Sunday, January 21. 2007
They Get Questions
From Salem, Mass.:
Pollination! Now why didn't I think of that?
Q: My neighbor's Christmas cactus has red things hanging on the branches that look like berries or fruit. Is this normal? Why doesn't my cactus have them or is her plant a special variety?
A: This is not a special variety. Your neighbor's plant has somehow pollinated. Any plant growing indoor in winter will require pollination to set fruit (that's what the berries are).
The pollen has to be brushed from flower to flower, which outdoors would be done by a bug or by the gardener or an animal passing by and brushing the plant. Indoors, you have to do the job yourself (unless you have bugs or a cat).
If you want to do this yourself, use a cheap paintbrush that is absolutely clean, or even a piece of Kleenex, and dab at flowers when they're in full bloom. We do this with the little citrus trees that bloom beautifully every winter.
Trying this does not absolutely guarantee that a fruit will form, but as in nature, it depends on timing. Different plants are receptive to pollination at different times of the day and night, so repeat several days in succession.
A: This is not a special variety. Your neighbor's plant has somehow pollinated. Any plant growing indoor in winter will require pollination to set fruit (that's what the berries are).
The pollen has to be brushed from flower to flower, which outdoors would be done by a bug or by the gardener or an animal passing by and brushing the plant. Indoors, you have to do the job yourself (unless you have bugs or a cat).
If you want to do this yourself, use a cheap paintbrush that is absolutely clean, or even a piece of Kleenex, and dab at flowers when they're in full bloom. We do this with the little citrus trees that bloom beautifully every winter.
Trying this does not absolutely guarantee that a fruit will form, but as in nature, it depends on timing. Different plants are receptive to pollination at different times of the day and night, so repeat several days in succession.
Pollination! Now why didn't I think of that?
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