can plant them.
  • Since there isn’t any snow cover (at least as I write this here in E Aurora) there is time to finish those fall chores you didn’t get to like bringing in plant stakes and supports. I just completed that core this week.
  • Anything else like garden art, birdbaths or pots should be brought in the garage, basement or wherever you keep things that will be damaged by winters snow and ice.
  • If you still have unplanted trees or shrubs that can be planted as long as the ground isn’t frozen.
  • Left over potted perennials can be dug into the ground or compost pile. They can also be placed together in ground cover or in the garage and covered with leaves or straw to protect from temperature fluctuations.
  • Perennial weeds can be removed if you can reach them without stepping on the soft soil. Imagine weeding in January!
  • Many of the perennials left up will get knocked over by snow or wind. That’s OK. They form a nice winter protection for the root systems.
  • Check out last month’s Garden Tips on my website (lessonsfromnature.biz) for more tips on winter protection. Since we haven’t had much snow it’s necessary to offer some added protection from temperature fluctuations AND critters.
 
Educational Opportunities: What better way to spend a winter’s day than attending a gardening class. It will help you improve your gardening and get you in the mood for spring. There are 2 excellent Master Gardener events coming up. Registration information is below.
 
Annual Spring Bloom Classes:
 
  • Saturday, February 12, 9:00-11:45 - Backyard Gardening, Food and Flowers. Two sessions to be held on Zoom.
  • Saturday, February 26, 9:00-11:45 - Pollinators and the Plants They Love – Two sessions to be held on Zoom.
Cost will be $20/day. For details go to http://erie.cce.cornell.edu/events
 
MG Education Day:
 
MGED is Saturday March 12, 2022 at Classics V Banquet Center on Niagara Falls Blvd.. At this point we are planning an in person day but that may have to change to Zoom depending on the Covid situation. Right now, there is no way to definitively plan for that.
 
Those of you who have attended in the past know what a fun and educational day this is. The day includes a fabulous basket raffle, AM snack break and a hot buffet lunch. It’s a wonderful day with likeminded gardeners. There are 2 outstanding presenters:
 
Joseph Tychonievich, rated one of the best gardening speakers in the country and noted author will make two presentations:
            Rock Gardening, Reimagining a Classic Style for Today’s Garden
            Great, Non-Wimpy Plants that You Don’t Already Grow
 
Joseph Han, owner of The English Gardener Landscaping Company will present on:
            Floriferous Design
 
Registration will begin Febuary 1st. Trust me, you won’t want to miss this amazing and fun day.
           
Presentations on Gardening Topics:
 
There is a full listing of the presentations I do for Garden Clubs and other groups interested in gardening topics on my website: lessonsfromnature.biz, or let me know and I will send you a copy.
           
Winter Garden Consultations: Yes, I do winter consultations.
 
If you’re planning changes in your landscape this coming season getting an early start planning now will be helpful. Having a Garden Consultation in the winter is a good way to start. Just call me for an appointment.
           
Happy Gardening!
Lyn Chimera
Lessons from Nature
170 Pine St.
E. Aurora, NY 14052
[email protected]
652-2432
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