Christmas Cactus Advice

I have a large xmas cactus and I'm wondering if its possible to divide it into smaller plants or will I have to take cuttings ? It's an old plant, had it so long I can't remember where it came from .

 

Probably better to take cuttings.
Just remove a length of stem at a joint, leave it to dry for a day or two.

Then pot up in well drained compost with some organic matter.

Keep it in the shade in a warm place.

 

Never tried division on them, I've always taken cuttings. I have even just potted up a single leaf , always easy to root.

 

Cuttings are very easy. However, if you just plant "one segment that broke off" it will take ages to make a plant. If you have a long bit, that can be spared, taking the whole thing off, laying it on a flat container e.g. a seed tray, in reasonable contact with the compost, in a plastic bag to keep the humidity at 100%, it will root all along its length.

You can then break that into plants if too long (to then pot on) or use it or a "flying start" for the new plant.

This is one I have on the go just now. It was a single flat Y-Shaped piece, nearly as long as the seed tray, rested on the top of the compost (probably a year or so ago), and now rooted and sprouting all over the place. I aim to put it in a large diameter pot and have it "trail down all sides"

 

Mine didn't !!!! Grew like a Triffidds!!! One segment multiplied rapidly.

 

everyone. I have to admit I am pretty rubbish at taking cuttings but I'll have a go.

 

I promise you @luciusmaximus if I can do it then you can definitely do it too.

 

My success with cuttings is very hit and miss . Plus I'm impatient and get fed up of waiting . I don't have a greenhouse either, so not many spaces for raising babies. I wanted to put my tomato plant in the porch where the cactus is as it's the only place that is sunny, warm and free from bunny teeth. It's a tiny porch and already has bird food stored, cutting down the space again. Hence need to make cactus smaller.

 

This would be a good place to start. If you just break of a piece with 2 or 3 segments and put it in a bag with some moisture (damp vermiculite / similar) it will start spouting roots between the "joints". IME bit that break off are desperate to root ... sticking one end in a pot may be the least good method, as the end, if too wet, will rot before it roots.