An unusual flower called "Decembrist" can hardly be called moody, although it, like all plants, has its own rules of care, including transplantation. If you transplant the flower incorrectly, you can seriously harm the plant and disrupt the flowering process. This article describes how to correctly determine the time of transplantation, describes the preparation and step-by-step instructions for transplanting Decembrists, as well as the features of caring for the plant and typical errors during this procedure.

How to determine if a flower needs a transplant

The Decembrist received such a name in honor of his flowering period - from early December to late January. However, this is not his only name. It is officially accepted to call a plant a zygocactus or a schlumberger. The people often call it a Christmas cactus, despite the fact that this flower has little in common with the usual prickly plants - although it belongs to epiphytic cacti, it does not have thorns, does not like the sun and needs constant moisture.If you properly care for the Decembrist, you can achieve a very attractive appearance and abundant flowering pleasing to the eye. However, for starters, you should still determine when exactly you need to transplant the flower.

There are several signs that a transplant is needed:

1. The most important and simple sign - This is a recent acquisition of a flower, after which there must be a transplant. In the store they are kept in peat, which is completely unsuitable for constant cultivation of a flower, but only for greenhouse conditions, so they need to be transplanted into a more suitable soil. This is especially true of the Decembrists, whose genus originates in Holland.
2. The roots begin to creep out noticeably - This is clear evidence that under these conditions the plant has already fully mastered and grown, so it urgently needs to be transplanted into a larger pot.

When can I transplant a Christmas

It is best to carry out this procedure in the spring, when the plant is actively gaining deciduous mass and, therefore, will easily survive the transplant. The soil depleted by this time will need to be updated, which will also be useful to the zygocactus itself. At other times of the year, that is, in summer and autumn, replacing a Christmas tree is also possible, however, it is still not recommended.

The transplant process itself is in any case stress for the plant, therefore, for its successful adaptation in the new environment, a whole complex of beneficially influencing factors is needed. If you transplant in the spring, then Decembrist will have about 6-7 months in reserve to get the necessary amount of heat and light, which means to recover for a new flowering period.

Transplant Preparation

Preparation of a zigocactus for transplantation includes several stages: the choice of capacity, tillage and the plant itself. It is important to take care of all this in advance to ensure the most comfortable conditions for the flower. To do this, you must first familiarize yourself with its requirements for the pot and soil. Let us dwell on each item in more detail.

Pot selection

The capacity in which the Christmas tree will grow is an important component of its growth and development. For a Decembrist, an ideal container would be a not very tall and deep pot, since the root system of the flower is superficial and does not reach the bottom. At the same time, a too spacious pot will provoke an intensive build-up of roots and green mass of zigocactus, which will prevent the formation and development of buds and will entail the absence of flowering.

Did you know? Under the natural habitat of Schlumberger pollinated by the smallest birds on the planet — hummingbird.

If you transplant the plant into too deep a container, this will lead to stagnation of water at the bottom and subsequently to swamping of the soil. The best option is to pick up a flowerpot only 2-3 cm larger than the previous one, while the material from which it is made does not play a special role. The most important thing is to have at least 1 drainage hole at the bottom of the pot.

Soil preparation

• Zigocactus also has its own preferences regarding soil:
• the soil must be loose and pass water well;
• the soil should be selected slightly acidic - the pH should not exceed 6.0;
• the earth must be saturated with organic matter.

In agricultural stores today there is a huge selection of ready-made soil mixtures. The most optimal option will be labeled "For cacti." The presence of various large inclusions in the soil is recommended - it may be brick chips, sand or pieces of coal. The most suitable nutrient mixture for Decembrist is usually turf land.

Important! Watering zigocactus at first is necessary only on moist soil, so as not to expose the plant to even more stress.

To disinfect the soil, it is necessary to add crushed coal, and to increase the impermeability - expanded clay. However, you can also make the soil yourself by selecting the necessary ingredients.The ideal composition for the Christmas tree is as follows:

• turf land - 5 parts;
• humus - 3 parts;
• sheet land - 2 parts;
• peat - 2 parts;
• crushed coal - 20%;
• brick chips - 20%.

Before planting a plant in a pot, it is necessary to create a layer of expanded clay drainage on its bottom, occupying 1/4 of the height of the tank. Subsequently, this will facilitate further care for the Decembrist and protect its roots from decay.

Flower processing

Before transplanting a Christmas tree to a new place, you should take care of its appearance - put the bush in order, thoroughly wash and wipe. First you need to trim the plant to give the bush a more attractive shape. However, it is important not to cut off the excess segments on the shoots, but to unscrew them manually. This will form a more lush and abundantly flowering bush with healthy large flowers.

Then the flower must be gently wiped with a brush and washed with warm water under the shower. In addition, it is recommended to process the windowsill, on which the Decembrist will grow, disinfecting it from harmful fungi and bacteria. Now the plant can be safely transplanted.

How to transplant Decembrist at home: step by step instructions

The Christmas transplant scheme is completely uncomplicated and will not take much time, however, for beginners, for the first time, you should still follow the prescribed rules so as not to injure the plant. With a step-by-step instructions for transplanting zigocactus, we suggest that you read below.

Video: Decembrist transplant

After the purchase

For the mandatory transplantation of Decembrists immediately after purchase you will need:

• clean and dry container for transplanting;
• suitable and pre-prepared soil;
• drainage;
• a coating for protection against dirt, which must be laid around the workplace;
• a sterile tool for removing damaged areas of the root system;
• special trowel for tilling the soil.

Did you know? Decembrist refers to long-lived flowers and with quality care can live up to 30 years.

Having prepared everything you need, you can safely proceed to the transplant:

1. First of all, fill 1/4 of the pot prepared for the Decembrist with a drainage layer. In order for it to be distributed more evenly, gently tap the container from the sides and slightly shake it.
2. Fill the remaining space with a new layer of soil so that it is no more than 1 cm high. Flatten.
3. Along the edges of the container in which Decembrists are currently growing, loosen the soil finely.
4. Take the Christmas tree out of the pot and carefully shake it off the old earth.
5. In case of damage to the root system, use a pre-prepared tool to fix the problem areas.
6. Roots must be washed carefully with water and allowed to dry.
7. Move the plant to a new pot, placing it in the center.
8. Holding the Decembrist at the base of the stem, fill the flowerpot with fresh soil. After that, try to set the plant evenly so that the crown forms evenly.
9. Gently compact the soil. It is especially not recommended to condense, as there is a high probability of injuring delicate roots.
10. During the process, sharply pushing the plant into the soil is strictly prohibited. At this stage, the pot does not need to be filled completely with the substrate - it is better to do this only after the first watering, when the soil settles down a bit.

During flowering

Blooming zigocactus can not be transplanted, and during this period the container with the plant is forbidden to turn to the light. The fact is that in itself this plant reacts quite sensitively to external stimuli, and even such a minor change as moving the pot to a new place can lead to the dropping of buds.

Similarly, it is undesirable to transplant a zygocactus before flowering, and in case of emergency it is best to do this a month before the formation of flowers. If the plant needs urgent rescue, for example, from a disease, then transplanting is still permissible, even taking into account the loss of buds.

Features of post-transplant care

The transplant procedure for the plant at first will be fraught with a negative consequence in the form of stress, so it is very important to provide the Decembrist with the most comfortable conditions, and first of all, peace. Features of care for zigocactus in this period are as follows:

1. The first 5 days after transplanting, the Christmas tree is forbidden to water. Only regular and plentiful spraying with warm water is allowed .;
2. Since the Decembrist needs rest, the container with the plant must be moved to a room with a temperature of no higher than +13 ° C and not brought to the source of heat and light at first.
3. Feeding is also necessary for some time to stop. Like watering, this procedure also returns gradually.
4. After the Christmas tree more or less adapts to the new situation, it is recommended to pinch the shoots to form additional branches, which in the future will contribute to a more intensive creation of buds.

Flower propagation

After giving the plant a rest, you can try to propagate it. This procedure is absolutely no difficulty and can be performed in 2 ways: in water or in the ground. Having unscrewed the cuttings with several new areas, they need to be placed in water for 2-3 days, monitoring the condition of the water - if it immediately gets a cloudy tint, it is replaced with a new one and an activated carbon tablet is added.

When propagating the plant in the soil, the dried-up cuttings should be placed in containers slightly deepened in the center with the ground 2-3 cm deep. In a warm room, the cuttings are not covered with anything, but if the temperature rises to 20 ° C, cover them with a jar and periodically ventilate to avoid the appearance of the fungus.

Common transplant errors

Unfortunately, beginning flower growers, having not received enough information about this exotic plant, make a lot of mistakes when transplanting it, which often turn out to be fatal for Decembrist. To avoid this, you must have reliable knowledge about how to properly maintain and care for the Christmas tree, so that he always pleases the eye with magnificent flowering and attractive shape.

Consider the most common mistakes made during a plant transplant:

1. The most common mistake is incorrectly selected container for the content of the Decembrist - it should not be too spacious, because plants of this type with a poorly developed root system do not need it. If you neglect this rule and transplant the zygocactus into a spacious pot, its development and, accordingly, flowering will stop, since it will direct all forces to the development of roots.
2. No less frequently made mistake - This is a Decembrist transplant during the flowering period. If transplanting does not lead to anything fatal in the summer and autumn, then at the budding stage the plant should never be stressed, otherwise the risk of its death is likely.
3. One of the biggest misconceptions is also considered the version that the flower periodically needs to be turned around its axis, but this is not so. It is strictly forbidden to change the phyto-orientation of the plant, otherwise all buds will immediately fall off. This will also happen if the Decembrist has formed an exorbitant number of flowers that the plant cannot cope with. Then part of the buds will have to be eliminated to ensure the normal development of the Christmas tree.
4. In no case should you put the plant in direct sunlightbut scattered light contributes to its more productive development. For this reason, in the summer, it is recommended to hang a special scattering fabric on the window where the Decembrist grows.
5. Another rule that newbies often forget, - this is a complete lack of watering in the first few days after transplanting. Since the plant during this period requires complete rest, such active procedures will have negative consequences for it, therefore, careful care should be abandoned for the first time and touch the flower only as necessary.

Important! Decembrist does not tolerate sunlight, so it should be grown on the eastern side of the windowsill. Otherwise, there is a high probability of dying of the plant segments.

Such an exotic plant as the Decembrist, although it seems at first glance quite capricious and demanding, but in fact requires very simple care and, with the proper approach, will certainly please the owners with an excellent appearance and beautiful flowers.A correctly performed transplant will help to achieve such results and provide a good incentive for zygocactus for growth and flowering.