I have a 55+ year old Christmas Cactus that I got after my grandmother's death. It didn't do very well and didn't grow much and I was about to throw it away; then, I remembered seeing my grandmother pour whatever she was drinking on the cactus, (tea, coffee). I started giving the cactus a cup of coffee once a week and it has just exploded! It blooms twice a year and has grown by leaps and bounds. Try coffee!
By Liz from Birmingham, AL
Editor's Note: This works really well but make sure it is has no sugar or cream in it.
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That has worked well for me for years, too. I have a large size cactus with beautiful huge "fluffy" flute shaped flowers that everyone raves about. Coffee is the secret.
This sounds great!! I will start this, Thanks!!
Thanks for this tip. I have several in different colors and they bloom beautifully once a year. Perhaps by using your tip I can get another bloom out of them! This also worked really well in a terrarium we had at work. It made the asparagus fern grow up out of the terrarium! Go coffee!
Thanks for the tip, I am going to try it. I have a Christmas Cactus that was my moms. She always was able to make it bloom. But in the last 9 years since she's been gone, it has only bloomed once and then only had about 3 blossoms.
I too have the same problem. I am wondering if you take milk in your coffee, as I do. I am curious if the milk would harm or benefit the cactus? Also I am house sitting a Christmas Cactus for a friend, and the leaves have turned red. Is it getting sun burnt perhaps? thanks
You just made me stop and think of my Grandmother.She used to do the same thing.I miss her she was alot of fun!!Thank's for the reminder darlene
I was wondering if this would also work for other plants of the same type. Like Jade plant, regular cactus, and maybe sedums?
I feed all my plants with my brewed coffee grinds. I fill a container(usually a weeks worth of coffee grinds) and apply to plants in the gardens and house plants too. I live in CA with a dry hot climate and I find it helps to enrich the dry cracking soil. I have found that Coffee grinds work well for roses too.
Happy gardening!
Jennifer CA
My plant isnt doing well either ,thanks for the tip gonna save the coffee grounds...
Thanks for the tip. I'm assuming you mean Black Coffee. If not, please let us all know. I have 2 Christmas Cactus' that I also took clippings from & put in other pots. They are alive - but still small & outside for the Summer. In Sept. I put in a dark place for 8-10 weeks & take out & fertilize w/Cactus Food & wait for Blooms around Nov-Dec.
Hi my name is Joan, and I love my Christmas cactus plants enven though they haven't bloomed in at least three years, and I'm so frustrated. I just had great success with a amaryliss bulb pre boxed with soil and it's pot and of corse it's blooming beautifuly and I did nothing to it. My cactus plants are my love.
I'm so happy I came accross this site. Regarding the coffee beans, my father always had my mom save each days coffee grounds and he would put them around his baby trees outside, and boy did they grow.
A question regading the coffee-was the coffee (liguid-not ground) substituted for water? Or just used as a treat because I don't want to over water or in this cause over coffee (smiles) can I use the coffee and the grounds?
I'm going to start first thing tomorrow. Thanks to all of you and I will let you know my progress. Merry Christmas and belated Happy Chanukah, Joan
Obviously that works but what really works is rhododendron plant food. It is not expensive and it take so little (one forth teaspoon to a gallon water) that a small box lasts forever.
I have half a cup of tea on my desk right now. I tend to neglect the Christmas Cactus when I am not watering the rest of the garden in the summer/fall. I will go give it a drink of tea right now, and send you this pic. Blooms right on time, every year. Location location location. :)
This is a very old post but still good information.
Several asked about coffee with cream or sugar. "My" master gardener says to never give plants cream or milk products so I go with him on that.
Do you use room temperature coffee or cold coffee on the cactus?
Doesn't matter - so long as it's not hot! :)
Coffee grinds and crunched egg shells. This was my moms watering seceret. She could grow anything, people would bring her their plants that were just about dead and maybe about 4 weeks later she would give them back so BEAUTIFUL. I have many plants too. Thank you mom for leaving me your talent. I miss you so so much
Hi , i save the banana peels and egg shells and they act as organic fertiliser for my plants..try it and youll be happy seeing your plants grow healthy.i feed this mixture to my plants..all plants once a week..
Is it ok to use decaf? That is all I have.
Are used tea leaves ok for this plant?
I think it would be fine. Try some and see how your plant reacts.
Can black coffee be used in other plants beside christmas cactus?
My grandmother always "watered" her houseplants with the tea left in our tea glasses and they were beautiful--Christmas cactus, Boston fern and others. The tea was sweetened with sugar and diluted with melted ice. I don't recall ever having seen her use coffee on her plants.
thank you! my mother used to have one and my dentist recently gave me a pink and a red one.
Can you add coffee grounds to a Christmas cactus?
Thank you, I will try this
Thank You for the Tip on Caring for the Christmas Cactus...
Does it make a difference if it is decaf?
Does this work with all Cacti? I bought this Orchid Cactus, it grows good, but still no flowers? Have had it about 3yrs. Any help would be great.
I am embaressed to admit that I BARELY care for my cactus and it's over 100 years old! It's my grand mother in law's cactus and I'm very lucky to have inherited it! Doing research now on how to trim
I am embaressed to admit that I BARELY care for my cactus and it's over 100 years old! It's my grand mother in law's cactus and I'm very lucky to have inherited it! Doing research now on how to trim
Is decaf coffee ok? How about instant coffee (cooled after adding boiling water)? We arent coffee drinkers.
Please dont send me emails other than the answers to my questions, and dont sell or give my email address out to anyone or any company.
Is this drink of coffee good for all houseplants or just cactus?
I use black coffee on all my plants, cacti and flowers. When I transplant I also use coffee.
I drink creamer and sugar in my coffee will that hurt them
No creamer or sugar is what the original post said. Save a little black coffee out before you add your creamer and sugar. Then when it's cold...give your plant a shot of caffeine!!
Never heard of this but will try it
I had a boss once who poured the remainder of his coffee into his jade plant. It was the most prolific jade plant I have ever seen
Thanks ,, mine in hanging baskets for ( indoor/outdoor) summer, winter, thanks .
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