The Epiphyllum cactus is a native plant of Brazil that grows on the sides and forks of trees among the foliage of the rainforests. It produces beautiful flowers that typically open in the evening and bloom for a few days. Growing the Epiphyllum cactus outside its natural habitat is fairly straightforward, but it requires special attention to temperature, light and weather conditions. The following steps will show you how to grow it.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Plant the Cactus
Step 1. Get the cuttings
You can buy them at a garden center or online site.
- Cactus cuttings are sections of a mature stem that are planted and used to grow a new plant.
- If you already have a strong and healthy Epiphyllum cactus, you can get the cuttings yourself. Choose a healthy leaf about 4 inches (10 cm) and cut off the stem under the base of the leaf. Repeat this process for all the cuttings you wish to have.
Step 2. Store the cuttings in a cool, dry place away from the sun for 10-14 days
The ideal places are the garden house, the bathroom or the cellar. Since the Epiphyllum cactus is a succulent plant, the cuttings can be stored for up to a month.
- Keeping them allows you to take care of them. The aim is to encourage the formation of calluses on the ends of the cut, which protect them from rot.
- If you purchased the cuttings and are not sure when they were cut from the plant, cure them for a week before planting them.
Step 3. Plant three cuttings in a 10cm diameter pot with a drainage hole in the center of the base
This allows the cactus to have adequate space to grow, while the drain hole prevents the plant from staying too long in the water.
- Plastic pots are more suitable than clay pots, as they allow the soil to retain moisture for a longer period of time.
- Choose the growing medium. This consists of three parts of topsoil mixed with one part of coarse non-organic materials such as perlite. Non-organic material should be 0.33 to 1.25 cm in diameter. You can also add 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of orchid bark to each pot.
- Alternatively, you can plant the cuttings directly in pure perlite. However, when the cuttings have developed roots, you will need to transfer them to a growing medium.
- Make sure the soil is always moist, but not too soggy. This will ensure fast and healthy growth.
Step 4. Avoid watering the cuttings until they are well rooted
If you water too early, they may rot.
- To check for rot, gently tug on each cut. If you feel resistance, that's fine, because it means the cut is taking root. In this case you can start watering it.
- If the cutting starts to rot, remove it from the pot and cut off the decomposed part, heal and pot it again.
Part 2 of 3: Caring for the Cactus
Step 1. Decide where to grow the cactus
Unless you live somewhere with a warm climate, where temperatures rarely drop below 10 ° C, your cactus will do best indoors or in a heated greenhouse.
- If you plant it outside, you will need to avoid it being exposed to direct sunlight. Under a tree or a wooden trellis that filters the light would be ideal.
- If you keep it indoors or in a greenhouse, be sure to provide the plant with enough moisture (moderate / high) by for example placing the pot on a tub filled with gravel and some water.
Step 2. Place the Epiphyllum cactus in hanging pots in filtered sunlight
- This plant grows best in hanging containers and this also provides a good foundation for cascading growth. Furthermore, being suspended, it is less likely to be reached by snails, its main parasites.
- A place under a tree, under a fabric or pergola structure that provides shade, guarantees the right amount of light. If you grow them in direct sunlight, the cacti could burn. If, on the other hand, the area is too shaded, the plants can become excessively lush and fail to produce flowers. Also, the long stem does not get strong enough to hold the cacti erect, which could cause them to fall and suffer damage.
- If possible, choose walls or eaves that face east or north for the best light.
- Make sure the cacti get good air circulation, but protect them from thunderstorms and strong winds. If the wind is too strong the hanging baskets can swing against each other and the long stems could move excessively with the risk of breaking.
Step 3. Water the plants every 2 or 3 days or daily in warm weather
The soil should never be completely dry, but neither should it remain too wet after watering.
- Check the soil regularly to see if water needs to be added.
- When watering, be sure to add enough water so that excess water comes out of the drainage holes. In this way you rinse the earth and prevent the accumulation of soluble salts.
Step 4. Fertilize lightly with a slow release fertilizer
Epiphyllum cactus blooms best when given light fertilizer consistently.
- Feed it regularly whenever you wet it from May to late August. After this period, however, add the fertilizer only to alternate irrigations.
- Use only a third, or at most half, the amount of fertilizer that is recommended on the label. The cactus grows naturally in relatively nutrient-poor environments, so it doesn't require a lot of supplements for healthy growth.
- During the winter, fertilize with a low or no nitrogen fertilizer. Use a 2-10-10 or 0-10-10 formulation. Once the flowering season is over, you can apply a fertilizer with a balanced formulation such as 10-10-10 or 5-5-5.
Step 5. Relocate the cactus to warm areas when the weather is too harsh
Frost and prolonged temperatures below 4.5 ° C are harmful to the Epiphyllum cactus.
- Cover the plant with a blanket or cardboard box to give it better protection. It is a delicate plant that suffers from hail, which, even if it cannot break the stems, can however cause unsightly scars in every point where it strikes.
- The best time to plant the cactus is in the period from April to September. This ensures a warm and sunny atmosphere while avoiding direct sunlight, which could hinder growth.
Step 6. Repot the plants after 1 to 2 years
Changing the growing medium allows you to restore the nutrients that have been absorbed by the cacti.
- It is the size of the plant that determines when it needs to be repotted. A plant that is growing well and is starting to overgrow in the pot it is in will need to be moved to a larger pot, while if it stays small it can stay in the same pot for longer.
- Use 17.5 - 20cm diameter plastic pots with drainage holes and growing soil.
- Wrap newsprint around the stem of each plant to avoid damage.
- Hang the plant around the base of the stem, turn it upside down, and carefully place the pot against a hard surface such as the underside of a plank to loosen any soil from inside the pot. Gently pull the pot away from the plant and remove the old earth.
- Examine the roots. If they show signs of rot or any other damage, cut them away as close to the plant as possible.
- Don't be discouraged if the flowers don't appear; Epiphyllum cactus does not flower until it reaches pot size, which usually occurs 3 to 4 years after planting the cutting.
Part 3 of 3: Pruning and Pest Control
Step 1. Disinfect the scissors with a solution of bleach and water
This prevents the cactus from catching diseases or other infections that would affect its growth.
Use 10% diluted bleach and add equal parts to the water
Step 2. Cut the flowers when they wilt
Make the cut just below the flower head.
Pruning all the dead parts of the plant not only improves its appearance but also encourages new growth and healthy flowering
Step 3. Cut off the broken, dead and diseased stems near where they sprout from the main stem
When you see a stem that you need to remove, follow it along the base and make a straight cut, just beyond the attachment with the main stem.
- Disinfect shears immediately after cutting off diseased or dead stems. This avoids transmitting the disease to the whole plant.
- It is best to think that the death of each stem was caused by a disease. Disinfecting tools after each pruning may require more bleach, but it will keep the cactus healthy and beautiful.
Step 4. Remove any long stems that can upset the balance of the plant
Locate the main stem and cut it at the base.
These stems to be cut are generally found along the outer edges. Remove them as needed until the plant takes on a fairly uniform shape
Step 5. Check the cactus for signs of mealybug, pest and mite infestations
Snails are fairly simple to spot and remove (you can use a snail bait that you can easily find on the market), but insects require specific measures to prevent them from infesting the plant.
- Mealybugs have a cottony, waxy and white appearance. They are slow in movement and usually cluster along the veins or spines of the cactus, on the underside of the leaves and in the hidden areas of the branches.
- The mealybugs resemble shells in the shape of a small dome, a little fluffy. They stick to the stems and leaves, but can be removed.
- Spider mites are difficult to see with the naked eye, but the signs of infestation are cobwebs and small brown dots, particularly on the younger growth zone. If you touch the infested area with a piece of white paper, these pests look like dust.
- These are insects that tend to suck the sap of the plant, consequently weakening it and making it shriveled and shriveled. Severe infestations can also result in the death of the plant. The first signs are stickiness or black mold on or near the plant.
Step 6. Remove mealybugs and all pests with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol
You can also spray the plant with a solution of 1 part water and 3 parts alcohol.
If you spray the plant with a spray bottle, you get better results in the fight against infestations of spider mites and other insects that are otherwise difficult to catch. However, be careful, as you could damage the outer layer of the cactus. Test a small area before spraying the whole plant
Step 7. Use insecticidal soap to coat the entire plant
You can buy it at major gardening stores or home improvement stores.
Be careful because even this treatment can damage the cactus. Since this plant has oils and waxes that make it delicate and sensitive, it is best to implement it sparingly, testing it in a small area before covering the entire cactus
Step 8. Spray insecticides to kill insects and stop severe infestations
Apply insecticides such as Neem or pyrethrin-based if the bugs are visible. Systemic insecticides, such as Imidacloprid or Acefate are the best to control the most difficult parasites to defeat with less aggressive remedies.
Always read the label to know how much you need to use and if prolonged use is safe
Step 9. Quarantine new seedlings when they are infested
Remember that the infestation is not only harmful, it is contagious and will spread from plant to plant until it is stopped.
Check all new plants carefully if you notice any of the bugs mentioned above. If you are absolutely sure they are free of infestations, keep them in an area away from infected plants. If you find pests on new plants it may be easier to totally eliminate them rather than treat them, in order to save time, money and effort
Advice
- Use a slow-release fertilizer to enhance blooms. In winter, use a low or no nitrogen solution, such as a 2-10-10 or a 0-10-10. After the flowering season, add nitrogen to the potting soil with a 10-10-10 or 5-5-5 solution. Apply only about one third of the recommended amount on the product label to simulate the natural environment of the Epiphyllum cactus, with low nutrients.
- Plant a minimum of 3 cuttings of the same variety in a 17.5-20cm pot for faster flowering.
