I am pretty sure I have fungus gnats in my plants. I am going to stop watering for 3 weeks as it is suggested on many websites. My Cacti have stopped flowering and I am giving them a rest period. After the rest I am going to transplant them. I am going to remove all the old soil and replace it with something more fluffy. The soil that they have gets as hard as a brick when it dries and I do not think this is helping the plants at all. I also noticed that my plants have what I think is shot whole. I posted a link on a garden website and that is what they suggested I look up. This fungus resembles what I have and so I picked off all the leaves that had the problem.

Chriatmas Cactus Cutting

Yesterday I planted a cutting from my yellow flowered Christmas Cactus. I hope it grows. I looked at a few different websites and did what majority of them said to do. The cutting looked healthy and had four segments, the sites asked for at least three. I used the only soil I have and that is a cactus and succulent soil, so I hope that was alright. For the container I reused a sour cream container. I watered the soil with filtered tap water and then placed a full segment and part of the second one. The plant went about half way down the container. Now it is placed where the temperature hardly falls and where bright light will not reach it. I read once I see new growth I can place it where it will get some bright light during the day.

For the cacti that I pollinated, it seems to have worked. I did not do many of them and I see about five plant that look like it has fruit. I hope I am right.

Not pollinated flower, notice the stem is skinny.

This one has been pollinated and it looks fat,

just like many websites said would happen.

Yellow Christmas Cactus

It seems that my yellow Christmas Cactus has some sort of bug infestation. It is logical to assume that my other ones are also infested. All the plants came from the same location and when they were brought home they were kept in close proximity. Also while I was cleaning the leaves one cracked at the base of the plant. When I lightly moved the plant to get a better look, the stem came out with ease and looked slimy and yellowish brown. It was nasty. I assume there is some root rot and I need to transplant and even cut off some roots. I am looking around to see what I can use to kill and eggs of these bugs. I hope I can save it as it is the only yellow Christmas Cactus I have.

Christmas Cacti Schlumbergera Bridgesii

One day, with not so subtle hints from me, my husband bought me three Christmas cacti. When I got home I researched the plants so I could give them the best care to my abilities. I found that the yellow ones were pretty and told him I should have picked one of those up too. Later that week he brought home the yellow one. Now I have a Salmon, a White, a Lavender (it does not look lavender to me) and a Yellow. Three days ago I decided to pollinate the flowers and see if I can produce seeds. I have learned that my plants might not produce seeds but I am hoping for the best

Yellow Christmas Cactus

White Christmas Cactus after pollination.

The call this Lavender but I think it is pink.

This is also pollinated

My Salmon Christmas Cactus and it is pollinated.

I read that the "stars" had to be open but some said it did not matter. I guess I will see. An example of a open star is the white flower.