a quick (and somewhat unseasonal) Schlumbergera question please

[JonNo]

I bought a Schlumbergera from my local corner shop today. I felt the poor thing needed rescuing, and I will do my best...

It is sitting in sopping wet soil and nearly all of the end leaf sections have been either cut or snapped in half.

My question is, is this cutting/ snapping perhaps some sort of technique used by nurseries to to produce a "bushier" plant, or is it (as I suspect more likely) just some sort of vandal damage?

I'm not sure whether to just re-pot it and otherwise leave it as it is for now, or should I attempt to remove the remaining halves of the damaged leaves... Any advice greatly appreciated.

[juster]

Good luck with your rescue bid. Based simply on instinct, I would probably try to remove the half leaves. Hopefully the plant will then grow new leaves as it recovers.

[JonNo]

Fingers crossed, rescue complete... Isn't nature wonderful.

[el48tel]

[RayW]

Nice rescue

[JonNo]

Thank you! Now if I can just rescue a few others..!

[DaveW]

The major Dutch commercial producers often use a "leveller" to remove top joints of Schlumbergera to get uniform plants for sale. However whether this always plucks them off or cuts them I am not sure. Many of the Garden Centres plants still come from Holland, so maybe that's the reason for the cut or bent joints? Maybe a few damaged ones that did not meet quality control were sold off cheap?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhU99wSSVwo

When it comes to Schlumbergera or "Christmas Cactus" production for the general market the Dutch are in a different league.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2UM0Z_R37w

[juster]

Good recovery, well done

[Acid John]

Interesting videos Dave, it wouldn't surprise me if they use the same system for mass producing bonsai.

[JonNo]

The major Dutch commercial producers often use a "leveller" to remove top joints of Schlumbergera to get uniform plants for sale. However whether this always plucks them off or cuts them I am not sure. Many of the Garden Centres plants still come from Holland, so maybe that's the reason for the cut or bent joints? Maybe a few damaged ones that did not meet quality control were sold off cheap?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhU99wSSVwo

When it comes to Schlumbergera or "Christmas Cactus" production for the general market the Dutch are in a different league.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2UM0Z_R37w

Thanks Dave, unfortunately I haven't been able to get the links to work (YouTube refused to "connect") but what you say all makes sense. Maybe my plant is one that was "levelled" but not very well... Thanks for the input.