Every home should have a Schlumbergera Christmas cactus spilling over the side of a hanging basket or sitting prettily on a shelf – they are so easy to care for and their bright flowers liven up the holiday months!
And once one of these succulents has become a permanent resident of your home, you’ll eventually start to wonder when and how to repot your Christmas cactus.
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This article will provide you with step by step guidance for transplanting these succulents, and the same advice applies to Easter and Thanksgiving cactuses as well!
Here’s a sneak peek at the steps involved:
Before we get started, if you’d like to review general care requirements for these succulents, be sure to read or bookmark our complete guide to growing Christmas cacti.
When to Repot a Christmas Cactus
As epiphytes, these succulent plants don’t have large root systems and therefore don’t require frequent transplanting.
The first clue that your holiday cactus needs to be repotted might be that it’s drying out more quickly than usual between waterings.
If there are roots emerging from the drainage holes or the top of the growing medium, the specimen is likely root bound, and it’s time to transplant it to a larger container.
Specimens that aren’t outgrowing their pots can still benefit from a change of potting medium every three to four years, but can keep growing in the same container.
Not sure how long it’s been since you last repotted?
Why not start keeping track of this and other houseplant care tasks in a gardening journal? Read our article to learn more.
However you’ll want to wait until the time is right to repot for the best results.
Exactly when the time is right will vary, and it depends on the season, the amount of time since the last repotting, the size of the root ball within the pot, and whether the plant is blooming or not.
That last point may be the most important – don’t repot your plant while it is in bloom, since all its energy is currently focused on flowering. Instead wait until blooming has finished.
If your Schlumbergera is not currently blooming, it may be a good time to repot!
Did yours fail to bloom this year? Read our guide to learn how to encourage a Christmas cactus bloom.
Let’s now consider the next factor: season.
When possible, it’s best to wait until springtime to transplant your Christmas cactus. Late winter and early summer are also acceptable times.
This is because ideally the plant should be in a stage of active growth, so that the root system has the opportunity become established in the new container.
After flowering, between late winter and early summer is the ideal repotting window.
There are some situations where you may need to switch containers and growing medium regardless of season, root growth, or the time elapsed since you last repotted.
If your Christmas cactus was planted in the wrong type of growing medium it’s best to go ahead and repot immediately. If the specimen seems healthy and is blooming, I’d still recommend waiting until it’s finished flowering.
These succulents require soil with more moisture retention than arid habitat cacti relatives such as prickly pears and astrophytums, but they also need good drainage.
In fact, poor drainage is one of the reasons why holiday cacti can turn yellow.
Speaking of turning yellow, do you suspect that your holiday cactus has been overwatered by some overeager members of your household, perhaps?
If so, you may need to change out the growing medium to save it.
Read our article about saving overwatered holiday cacti for more guidance.
Let’s consider one more reason that may compel you to transplant one of these succulents regardless of other factors – a plant that is growing in an oversized pot or in a vessel that has no drainage holes.
A container that lacks drainage holes or is too big can cause the growing medium to stay soggy and waterlogged, leading to root rot.
How do you know if the container is too big?
If there’s more than an inch between the edge of the root ball and the side of the pot, it’s likely too large.
So if your succulent is currently growing in a pot that doesn’t drain, a pot that is too large, or the wrong type of growing medium, go ahead and repot as soon as possible!
Gather the Repotting Supplies
When you’re ready to transplant your Christmas cactus, you’ll need a couple of supplies: growing medium and a new pot – if you aren’t just changing out the potting soil.
When choosing a mix, make sure it contains ingredients that will retain moisture as well as provide good drainage – just what an epiphytic jungle cactus needs!
Commercial potting mixes for succulents vary greatly – most of them are actually too moisture retentive for plants like echeverias, but not moisture retaining enough for holiday cacti!
That’s why I like to make my own succulent potting mixes depending on what I’m planting.
For holiday cacti, 75 percent organic materials, such as coconut coir and compost, and 25 percent mineral ingredients, including pumice and sand, is a good goal to shoot for – though this doesn’t have to be exact.
I like to use a blend of one part houseplant potting mix and one part cactus and succulent mix for these jungle cacti – one has fine texture, and the other is quite chunky. This gets me a result close to that ideal 75 percent organic and 25 percent mineral ratio.
Learn more about the perfect Christmas cactus growing medium in our guide.
After trying many of the commercial cactus and succulent mixes out there, one of my favorites is Rosy Soil’s Cactus and Succulent Mix, available for purchase in four-quart bags via Walmart.
Rosy Soil Cactus and Succulent Soil
And for the houseplant potting mix, I’m a big fan of De La Tank’s House Plant Mix, available in a selection of bag sizes via Arbico Organics.
De La Tank’s House Plant Mix
If your plant has outgrown its current pot, choose a replacement container that is just one size larger – about an inch wider on either side.
Are you wondering if you can reuse nursery pots or decorative containers? Yes!
First, whether the replacement pot is brand new or previously used, make sure it has drainage holes – preferably more than one.
Next, if you are reusing a container, wash it, then wipe it down with hydrogen peroxide to sanitize.
If you’re looking for some decorative options, check out our guide to 25 of the best hanging planters.
In addition to potting medium and a new planter, you may also want to find something to use to contain the small mess you’ll inevitably make during the repotting process!
Depending on the size of your plant, a large plate or a small plastic bin might work.
It doesn’t need to be big enough to contain the whole plant, just the root ball, the new container, and some growing medium.
Repot the Christmas Cactus
When you have your supplies and the time is right, you can transplant.
First remove the hanger from the pot if there is one.
Next prepare the new pot by adding a shallow layer of growing medium in the bottom of the container, about an inch deep or so.
Then remove the plant from its old pot.
If the specimen is extremely root bound, try to gently loosen up the roots.
You can do this by rubbing the palm of your hand against the root ball, or teasing the edges loose with a fork or chopstick.
If you are freshening up the growing medium but returning the plant to the same pot, remove the plant, empty out any loose potting medium from the pot, and loosen the edges of the root ball.
Situate the loosened root ball into the new container, and check the level.
Make sure there’s about a half an inch to an inch of room between the top of the root ball and the rim of the pot, so adjust the amount of growing medium under the root ball if necessary.
Then fill in with more growing medium along the sides of the root ball.
Tamp down gently, and fill in a bit more if needed to create a level surface.
After repotting the Christmas cactus, water it in, then place it in a spot with lower light than it is used to for a few days to give it a gentle recovery before returning the plant to its regular location.
Repotted and Replenished
Now that you know how to properly repot a Christmas cactus, it will be even easier to keep one of these epiphytic succulents growing in your home for many years to come.
Do you have any remaining questions on this process? Are you still unsure whether to repot or not?
Drop your questions in the comment section below and we’ll do our best to give you some guidance!
Want to keep growing your knowledge about Christmas cacti? We have more reading for you right here:
