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I have a Schlumbergera truncata that has buds. Unfortunately, it's outside, the buds still have a lot of growing to do, and there's a frost advisory coming up, which means it will need to be brought indoors. But from what I've been reading, the buds can fall off if the plant is moved or if the temperature changes suddenly? Are the buds on these things usually fully formed by this point, or what? I've never had this kind of cactus before, and obviously I don't want it to freeze to death, but I also would like the buds to not fall off.

I'd post pictures of the buds, but I currently have no batteries for my camera.

Those plants will freeze to death if you leave them outside, so don't do that. About the buds falling of while moving: I've read about it, but I can practically shake my plants and the buds still won't come off. The temperature change might be a problem, but mine don't mind that either.

When I moved this year everything fell off my schlum. Now it's just a stump.

The cactus is now in the house... and I'm noticing a two-segment piece that seems close to falling off. Maybe I'll be able to root it! But it has a bud on the end; will it be able to grow roots and sustain the bud at the same time?

SkyClan Cat wrote:will it be able to grow roots and sustain the bud at the same time?

Most likely not. And as you can guess from the previous answers, the mother plant may or may not drop its buds, it depends on how suitable your indoor conditions are.

Dmyerswny wrote:When I moved this year everything fell off my schlum. Now it's just a stump.

I think you can get corrective surgery for that nowadays.

-R

No buds dropped so far. There are still a few tiny ones, but most of them are looking pretty nice, and the biggest one is now almost two inches long, and I'm so excited.