13 November 2012

'Tis the Season

we gather together to join this pair in unified potrimony

About four years ago, I trimmed our wonderfully productive Christmas cacti back to manageable size, and I planted cut branches of different plants in pots together, hoping to have bouquet-like containers of mixed varieties the following winter.

Seven of the new little pots were given as gifts. Only one recipient has reported back the project was successful, and blossoms of differing hues were achieved.

Three of the new little pots went with me to work, where they spent the last four years wondering when they'd get to go back home, apparently. I attributed their failure to bloom or even grow to the massive amount of office light they were blasted with around the clock all year long.

One year, we tried putting them beneath my desk throughout the month of October, and nothing happened. The following year, we put them in boxes and put them beneath the desk, this time for two whole months. Nothing happened.

Now my work group is preparing to move to a new floor, and all personal items had to be taken home until after the move.

Home came the Christmas cacti.

Tiny little buds began forming the very next week!!!!!!!!!! In early October!!!

So I'm keeping all the Christmas cacti at home now. Happily!

Color My World

pre-Halloween Christmas display

first one of the year

2nd one of the year

next...

tip of the iceberg

seasonal glory

Forecast for White!

baby, baby, baby

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas Cactus

16 comments :

  1. Those are really wonderful shots!!. I like your perspective of looking , and cut this photo. glad to look at your whole lovely blog too.

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    1. Thank you, Lily! I'm so glad you stopped by!

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  2. I have both a Christmas, & Thanksgiving cactus...I recently posted about the blooms on my Thanksgiving Cactus..first time since I had it that it bloomed near the correct Holiday..My
    Christmas Cactus is not in bloom. I've read that they need a certain amount of light not to much though to bloom. I've kept mine dryer too, I don't know if that had anything to do with it..but it's bloomin? I like the idea of the several different kinds in one pot...that is how new things are created....your is lovely...they really are pretty..

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    1. Thanks, Faith! I'm going to be able to make a few more pots of multiple colors in a few months because they all grew so big this year. As far as I know, I've not been successful in getting all five colors I have into one pot, but I do have two pots with two colors each!

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  3. Oh my goodness- guess who's coming to town! That's the quote I'd give your first most lovely and highly secretive photo. If I'm not mistaken, or maybe I'm just hoping, I do believe that is (don't tell anyone!) let them guess, but you know who that hat belongs to! Even if I'm not right- you made my imagination go wild-Thanks! Ho! Ho! HO!

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    1. Thanks, Karen! That is the top of my stocking in that first shot, so you weren't very far off. I am beginning to get a little anxious for the season now...

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  4. Beautiful! I love Christmas cactus...they are just so pretty. Your is amazing.

    Blessings always

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    1. Thank you, Stitchy! I think Christmas cacti are incredibly intelligent. They know the perfect time to bloom!

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  5. Gosh, kinda makes you wonder what's in the air at the office.... it's obviously healthier at your place! (So are you going to take them back to work when the move is done?)

    I LOVE that last photo.

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    1. Ha! Sawdust and dust at the moment! Well, and paint fumes, glue fumes, and dust. Nope, all the Christmas cactus get to stay with me at home now. They are much happier there. I'll figure out something else to put in my new space, something that thrives on tons of light...

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  6. They used to think it was the darkness that triggered Christmas Cactus to bloom. Turns out, however, that it is when the days start growing shorter that triggers them. Probably when you took them home, they were in a more normal environment where the lights weren't on all the time but they got normal light and dark. I love your idea of putting more than one color in a pot. Think I may have to try that, but I need a third color. Right now I just have red and pink. :)

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    1. That makes sense, Marigold. I think I read somewhere the temperature has something to do with it, too, and they had an extremely controlled environment at work. I can't keep my house that steady, especially in winter! So they're getting just a week bit cool at night!

      I wish you lived closer. I'd bring you a couple of apricot and salmon cuttings this weekend!

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  7. I've used a closet at work to get more blooms

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    1. Cool that you were successful, especially if work was in the classroom so the kids could learn about it, too!

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  8. Hey girl, seems like you have a green thumb with plants as well as chrochet and knitting. I love anything in nature. My house used to be a jungle, but have moved around so much I now have NO plants. I will take one of your Christmas Cacti if you would send it to me. And any other cuttings of any plants. My new apartments is in desperate need of GREEN. This is my favorite site and anytime I go online this is about the first one I go to. You are amazing and a gift from God to share your patterns to all of us. God Bless and have a safe Holiday

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    1. If I remember correctly, you live right here in Colorado, so after this year's blooms are done and I begin trimming the longest branches, I foresee a trip up your way to deliver a pot of newly cut and planted Christmas cacti of many colors!

      Thank you, and you have a wonderful holiday, too!

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