Ho do you care for a Christmas Cactus plant?

My Mother-in-law had one for as long as I knew her. She kept it on the window sill of a north facing window year round and basically ignored it. Once in awhile she remembered to water it. It bloomed every year for most of the winter. It was a plant she inherited when her Mom passed 20 years before my husband and I married and she lived over 25 years after that. My sister-in-law has it now.

That has always worked for me. At least two months of almost dark conditions. It's been 9 years now since I received one as a gift. If you don't have a basement then a closet will do.

https:www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/cacti-succulents/christmas-cact

I think it depends on where you live. The plant itself is a tropical plant and enjoy moist air. It is a succulent and not a real cactus. I have had them forever and as Dale Toth said, they grow on neglect. The like to be refreshed but not water logged. I plant mine in regular potting mix with some worm castings, I have worms the work for me ;-) Occasionally I give them worm tea for fertilizer. They have always bloomed.

The concept to keep them in a dark place and withhold water is for people who want to force them to bloom at a particular time. Mine start to show buds at Thanksgiving and have bloomed until mid January. I live in Las Vegas and I keep them outside and bring them indoors when it starts to cool. Remember they are jungle plants. They like misting and warmth.

That's also what I have always heard!

I put mine outside in the spring under my covered front porch. I water them every once in a while if the leaves feel limpy. I don't pay too much attention to them. I keep them outside as long as possible into the fall. At the sign of the first frost, I bring them in and it seems as soon as they start getting warm, they get the buds then the blooms. I think they are beautiful.