Decembrist – how to achieve abundant flowering?

I have many exotic plants at home. Carried away by them, I lost sight of the traditional ones, so to speak. Once I went to a neighbor and was shocked by the luxurious cascade of pale pink tiered flowers of the Decembrist. Of course, soon I had a scion, which quickly gave roots. I was looking forward to the winter bloom, but the numerous buds suddenly crumbled. I did not look for a reason for long, it turned out to be offensively banal. Now I know what kind of care to provide for the Decembrist so that it blooms profusely. I will gladly share the secrets of growing it in this article.

Decembrist – how to achieve abundant flowering?
Contents:

Why do we love the Decembrist?

Today, any plant can be purchased from flower shops or ordered online. And in the old days, most flowers were obtained in the form of shoots from friends. And the Decembrist, whose care is not difficult, was one of the most common types in the apartments of Soviet citizens. Thanks to its unpretentiousness, he perfectly took root in clinics, libraries, and in campaign corners.

This is the houseplant that actually bears the name schtumberger (Schlumbergera), literally woven from contradictions:

  1. Refers to cactus, but does not have thorns.
  2. It blooms in winter when other plants are dormant.
  3. In nature, it grows like an epiphyte on other taller plants, and at home it takes root well in ordinary soil.
  4. Does not like abundant watering, but loves a warm shower.
  5. It has fragile segmented processes, but feels more comfortable as an ampelous plant.

The highlands of Brazil are considered the birthplace of the Decembrist. There, under the shade of tropical trees, amazing plants bloom, not tied to the soil. Surprisingly, Schlumbergera perfectly adapted to indoor conditions and became the favorite of many flower growers.

Yes, the Decembrist is relatively unpretentious in care and growing conditions, tolerates irregular watering well, blooms very beautifully in the midst of winter, but has its own small weaknesses. If some rules of care are violated, the Decembrist will not bloom or in a short time will drop the buds and already opened flowers.

Read more about the types of the Decembrist in the article by Schlumberger – the good old Christmas tree, or the Decembrist.

Decembrist – care and conditions

Watering

In nature, these types of plants receive a very meager portion of moisture. After heavy rains, the water evaporates quickly. Those who have not managed to create an internal reserve do not live long. Therefore, the Decembrist has fleshy segments in which vital moisture is retained.

Water the flower sparingly, no more than 1 time per week at rest. During flowering, you will have to focus on its needs. As soon as the ground has dried 3-4 cm deep, it means it’s time to moisturize.

Attention! You cannot fill the flower. It rots quickly, starting from the roots. Schlumberger is better off not refilling than pouring.

It is much more useful to combine scanty watering with settled water with daily humidification using a spray bottle.

Lighting

In memory of his former life, the Decembrist prefers diffused lighting or even light shading. In winter, he lives quietly on the windowsill, without requiring additional protection. The eastern and northeastern sides are more suitable for him.

For the Decembrist, eastern and northeastern window sills are more suitableFor the Decembrist, eastern and northeastern window sills are more suitable

Temperature

The temperature range that the plant withstands during the period of active growth is quite large. It keeps within + 18 … + 30 degrees. It tolerates temperature fluctuations without problems.

The rest period

The Decembrist (in leaving this must be taken into account) goes into hibernation at the beginning of September. During the dormant period, it looks more or less “decent” – it does not shed its leaves, remaining just a green decorative bush. The intensity of the color decreases, acquiring a yellowish tint, the veins on the segments stand out more prominently. Otherwise, it retains its familiar appearance.

Taking care of his health, I try to shade the window, limiting the access of the sun during this period. But the most important thing to worry about is to lower the temperature of the plant. As a rule, I do it by itself – in the fall the temperature outside gradually drops, and before the beginning of the heating season I have about 15 degrees on the windowsill. What a Schlumberger needs!

2 months of cool content is enough for her. At this time, I hardly water it and return to the usual watering only with the appearance of buds.

Feeding

If the plant is young and transplanting is carried out annually, then Schlumbergere’s supply of nutrients is quite enough for a year. But during the flowering period (to prolong it), you can use liquid fertilizers for cacti, such as Agricola, Pocon, Good Power.

Reproduction of the Decembrist

To get a new offshoot for the reproduction of the Decembrist, you do not need long preparation. It is enough just to break off the apical fragment of the branch containing at least 3 segments.

Important! During the flowering period, the plant cannot be cuttings.

It is most practical to combine the preparation of cuttings with such a procedure for caring for the Decembrist as pruning. The plant stretches out rather quickly, acquiring a slightly shaggy appearance. After flowering, every year I pluck the bush, removing weakened, twisted, damaged and overly long segments.

Consider: the plant is not cut with a knife or scissors, but the excess parts are unscrewed, turning them around their axis.

If I was asked to share a shoot, then I choose a few pieces, put them on a sheet of paper in the same room for 1-2 days, and then plant them in yogurt cups with soil mixture for cacti. Cover with a transparent jar on top. Rooting occurs in 2-3 weeks. Watering is frequent, but not plentiful.

Decembrist is easy to cut and take rootThe Decembrist is easily cut and rooted. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Cactus

Why doesn’t the Decembrist bloom?

Although the Decembrist is considered not a picky plant to care for, sometimes he may not form buds at all or shed them. There may be several reasons:

  • excessive watering;
  • too dark location (usually inside the room);
  • too depleted soil (neglect of fertilizing during the flowering period);
  • the development of diseases (mainly rot);
  • the appearance of pests when the air is too dry.

The search for the cause is always carried out by the method of elimination. If the flower was timely transplanted into a new, more spacious pot, while the root system is in order, the leaves are clean, without signs of pests, then the lighting needs to be adjusted. Sometimes it is enough to increase the humidity or change the location of the flower, as it still begins to form buds.

Read also our article 10 best ampelous succulents.

But, as a rule, the main reason for the lack of flowering Schlumberger is the complete lack of rest. If the Decembrist has not been in low temperatures for at least a month and a half, you probably will not wait for flowering from him.

If the plant has picked up buds and began to shed them, then it may simply not be able to cope with their number, additional feeding is needed. But the most common reason is that the flower was moved to a new location.

With all his tolerance, the Decembrist does not accept moving during the budding and flowering period. Which is what happened to my handsome man. I didnโ€™t know about this feature and transferred the flower to the hall to admire its bizarre flowers there. It was a shame, but now I know that it is better not to touch him and let him bloom on the chosen windowsill.

The luxury of a delicate cloud of flowers looks especially touching against the background of snow-covered trees outside the window, and I sincerely enjoy this contrast. I wish you to celebrate the New Year holidays, admiring the flowering of the Decembrist.

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Anna Evans

Author โœ“ Farmer

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