How Many Sleeps Are Left Before Christmas?

My christmas cactus was left out side and frosted . Can it be saved?

• I have a christmas cactus that belongs to a friend and it was left outside and it has gotten frosted several times . Can it be saved? It was a special plant to her. She is bed ridden and somebody in the house left it outside.

• Answer:

  Cacti can survive the cold, though I admit I don't know how deeply the one you have was affected by the frost. If the frost did not get into the roots it might make it. First Aid: Get it warmed up slowly (do not put on heat source) and put it in a place where it can be kept without being moved around. Pinch back the frost-killed stems, water with luke warm water AFTER it has warmed up, then wait. Water until moist but do not soak. Wait 4-5 days before dripping on more moisture. Special note on Christmas cactus: If a Christmas cactus has been kept in one place for months or years, it reacts very badly to being moved from that place. Even raising or lowering it by a few feet in the same room can cause the plant to decline. It is not known what makes them "mope" at being moved, but they are touchy about their place in a room. My grandmother had a fantastic Christmas cactus - hope you can bring this one back.