Unfortunately, our plants can be diseased or infested by pests and it’s hard to notice it if the condition isn’t severe.
When you start propagating, you can accidentally transmit disease or pests, and the easiest way to avoid this is by sterilizing the cutting tools.
Simply take a cotton ball, dip it in alcohol or bleach, and wipe the scissor blades with it.
If you’re working with multiple plants, clean your tools between each one to ensure no cross-contamination occurs.
Remember to repeat this process each time you take Christmas cactus cuttings.
3. Take The Cutting
When propagating this type of holiday cactus, you need to take a healthy stem tip cutting which has a Y shape and about three leaf segments. These segments should be firm and vibrant in color, as this indicates the cutting is healthy and ready to root.
I highly recommend taking the largest portion possible because it will allow you to put more sections in the potting soil.
You need to make an incision where the two leaf segments meet; we refer to this plant part as a node. Your cactus will continue to display new growth once you remove this section, ensuring the parent plant remains lush and healthy.
Once you have a large portion you can divide it into a few parts, but make sure each part has about three segments. Cutting too small can weaken the chances of root development.
I always take cuttings when I prune my Christmas cactus because I don’t want to waste anything, and it’s a great way to make use of otherwise discarded pieces.
