Christmas Cactus Soil Requirements
In its native Brazil, the Christmas cactus has very specific growing conditions. It’s an epiphyte, meaning it grows on the trunks of larger trees and gains most of its moisture from the air. It sinks its roots into decomposing leaves and debris resting on the sides of trees. It also draws some moisture from this makeshift soil, but because of its small volume and position high in the air, this soil dries out easily even with daily rainfall. This means that the best soil for Christmas cactus is extremely well draining.
How to Make a Potting Mix for Christmas Cactus
You can buy commercial potting mixes for cacti that will ensure good drainage. With just a little effort, however, you can make your own. The easiest medium requires three parts regular potting soil mixed with two parts perlite. This will provide perfectly adequate drainage. If you’d like to take it a step further, mix equal parts compost, perlite, and milled peat. Water your Christmas cactus whenever the soil is dry – try not to let the soil dry out completely, but don’t let water stand in the pot or the saucer underneath. Drainage is much more important than water volume. Used to growing in small nooks on trees, the Christmas cactus likes being slightly root bound. Plant it in a pot that provides just a little room for growth, and transplant it no more frequently than every three years.
