Sacha writes
On 21/6/08 00:43, in article ,
"Kenneth" wrote:


Ah. So not good in the kitchen near the Aga! Thank you!

Bathroom and toilet windows seem to have the best growing conditions!
--
Kay

Sacha wrote:

*Please* tell me how to look after my Christmas cactus! I do water
it from time to time and at present, it's putting on healthy looking
shoots at the tips. But the flowering performance is abysmal round
about Christmas time!

Very simple.

Stop watering now. Start watering mid-September (they will have started
drooping quite a bit by then, but will soon plump up when the watering
starts). Give weak fertiliser Oct-Nov-Dec. Light window - south or west
facing. Do not allow to get too cold (eg behind a curtain) - remember that
they are epiphytes from tropical forests.

NEVER move or turn them once the flower buds start forming. They will start
to drop the buds if you do.

--
Jeff
(cut "thetape" to reply)

Jeff Layman writes

Stop watering now. Start watering mid-September (they will have
started drooping quite a bit by then, but will soon plump up when the
watering starts). Give weak fertiliser Oct-Nov-Dec. Light window -
south or west facing. Do not allow to get too cold (eg behind a
curtain) - remember that they are epiphytes from tropical forests.

See what I mean Sacha? Everything I do is the exact reverse of this! ;-)

--
Kay

On 21/6/08 11:21, in article , "K"
wrote:

Sacha writes
On 21/6/08 00:43, in article ,
"Kenneth" wrote:


Ah. So not good in the kitchen near the Aga! Thank you!

Bathroom and toilet windows seem to have the best growing conditions!

The downstairs loo will be perfect, on the windowsill. It's an eastern
light but it's not exactly balmy!
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online but not completed - shop to come and some mild tweaking
to do!)

On 21/6/08 13:30, in article , "K"
wrote:

Jeff Layman writes

Stop watering now. Start watering mid-September (they will have
started drooping quite a bit by then, but will soon plump up when the
watering starts). Give weak fertiliser Oct-Nov-Dec. Light window -
south or west facing. Do not allow to get too cold (eg behind a
curtain) - remember that they are epiphytes from tropical forests.

See what I mean Sacha? Everything I do is the exact reverse of this! ;-)

I see exactly what you mean! I have 3 little plants so I'm tempted to try
different methods with each - one as above, one in the downstairs loo and
one in the heated, steamy propagating house! ;-))
This is like me and orchids - whatever I do I get it wrong, though one has
had 4 new buds since I bought it and I'm just praying it keeps going. My
major trouble is when we go away and someone else decides to be kind and
water my houseplants. One person simply cannot be persuaded not to leave
things standing in water - my hair is torn out in clumps!
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online but not completed - shop to come and some mild tweaking
to do!)

On 21/6/08 13:49, in article ,
"Martin" wrote:

On Sat, 21 Jun 2008 13:30:27 +0100, K wrote:

Jeff Layman writes

Stop watering now. Start watering mid-September (they will have
started drooping quite a bit by then, but will soon plump up when the
watering starts). Give weak fertiliser Oct-Nov-Dec. Light window -
south or west facing. Do not allow to get too cold (eg behind a
curtain) - remember that they are epiphytes from tropical forests.

See what I mean Sacha? Everything I do is the exact reverse of this! ;-)

An epiphyte is not just for Christmas. Ours flower three or four times a year.

I really have gone orf you! ;-)
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online but not completed - shop to come and some mild tweaking
to do!)

Hi everyone.

I would just like to thank u all so much for all the information that u gave me, it was much appreciated.

Now I can try and start growing them again as I realise where I definitely went wrong (not enough light and badly overwatering) lol.

Thanks once again

Shelley

Try spraying them with water instead of watering the pot ------------every other day in the summer ( in the winter every 4 days). I put a tablespoon of water in the pot about every 5 days and i use a mild bonsai fertiliser once a month.
Mine are on a window sill in my shed, if yours are in the house i suppose your temperature stays stable all year round so winter watering doesn't apply.