I water mine the same year round. They don't want to stand in water with wet soggy feet, but they don't want to get dry either. Although they are a cactus, they are a jungle cactus, not desert.

I would bring them down now. How hot do you keep your house? Don't put them where forced air heat will blow on them.

thanks. I usually leave them downstairs all year long. But some made blooms, some didn’t last year. I took over their care, repotted Them in well draining soil with pots that had drainage holes. (One rotted to death before I had enough and took over.) I left them outside on the porch all summer which they seemed to enjoy. Then I put them in the attic. I’m thinking I should take them downstairs now and put them in a sunny window without any drafts and make sure they have some humidity.

This Michigan Extension page has good information about these plants and how to grow them.

I have two that I’m trying to get to bloom this year. (one was a propagated gift and the other I bought. Had them going on three years I think) I thought they needed light during the day? I’ve been running them to a closet of basement every evening and bring them back by a window ever morning. I’ll admit I’m tired of the moving around. Two friends never move theirs and they blooms multiple times a year for them. Go figure!

Read that article I linked - they need long periods of dark to set buds! They are short day/long night plants. Put them in a room that is cool and has only natural light (never artificial lights on) from about August to early December. Water them periodically during that time. An unused bedroom with the door closed is the traditional place to put them to give them long nights:-) Once the buds are set (visible) they can be brought out to normal light - including artificial light giving them a shorter night.... They will then bloom from the already set buds - likely in time for Christmas :-) There is no need to cart them back and forth every day!

Heck, I find them easy. In the summer I throw mine out under a tree and it's on its own. Before first frost I bring it into the gameroom in front of the patio doors. When it starts blooming I bring it up into the living room. I've had it so long I can't even remember when I got it. Every year it is loaded with blooms.

What does this have to do with Landscape Design?

I agree with functionthenlook. I don't do any of the 'tricks' recommended, and all of my holiday cacti bloom every year. No extra dark periods, they are outside while warm enough, some in full sun and others hanging wherever there is a spot; they get rained on or watered if no rain. Bring them in when it starts getting cooler. They usually stay in a sunroom with a glass roof, so lots of light and quite warm if sunny. I also bring them to the LR when blooming. I have CC, TC and Spring-Easter cactus. Got first one about 8 yrs ago.

I don't even bother with sending mine outside. They're on the windowsill all the time, usually a bit overfed, and in too much sunlight, and subject to the vagrancies of room lighting. In some cases, that can be...extreme...when "room lighting" means "50 watts of LED lighting on the plant right next to it."

They bear up, simply turning very red as they suntan to protect themselves. I think I've caught them flexing for each other to show off the bronzing.

They tend to bloom in the appropriate season and the Thanskgiving cactus are growing buds now. The Christmas cactus will start soon.

They're a succulent even I can deal with (I'm not great with low-care plants). To me, they're bulletproof.

I think as soon as the buds start to form you can move them. Its the photoperiod you are adjusting, so they still need light during the day.

Some of mine bloom on their own. I think it’s the ones that are the coolest- close to window or floor.

Thanks Woodyoak and hibiscus909,

just wanted to know when I should move them again.(And I would never have carried them up and downstairs everyday. One weighs 30 pounds! Some are quite large.) I’ve moved the ones with buds back downstairs. They definitely have more buds than last year, I’m pleased to say! Whether that’s due to an overdue springtime repotting, a summer outside for the first time ever, consistent watering, or the dark, cool bedroom in the attic- who knows? But I wanted a good show this year, so I wasn’t taking my chances!

The real problem now is finding room among my orchids for them to stay! Haha

Found these blooming in my garage this morning.

Just leave them outside for as long as possible--right until a frost is predicted. This gives them the long nights they need without any moving and they will set buds.