Can I save an overwatered Christmas cactus? 6 steps for success

It's all too easy to get over-enthusiastic with the watering can, especially if you're new to houseplant care and eager to feed and water your plants daily. But if you overwater a Christmas cactus, it will soon become the victim of root rot.

The good news is that if you correct your watering routine and do what you can to remove the excess water from your Christmas cactus immediately, you should be able to save it and reverse the damage.

To help you learn more about how to care for a Christmas cactus, we consulted experts to compile a step-by-step guide on how to save an overwatered Christmas cactus, and how often to water a Christmas cactus in the future.

How to save your overwatered Christmas cactus in 6 simple steps

1. Remove your Christmas cactus from its pot

The first step to reversing the impact of overwatering is to take your Christmas cactus out of its pot, which will be filled with waterlogged soil. The longer you leave your Christmas cactus sitting in this soil, the more it is going to suffer.

Ofra Gaito, CEO of plant company Verdant Lyfe, says, 'It's important to take care of the issue immediately by dumping out any standing water, then carefully removing the plant from its container.'

To remove your Christmas cactus from a plastic container, squeeze the sides of the planter to help loosen moist soil from the sides. Then, gently tap the bottom of the container and tip the plant onto your hand out of the pot.

If your container is made from a sturdier material and you're struggling to safely get your Christmas cactus out, try using a knife to carefully loosen some of the soil.

Ofra Gaito

In 2020 Ofra Gaito founded Verdant Lyfe, an e-commerce company born to help and share live plants with both plant lovers and new plant beginners. The company packs and ships hundreds of orders every week to homes and businesses all over the USA. At the head office in South Florida, Ofra and her team conduct workshops every six weeks that involve the plant world and theme. Ofra hosts live radio program Grow Your Lyfe every Friday at 1:45 pm EST on 101.9FM Omega radio.

2. Remove all the soil clinging to your Christmas cactus

The soil clinging to your Christmas cactus's roots will be so damp that it will only cause harm to your plant going forward, so after it is removed from its container, you need to discard the soil in the pot and carefully remove as much as you can from the cactus's roots.

Alexandra Moreno, tropical plant and palm expert at Atlanta Palms, says, 'Overwatered soil may contain harmful bacteria that can cause root rot, so it is important to start fresh with new soil. Using your fingers, carefully remove all the soil from the roots. You can rinse the roots with water to get rid of any remaining soil as well.'

If you do this, use lukewarm water so as not to shock your plant.

3. Inspect your Christmas cactus for soft stems and rot

Now is an ideal time to inspect the condition of your Christmas cactus's roots and leaves. If you notice any roots that are rotten or squishy after cleaning, trim these away as close to their shoot as possible. Similarly, if you notice any browning, soft stems on the cactus itself, you can trim these off as well.

'Any stems or roots that have started to get soft can be removed,' says Ofra. 'This will help prevent future problems, as the weakened plant might not withstand another overwatering.'

It's best to use a small, sharp pair of scissors when pruning a Christmas cactus to make the cleanest cuts possible. The two pack lightweight hand pruners from Amazon are great value and perfect for the job. Using a small pair like these will help you to make accurate cuts and be more in control of where your pruners are going.

4. Let your Christmas cactus dry

After your Christmas cactus is freshly pruned and free from old soil, it's vital to leave it for a day or two out of soil to dry. If you immediately plant up your cactus again, its roots will still be damp and won't have had enough time to shake off the affect of the overwatering. Your Christmas cactus will also have damp roots if you needed to wash them to remove excess soil.

'Allow the plant to dry out for at least 24 hours by placing it on a clean, dry surface like a countertop,' says Alexandra. 'This will allow the roots to dry completely and air out before planting again.'

Avoid placing your Christmas cactus in direct sunlight while it's drying as the light and heat will be very harsh on its exposed roots.

Alexandra Moreno

Alexandra works for Atlanta Palms as a landscape designer and tropical plant and palm expert. She has been designing gardens and providing plant design consulting for over a decade, and prides herself in her extensive knowledge of tropical plants. She works from her home in tropical Colombia, where she gathers daily inspiration for her designs and articles.

5. Clean your Christmas cacti pot(s)

If you want to put your Christmas cactus back into the same pot, give it a thorough clean before doing so. This will eliminate any potentially harmful bacteria from contaminating your plant's fresh environment.

'Rinse the pot to remove any traces of soil or bacteria that could contribute to rot,' says Alexandra. 'If the roots seemed crowded when removing your plant from the old pot, perhaps consider switching to a larger pot to give it more space.'

Combining water and vinegar (four parts water to one cup of vinegar) will create a simple cleaning solution for pots that won't leave any soap residue, but using warm soapy water will be fine so long as you make sure your pot is thoroughly rinsed.

Opting to repot your Christmas cactus into a container with drainage holes (if the prior pot didn't have them) will also be incredibly useful, especially while you're still in the process of learning how often to water a Christmas cactus. This drainage system will provide excess water with a way to leave your plant's soil.

'Ensure your planter has drainage holes to allow excess water to escape, and make sure these holes are not blocked so that water drains effectively,' says Alexandra.

This pack of plastic drip trays from Target will sit easily underneath your Christmas cactus to collect surplus water.

6. Repot your Christmas cactus

Finally, once your Christmas cactus is dry and its pot is clean, you can repot the plant. While you're repotting, it's the perfect time to fertilize your Christmas cactus by including a blend of soil and fertilizer mix such as the Tank's-Pro cactus and succulent mix from Amazon or the Harris premium succulent and cactus potting soil, also from Amazon, in your plant's container.

By adding a cactus-specific mix into your soil, you're ensuring that your Christmas cactus has access to all the essential nutrients it could need to grow strong again.

'After repotting your Christmas cactus in fresh succulent and cactus soil mix, I recommend waiting another 24 hours before watering to give the plant time to acclimate,' says Alexandra.

Going forward, your Christmas cactus will only need watering about twice a month when its soil is completely dry. To help keep track of when to water your cactus, you could invest in a moisture meter like the XLUX soil moisture meter from Amazon which will tell you when more water is required.

FAQs

How long does a healthy Christmas cactus live for?

Ofra Gaito, CEO of plant company Verdant Lyfe, says, 'A Christmas cactus can have a lifespan of blooming for 20 to 30 years if the owner does their best to avoid Christmas cactus mistakes. After that, it may stop blooming, but just because it's not blooming doesn't mean it's dead and should be disposed of.'

There's an abundance of gorgeous festive plants out there that you could try growing. If you feel up to nurturing something new, we have a helpful guide on poinsettia care tips to grow the most vibrant holiday blooms.