How to Care for a Thanksgiving Cactus

The crab cactus is nicknamed the Thanksgiving cactus because it flowers between November and January, around the holiday season, and requires little sunlight during its flowering period to produce beautiful blooms. Caring for the Thanksgiving cactus is similar to caring for other cacti, as it does not require excessive amounts of water to thrive and instead needs plenty of air to bloom healthily.

Pruning shears

10-10-10 fertilizer

Place the plant is a room that receives indirect sunlight during the day.

Water the plant's soil when the soil is extremely dry. The cactus can withstand a lack of moisture and can wilt if over-watered. Add water to the soil until it moist, but not soggy, to the touch.

Move the cactus in the fall to a cool room that is dark from the evening until the early morning to promote flowering. The Thanksgiving cactus needs a dark environment that is no hotter than 65 degrees Fahrenheit during September and October, before it starts flowering.

Limit watering to every other week during February and March, after the flowers have fallen off the cactus and the plant is in its resting period. Increase watering during the summer.

Dip your pruning shears in isopropyl alcohol to sterilize them, and clip the top of the cactus' stems to pinch back the plant. Pinching back, which you should do between April and June, sends a signal to the cactus to regenerate the clipped area, which occurs in September and October in preparation for new flowers.

Fertilize the plant every two weeks during April through June to promote growth. The fertilizer should be balanced to 10-10-10 formula.