Holiday cactuses need specific care to bloom a second year. Find out what to do.

My Christmas cactus is not blooming. It was in beautiful bloom when I purchased it last year, and I was looking forward to flowers this year. It is growing in a dining room window and looks healthy. Is there something I need to do to make it bloom? — Jennifer

Christmas cactuses will reliably bloom year after year if handled properly. It may be too late for your plant to bloom this year, but follow these recommendations and it will bloom next year.

Thanksgiving and Christmas cactuses are stimulated to bloom by long nights (like we have in fall and winter) and/or chilly temperatures. The problem is that, sitting in your dining room window, the plant did not get chilly nighttime temperatures below 65 degrees, and lights were likely turned on in the evening.

You can trigger blooming by leav