TheNaturePlanet

When it comes to Christmas cacti, many aunties are likely to be most familiar with them. They can bloom beautifully every winter and spring. If cared for well, the flowering period can extend to nearly the Dog Days of summer. However, when the flowering period is over, you can help propagate the young seedlings of Christmas cacti through cuttings. The well-propagated young seedlings can also be given as small gifts to relatives and friends.
Generally speaking, there are many methods for cutting Christmas cacti. Among them, the most suitable one for home cuttings is undoubtedly the "Comb Method". Specifically, a disposable plastic comb given in hotels during travels can be used, or you can also use an old comb that you no longer use for simple cuttings. This method is highly efficient and can propagate at least 50 leaves each time. Then, you need to prepare a basin of clean water, a clean bowl or cup that can hold water, and of course, a pot of healthy Christmas cacti. Once everything is ready, pick some healthy leaves from the Christmas cactus pot, giving priority to thick, green, and strong leaves. Because the thinner and paler leaves have a low rooting rate, and even if they can grow later, their growth status will be relatively poor.
Generally, the leaves of Christmas cacti are easy to pick. Just gently shake them left and right a few times, and the leaves will naturally fall off. Just insert the picked leaves in the gaps of the teeth of the prepared comb in order, and it's done. The point to note here is that the bottom of the leaves should be on the same side of the comb. Finally, fill the bowl or cup with clean water, place the comb on the rim of the bowl, and just make sure the bottom slightly touches the water.
The well-cutting propagated young seedlings of Christmas cacti will naturally take root in about 15 days. When there are more than 3 stems at the bottom of the leaves, they can be removed from the comb and transplanted into small flowerpots to continue growing. Then, when transplanting, choose a flowerpot with a diameter of about 10 - 15 centimeters. The buried depth is approximately 1/2 - 1/3 of the leaves. A small flowerpot like this can hold up to about 9 young seedlings. Finally, when the young seedlings are not yet strong, try to avoid direct sunlight and place them in a ventilated area with scattered light. After another 15 days or so, they can return to the normal care of Christmas cacti.