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Candy the Christmas Cactus

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Candy the Christmas Cactus

Postby QinNortham » Thu Feb 27, 2014 2:07 pm

Help please. We have a CC, affectionately known as Candy. When I first got together with Mr GKW just over 16 years ago she consisted of one forlorn frond. With a little nurture she soon produced a beautiful pink flower but that was just the start, she is now enormous, maybe 1m across and flowers in time for Christmas every year. During the summer we put her out in a sheltered spot in the garden. Once she has settled back in the house I start to gradually feed her with a mix of water & skimmed milk. We would like to split her so we have Candy & the Candettes. My local Garden Shop said it was probably a no go but something has to be done because she is taking over the dining room. Any advice would be most welcome. :crossed

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Re: Candy the Christmas Cactus

Postby Stokey Sue » Thu Feb 27, 2014 3:37 pm

As Christmas Cacti grow from a central rosette I think splitting may be a no go as I doubt she'd like her central point dividied and the fibrous bits might not spring back

However they are the easiest things in the world to propagate

Just take off the top three sections of a frond, let the end dry off overnight, push the bottom segment halfway into a small pot of gritty compost, water and leave on a suitable window sill

They do look as if they are dying,then suddnly take off

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Re: Candy the Christmas Cactus

Postby Happy Violas » Thu Feb 27, 2014 7:21 pm

Any particular reason why you feed with skimmed milk? Not something I've heard of or would consider and I'm now curious....!

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Re: Candy the Christmas Cactus

Postby QinNortham » Thu Feb 27, 2014 8:17 pm

Stokey, many thanks for that, make utter sense. We'll give it a go.

Happy, no real idea where this came from but it works! Skimmed milk because that's what we have but I do dilute with water. However when we were in Vermont last year we went here:
http://www.shelburnefarms.org/ If you check out the link you will see they make cheese (some of it rather good), talking to one of the cheese makers he said they use the whey to feed the pasture (very lush) on which the cows graze so maybe not such a silly thing to do. Obviously I only use for house plants.

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