Sunday, January 8, 2012

Christmas Cactus cuttings

This winter I have been noticing Christmas Cactus everywhere.  Lush plants with vibrant blossoms brightening up whatever room they are in.

guide-to-houseplants.com

Cactus, Christmas Wht

So I decided to scope out some cuttings.  I hit up my mom for some from her plant and then I thought to look on eBay. 

Did I get a shocker!  Here I am thinking there is just the plain ol regular ones I have been seeing about and I learn there are all kinds of named varieties, new ones that are bred and sold at premium prices.  (a new and rare one on eBay went for over $100 and it was just a itty bitty thing, cuttings went for $25) 

I avoided the costlier ones and looked for unusual (to me) cuttings at a reasonable price.  I found a seller that was in CA so there would not be any shipping issues (tough Calif import rules for plants) and purchased these cuttings:

Christin

christin

Melissa

melissa

Nicole

nicole

Exotic Dancer

exoticdancer

I can highly recommend this seller, she was conscientious, generous and the cuttings were top notch.

Here is her seller info on eBay if you wish some cuttings for yourself. 

Seller information

Member id leftcoastphotos ( Feedback Score Of 401Teal star icon for feedback score in between 100 to 499)
100% Positive feedback
 
As soon as my cuttings arrived I hurried to the garden center and picked up a package of cactus potting mix and potted them up.
 
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The seller included the name tags to add to the pot which was an unexpected bonus that I appreciate. I placed two cuttings in each pot so when they take off I will have one plant to keep and one to share.
 
DSC_0005
 
I placed them all on this tray and watered them in.   Then I covered them to keep the humidity in. 
 
DSC_0001
 
Now they reside on a table by a window in my living room.  I spritz them now and then and hold my breath.  It will be awhile before I see new growth but time does fly by.
 
The past few days I have been prepping for tax time.  My husband was gone on a business trip so I made the most of his absence by clearing out the home office we share and reorganizing the space.  It is so much easier when he is not in it.
 
Then I tackled getting the accounts for our businesses updated, reconciled and ready for me to import to the tax software.  It would not be so much work if I kept up with them better but the past few years I have been more into running out and painting signs and building stuff than keeping up with bookkeeping chores. 
 
I spent a good portion of Saturday outside, reorganizing the greenhouse and searching high and low for my grow lights.  It will soon be time to start my seeds for the garden. My husband cleaned the garage last and does not remember where he stashed the lights. 

The weather has maintained status quo, dry, unseasonably warm, today in the 50’s and sunny.  Now if it would just rain all night to bring on the water then be mild and sunny once the sun comes up, I could have my cake and eat it too.

Now to work on some plans for another table, but instead of a work table for the studio I am going to make one for a buffet in my dining room.  Picture this narrower but the same length. 

DSCN0577
Now to decide if I want it to match my table in paint and stain colors (white with dark contrasting top) or what.

 Homebuilt Farm Table

signaturePamela




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15 comments:

  1. Wow! A couple I've never seen. Will have to look this gal up. TY for sharing & brightening my day.

    Have a beautiful week ~
    TTFN ~
    Marydon

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  2. Good luck with your Christmas cacti! Mine never bloomed. :(

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  3. Wow those can get pretty $$$. I hope all of yours make it. How pretty that would be! LOve that table ideas as well.

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  4. Pam, you picked some beautiful varieties of Christmas Cacti! Going to eBay to buy a Christmas Cactus would probably be the last thing that would have come to my mind, but obviously it works very well :-). The cuttings that you got look very healthy! Good luck with them!
    Christina

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  5. Thanks so much for this post - I love Christmas Cactus and had no idea there were so many varieties and all so much prettier than are usually offered at nurseries!

    Happy Cacti and Happy Rednesday,
    Sally

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  6. I would probably kill these innocent Christmas cacti! they look lovely.

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  7. Thanks for sharing your Christmas Cactus with Rednesday. Good Luck!

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  8. Hi I am new here! Now we will be on the lookout when those cuttings will bloom, maybe it is next December.

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  9. I have recently become aware of many new varieties as well. They make such a marvelous and easy to care for addition to the winter blooms in our home. Our oldest plant is over 100 years of age... Larry

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  10. I definitely do not have a green thumb but those are beautiful! I can't believe that some of the sellers can charge that much...wow!

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  11. I also have many different Christmas Cacti..
    one thing I found while doing a bit of
    research.. there are two. One is the Thanksgiving
    Cacti with points on the leaves and the other
    is Christmas Cacti with smooth sides.. interesting!
    It takes sometimes two seasons to get the first
    bloom..
    Nice Post
    Sandy

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  12. Wow! so pretty! I used to have these years ago. Need to look into the again. Thanks so much for all the info
    *hugs*deb

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  13. Aren't they all so pretty? I had no idea, first, that you could get them on eBay and secondly that there were so many varieties! And...I never thought about taking cuttings and making new plants. This was very informative and now I am dying to try!
    Mine bloomed early and there were no blooms for Christmas. lol!
    Thanks!
    Jil ♥

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  14. Those Christmas Cactus blooms are beautiful. My mother can grown Christmas Cacti like you wouldn't believe, but me---nope! Just can't grow them. Wishing you luck with your new plants. I also love your table--Can't wait to see what you do with it.

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  15. Wow, wonderful assortment! here in Ohio our christmas catus are known to bloom in June and October/Nov into Chriatmas. Have fun with your growing babies. 8o)
    Also, so glad you joined in at the Cottage Garden Party!

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