A Thanksgiving cactus is a fairly large plant and its vibrant blooms can make it even more majestic. However, the unfortunate part about blooms is that they’re only temporary. I mean…we all wish we could rebloom our plants manually, don’t we?
WAIT…that’s what this article is about…
Today, I’ll be guiding you through the process of getting your Thanksgiving cactus to rebloom after the holidays and it’s actually a lot easier than you might think.
Let’s get into it, shall we?
4 – Get Darkness
Yeah…that came out weirder than I thought it would be…
Anyways, darkness is very important if you want your Thanksgiving cactus to rebloom. The location you put them in needs to be adequately dark for 12-14 hours each night. Any less than that reduces the chances of reblooming drastically.
However, one night or even a few nights of darkness aren’t enough. To trigger the blooming process once again, several weeks (5-7 ideally) of consistent, uninterrupted darkness each night will be needed.
3 – Lower The Temperature
A lower temperature will dramatically assist with reblooming a Thanksgiving cactus. I believe the reason for that is because their natural habitat conditions are on the cooler side.
The cooler temperature acts as a mild stimulus that triggers the plant to begin producing buds as a reproductive response.
However, once again, a few nights of cold breezes won’t be enough to trigger blooming. You must keep your Thanksgiving cactus in a 50°F to 59°F (10° to 15°C) environment for up to 6-8 weeks to see some actual bud development. Also, don’t forget the darkness; that too is a requirement here.
Beware of frost, however, as you don’t want your buds to be freezing. It’ll damage them and mess with their structural integrity. When the first frost warning comes, bring your cactus indoors and keep it in your garage or bedroom for a while.
2 – Fertilize As Needed
Your Thanksgiving cactus will definitely need fertilization to rebloom to the best of its capabilities. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy or overly specific; a high-quality balanced fertilizer should get the job done or at least it did for me.
Equal parts of essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium will ensure vibrant blooms that are lasting and healthy. Combine fertilizer use with adequate darkness and cooler temperature and you’ll be on your way to seeing some beautiful blooms reappear.
1 – Repotting
Root-bound Thanksgiving cactuses will definitely have a hard time reblooming. That is why you should consider repotting them into a larger pot that has enough space for the roots to spread freely and efficiently absorb water and nutrients from the soil.
In a way, this can also be a “new beginning” for your cactus. It will benefit from novelty, fresh nutrients, and ideally better drainage that will come as a result of the repotting.
Keep in mind, however, that repotting alone won’t suddenly start growing buds on your dead Thanksgiving cactus.
You’ll need to pair this strategy with others such as providing your plant with periods of darkness and cooler temperatures in order to see favorable results.
Final Words
To see your Thanksgiving cactus bloom again once it has already bloomed is a serious wish. If you really want to make it come true, serious commitment and effort will be needed from your side.
You must provide the cactus with the right blooming conditions like optimal lighting, lower temperatures, and adjusted watering practices. In one way or the other, everything will pretty much be in your hands. It’s up to you to pull the right strings and adjust based on what results follow.
