einahpets
Norco
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 1:42 am Post subject: How to get Christmas Cactus to produce roots? |
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My husband's aunt recently gave me some shoots from a Christmas cactus that was very special to my husband's grandmother. I desperately want to grow one in her memory, but the shoots won't root. The aunt told me to wrap them in damp paper towels, which I did, but nothing is happening. The shoots are still plenty healthy (it's been a couple of weeks).
Should I try another method to get them to produce roots, and if so, what is the best way?
moderator's note: added a more descriptive title to topic
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toni
 Administrator
Plants Moderator
Regular Plants Contributor
North Texas, Zone 8a
Posts: 11241
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| Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 1:49 am Post subject: |
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Usually I just stick them about halfway down in a pot of potting soil and they root just fine.
Someone else may have other ways of doing it tho.
_________________
To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with Spring ----
George Santayana
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einahpets
Norco
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 3:56 am Post subject: |
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Thanks Toni! I have a few shoots. She gave me some just in case a couple didn't work out. I'll put one in a pot tomorrow and see what happens.
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fish_4_all
Zone 8-9 Washington
Posts: 547
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| Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 10:08 pm Post subject: |
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How is it doing?
Both water and soil have worked really well for me without doing anything special at all. I now have 5 new starts from simply taking the last leaf off and potting it about 1/2 inch into the soil. So far I have not lost a single start putting them in soil. Just remember to water properly and you should be fine.
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einahpets
Norco
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 10:50 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for asking, fish, but the starts didn't make it. I must have got to them too late. Hubby's aunt said there are some small, established plants still at grandma's house. They're from the original plant that I got my starts from. His aunt said I'm welcome to take one of those, so I think I'm going to do that.
I'm not exactly the world's biggest fan on them... it's just a matter of keeping grandma's memory with us. That was one of her favorite bushes. 
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JoyfulC
Eastern Ontario - Canada
Posts: 4
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| Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 5:56 pm Post subject: |
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Sometimes they can take a long time. A friend gave me three cuttings, and I wasn't having any luck getting them to root or grow new. In fact, unfortunately, my friend died some months later! For that reason, I couldn't bring myself to stop watering these woeful little cuttings stuck in a pot! Then one day, they just took off. The only thing different was I moved the pot to a sunny south-facing window over a radiator -- the extra light and heat might have played a role. It took nearly a year, though. They didn't die, but they weren't doing anything either during that time.
..Christine..
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