Gobsmacked

[DaisyNonna]

My Christmas cactus (bought last year) has just opened its first full flower

[Mamyalynne]

How lovely Daisy, a pretty sight.

[Tilly2]

Mine, which I've had for years , has done the same. Amazing, isn't it?

[Cloverjo]

I've had a few cactuses (cacti?) over the years, and have never managed to keep one alive for very long. Well done, daisy. My best plant was an orchid.

[tonyav]

Soooooo you don't kill every plant then, Daisy !.

[sapelesam]

My wife has a Cacti collection, I am not at all keen on them. But when they flower unexpectedly they are very beautiful.

[DaisyNonna]

I have a couple of orchids which have only survived through neglect
A Bromeliad is trying valiantly

[naomi24]

I have a Christmas Cactus inherited from my mother in law. It's over 30 years old and is HUGE!! I'm waiting for it to die before it takes over the house!

[Tilly2]

Christmas cactus are lovely when they flower.

[naomi24]

Our old friend flowers regularly .... not profusely, but regularly. Such pretty flowers. I just wish it didn't keep growing!

[hellywelly4]

I love them and have several. My favourites are the white ones with pink centres. The best way to keep them, as I was told by an elderly lady many years ago is 'studied neglect'.

[naomi24]

Maybe that's why mine is living to a ripe old age. Green fingered I am not!

[zebo]

I was given one about 20 years ago, it seems indestructible, a couple of time I thought it was a goner but it's still going though it flowers randomly throughout the year. The ones I'm very proud of are the Mother's Day orchids I've had for a few years, I seem to be able to keep them going, currently they're wonderful.

[naomi24]

How do you do that Zebo. I kept an orchid going for almost a year but then the flowers dropped off and I'm left with a couple of manky stems and a couple of green leaves at the base. Do I cut the stems down and just keep watering it?

[zebo]

Naomi, sorry went to bed, I cut off any dead wood but not too far down, water it and leave it, eventually the stems will start to develop little green blobs, for want of a scientific word, which will become new orchids. If I try too hard with plants they seem to resent it, if I'm fairly casual they seem to do well.

[naomi24]

Thanks Zebo. I'll try it.