- The Golden Rule: Give it 12 to 14 hours of total darkness every single night.
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- How to do it: At 5:00 p.m., move the plant into a dark closet, a windowless bathroom, or cover it completely with a breathable cardboard box or a thick cloth. Bring it back to bright, indirect light at 7:00 a.m.
- Water: Water only when the top 1-2 inches of soil are completely dry. Overwatering during this phase is the number one cause of dropped buds.
Winter (The Reward Phase: December – January)
- Light: Once you see the little pink or red buds forming, you can stop the strict darkness routine! Return it to its normal bright, indirect spot.
- Care Tip: Do not move the plant! Once buds form, they are incredibly sensitive to changes in light, temperature, and humidity. Moving it can cause “bud drop.”
- Environment: Keep it away from cold drafts, fireplaces, and heating vents, which can dry out the air and cause the blooms to wither prematurely.
Late Winter (The Rest Phase: February – March)
- Care: After the blooms fade, let the plant rest for about a month. Reduce watering significantly and do not fertilize.
- Pruning: If it has gotten leggy, this is the perfect time to gently pinch off a few stem segments to encourage bushier growth for next year. (Save those segments to propagate new plants for your friends!)
The “Avocado Lover’s” Mindful Gardening Ritual
Since I have a strong personal preference for avocados and incorporate them into almost every single aspect of my life (even though my children absolutely do not share my liking for them, which just means I get to enjoy the whole, glorious batch all to myself!), I always pair my plant care routine with a little self-care.Tending to plants is a wonderful, low-cortisol activity. Keeping our stress hormones low is exactly what we need to keep our blood vessels relaxed and our circulation steady, which helps keep those unexplained purple blotches on my arms at bay!After I’ve checked on my Christmas cactus, I love to ground myself with my go-to 3-Ingredient Circulation-Supporting Snack:Ingredients You’ll Need:
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