There’s something magical about a Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgessii) bursting into vibrant blooms in the middle of winter.
Most people know it as a December delight, often gifted during the holidays and treasured for its seasonal color. But my grandmother’s Christmas cactus? It didn’t just bloom once a year – it bloomed twice.
One round of flowers would arrive right on cue in December, and then, just when most people’s plants were settling into leaf-only mode, hers would explode again with blossoms in early spring.
Growing up, I thought it was just luck – maybe she had a special plant or “magic hands” for gardening. But one day, she shared her secret with me. It wasn’t luck at all. It was a precise routine, a small trick, and a little homemade booster that made the difference.
Understanding the Christmas Cactus Bloom Cycle
Before we dive into Grandma’s trick, you need to know how these plants decide when to flower.
Christmas cacti are short-day bloomers, meaning they need:
Cooler night temperatures (50–60°F / 10–15°C)
Extended darkness (12–14 hours of complete darkness each night)
Even moisture without waterlogging
High humidity similar to their native rainforest habitat
These conditions signal to the plant that it’s time to produce flower buds. In nature, this happens once a year in late fall.
But by replicating these cues twice in one calendar year, you can trick the plant into blooming twice.
Grandma’s Month-by-Month Blooming Plan
January – February: Post-Holiday Recovery
Remove spent flowers and trim back any leggy growth.
Water sparingly – just enough to keep the soil slightly moist.
Keep the plant in bright but indirect light.
No fertilizer – allow a short rest.
March – April: Growth Stage
Increase watering slightly.
Feed monthly with a balanced fertilizer (20-20-20 or 10-10-10).
Rotate the pot every week so the plant grows evenly.
Prune by pinching off one or two segments from each stem to encourage branching.
May – June: Summer Energy Building
Move outdoors to a shady patio or under a tree where it gets bright, indirect light.
Water consistently, keeping soil lightly moist.
Feed every two weeks with balanced fertilizer.
July – August: Pre-Bloom Conditioning
Switch to a bloom booster fertilizer (10-30-10) every two weeks.
Keep humidity high – group with other plants or use a pebble tray.
September – October: First Bloom Induction
Begin the dark treatment – 12–14 hours of total darkness each night for 6–8 weeks.
Maintain cool nighttime temperatures (55–60°F).
Water only when the top inch of soil is dry.
November – December: First Bloom
Bring the plant back into bright, indirect light.
Keep evenly moist while buds open.
Avoid moving the plant – bud drop can occur if the environment changes suddenly.
January: Rest Phase
Light watering, no fertilizer.
Keep in cool, bright conditions.
February – March: Grandma’s Second Bloom Trick
This is where the magic happens.
Instead of letting the plant rest for months, my grandma would start the bloom induction process again in February.
Return to the dark treatment for another 6–8 weeks.
Keep nights cool, days bright.
Use her homemade bloom booster tea every two weeks (recipe below).
By April, buds would form again for a second round of flowers.
Grandma’s Homemade Bloom Booster
This was her “secret ingredient” that seemed to make buds form faster and more abundantly.
Ingredients:
see continuation on next page
