An Easter cactus is a blooming houseplant that offers vibrant star-shaped flowers, which typically appear from March to May. To encourage your plant to bloom indoors, you need to provide the right Easter cactus care that mimics the plant’s natural growing environment as closely as possible. These 7 simple tips will help you take the best possible care of your Easter cactus so you can trick it into producing loads of flowers indoors—just in time to decorate your home for Easter.

1. Limit Light

In the wild, Easter cactus blooming is triggered by the short days and cool temperatures of winter. So, if you want your plant to bloom prolifically, you’ll need to reduce the amount of light it receives in mid-winter, or about two to three months before the expected bloom time.

You can do this either by moving your plant into a room that stays dark all night long, or by placing it in a closet (or under a cardboard box) for the evening. The important thing is to ensure that your Easter cactus experiences at least 8 hours of bright, indirect light per day, followed by at least 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness for a two to three month period. If your plant receives even a little light in the evening, it may not bloom as well.

2. Reduce Temperatures

At the same time that you’re limiting light, you’ll also want to chill your Easter cactus plants by keeping them in a location that stays in the 60s during the day and in the 50s at night. Like the long nights of winter, this period of chilling helps to trigger Easter cactus flowers.

If you live in a mild climate, you may be able to move your cactus plants outdoors, but growers in chillier spots can cool their cacti by placing them in an unheated room or near a cool window. Just be sure to protect your plants from strong drafts and freezing, and don’t place them in locations where temperatures stay below 50°F for extended periods of time.

3. Prune After Flowering

Limiting light and turning down the thermostat in late winter to early spring is the best way to enhance blooming in Easter cacti. However, pruning holiday cacti immediately after they finish flowering can also increase blooming the following year.

Since Easter cacti grow relatively slowly, they usually don’t need major pruning or reshaping. Simply remove one or two leaf pads from each cactus branch with scissors or by pinching the leaf pads off at the jointed stem with a gently twisting motion of your fingers. To help your plants heal faster, make your pruning cuts or breaks as cleanly as possible and never remove more than 1/3 of your plant’s stems in one go.

4. Fertilize During the Growing Season

For even better flowers, fertilize Easter cacti from spring through fall with a monthly dose of liquid organic houseplant or African violet fertilizer diluted to half strength. While you’re at it, top dress your soil with worm castings or a light application of compost in spring and midsummer too. These extra nutrients help fuel Easter cactus growth and will ensure your plants have the energy they need to produce lots of spring flowers.

5. Water Right

Of course, healthy plants flower better than stressed ones, and watering is a key part of your Easter cactus care if you want your plants to bloom. These plants need more water than your average desert cactus, but they can quickly succumb to root rot in soggy soil. To avoid these issues, water Easter cacti about once every 1 to 2 weeks during the growing season when the top few inches of soil feels dry, and water them a little less in fall and winter.

6. Repot Sparingly

Unlike most houseplants, Easter cacti actually like to be a bit pot-bound and they don’t bloom as vigorously in oversized pots. Thanks to their shallow roots, these plants only need to be repotted about once every 3 years, or when their soil starts to degrade. When it’s time to pot up your cactus, choose a container (with drainage holes of course) that’s only slightly larger than your plant’s existing pot and use a potting mix intended for succulents and cacti.

7. Watch for Pests

Although Easter cacti are generally pretty pest-proof, they can sometimes attract spider mites, scale, and mealybugs, which may cause plant stress and impair flowering too. If your Easter cacti develop sticky leaves, leaf yellowing and spotting, or other signs of pests, treat them every 7 to 10 days with an organic insecticidal soap spray until the pests are gone. Once your plants are pest-free, they should recover quickly and bloom better the following spring.