So some of my newer truncatas are budding again after dropping their buds! That's kind of exciting. What isn't exciting is the window they were in iced over inside-- and so did the wall! So I had to move them until tomorrow when I can put them back.

Well that's cool. Um, the buds, not the ice. We had icy windows the morning too, 58 at 6 AM but up to 62 in here now. The TC's don't look as shivery as me!

I'm not seeing any buds yet on the couple small true CC cuttings I have. Don't think I'll get any yet.

We're still frigid and terrible It was 24 this morning and I think it's supposed to peak in the 30s today. Friday is supposed to have a high of 55. My wall/window has thawed though, so that's a plus!

Awesome sunshine & 43 outside at the moment. Shine, baby, shine! Cold air is slow to warm in the house, especially after losing power for an hour last night. Should be able to catch up tomorrow, one more morning of visible breath in the closed-off parts of the house.

These recent cuttings look fantastic though. Some seem to be rooted already, resistance.

Nice! I have some (the white x buckleyii ones which are clearly more truncata.. lol) that are not rooting at all. They also are not dying. They are just in a kind of holding pattern.

Sending good vibes!!

May I ask a question please?

I saw an add in the Burgess seed and Plant cataglog showing a "Rare Yellow Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesil) ..It also said "This rare Christmas Cactus is a real breakthrough. Delicate, lemony yellow, jewel like blossoms appear in December and bloom through February Very hard to find" $3.99 each.

I do not know about S. bridgesil and would like to know more about them. Do you have a link you could lead me to?

S. bridgesii is a synonym of S. x buckleyii.
This plant?
http://www.eburgess.com/detail...
It's a very fuzzy drawing (not sure why anyone found that necessary) but the points on the leaves are indicative of S. truncata. Yellow TC's are not hard to find at BBSs.

Thank you. I have never noticed that being used before. I first thought it was a typo, but then I decided to ask. I have had a pale yellow for years but mine is a definite S. truncata and they certainly are plenty of them for sale all over. For some reason this year that color was popular among collectors. Thanks again.

Yeah, I forgot who I was talking to for a minute, sorry. This is all a good example of the trouble caused when they change plant names.

There are other Schlums besides TC and CC. Don't you wish they would sell some of those too?!

Hello again,
I have a problem when they sell these plants without a cultivar and just use a color as their "common name". Kind of makes you wonder where they got them. If someone gives me a noid I usually give it the persons name and the color for my records. Also mark the plants so I do not confuse them with the others.

My friend works at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens and has taught me so much. Last year he sent me a dozen different S. Brazil.He has a wonderful collection. He just showed me the first bloom he had on his S. Kautskyi...I wish I had room for all the beautiful colors out there I will not be shipping until March and therefore I have time to look at catalogs and see if I can find anything different for him and me of course. That is how I came upon the one in question. (this is really a hobby for me rather than a business) I just love my plants. Sorry, I am rambling.Time to stop. Have a good day and thanks again for the information.

Better a bit late than never for my schlumbergera, happy to see a bloom come out fully before we leave for a month long trip! Woohoo! Hopefully the other container will try to show a little more too!

Pretty color!

Lovely flower...color is great.

Very nice!

Beautiful sunset in your avatar, Julianna

I love Christmas/Easter/Holiday Cactus! I bought some plugs on eBay last year. I put them around an existing plant that has grown there for years. The plugs have died out slowly. Please tell me how much water they need and how often. There is a heat vent above them which is somewhat diverted by a pothos. The cactus looks a little wilted. I pulled off dried out leaves from the tops and tossed them in the trash. I am wrapping the remainder in plastic for now and usually misting once a day. I know it needs fertilizer, but not sure when. (On the good side I do have one white bud and have had about 4 reddish flowers from the big central cactus.)

They are kept in a window ledge pot in a north window. There are large evergreens about 15 - 20 feet away from the window. The window is well insulated. My husband is particular about those things. Suggestions please!

And JB I would like to purchase/trade that orange cactus but imagine it is too cold for awhile.

Leda, although the common name is 'cactus,' these plants come from the rain forest, so would never dry out in nature. There is high humidity, plants constantly guttating, prolific dew dripping every morning, rains often. They are epiphytic, meaning that they grow up in the canopy of trees, where the roots would mostly be in the air, with moisture flowing past often. So in a pot, a mix that is very chunky with air between the particles is what is needed so they don't rot while being watered often enough that they don't dry out.

I wonder if a north window is enough light?

Tiffany,

You are always so nice to answer my questions. While I knew they were not a true cactus, I had no idea they were from the rain forest. That puts a whole new light on the picture and I have some new words for my vocabulary. I am wondering about the light factor too, since they used to bloom there but now the evergreens we planted more than 20 years ago add shade.

Well guess I'll shuffle plants around today and then clean, no - wait a minute - first I'll shuffle and then I will clean. I always make mud soup while shuffling. (That is true but a good excuse too!)

Thank you,
Leda

Tif, I have most of my stock plants away from then direct sunlight, they are back from the direct light,some are at Northern windows. I agree with all you say because I try and remember where these babies actually come from and go from there. In this case, Schlumbergera species grow in habitats which are generally cool, shaded and high humidity.

In my situation, I am not looking for them to bloom unless they get the urge. I use them for cuttings and I am more interested in the larger healthy plant. I do however, if I want them to bloom give them more light in late Sept. early October. Mine are blooming in the house now and they started to bloom off and on since October. They seem to know when to bloom even without being moved but my house has so many windows they get plenty of daylight hours year round and I go to bed early so they get their required amount of darkness also. The greenhouse plants are resting and not blooming.They are in a full day of filtered sun when the sun shines.

Didn't mean to butt in here, I am just thinking outloud and reinforcing what you were saying.