Question
I have several schlumbergera plants, which have become extremely leggy over the years. I know that they are very easy to propogate, I just wonder if you could advise me on the best time of year I should take cuttings, and when to feed the plants, as 2 or 3 of them did not flower at all last year, this is very unusual, as they have flowered year in and year out for upwards of 8 years. Thankyou for any information you are able to provide, and I look forward to your reply.

Answer
Dear Anthony,

Unfortunately, I am not as adept with "jungle cacti" as I should be. However, now would probably be a good time to take cuttings. Just make sure they are not to "woody", or they won't root. Let them dry for a couple of days before replanting.

As far as flowering goes, Schlumbergera respond to the shortening days to flower. Nurseries will put their plants in total darkness for a couple of weeks to get them to flower in time for Christmas. You can try that as well. Got to this webpage, as there is a lot of advice from folks who grow this type of cactus.

http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1510/index.html

Hopefully this helps, good luck!

Sincerely,

Greg