by Dilnoza, age 9, asks how often to water a Christmas cactus, about the Kyzylkum Desert, and the Silk Road
Dear Santa,
Salom from Tashkent. My name is Dilnoza and I am 9 years old. My mother gave me full responsibility for our Christmas cactus this year, which felt very grown up, until I realised I actually have no idea how often it is supposed to be watered.
My first question is: how often should a Christmas cactus be watered?
My second question is geography: what desert covers much of Uzbekistan?
My third question is from school: why was Uzbekistan such an important stop along the ancient Silk Road?
I left you plov, a rice and meat dish, and a slice of somsa, a savoury pastry.
Love, Dilnoza, age 9, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
From the Desk of Father Christmas
Dear Dilnoza, plov and somsa made for a wonderfully hearty stop, thank you very much. Now, to help with your new responsibility, and your other questions.
How often should a Christmas cactus be watered?
A good general rule is to water once the top inch or two of soil feels dry to the touch, which usually works out to roughly once every one to two weeks, though it depends on the humidity and temperature in your home. During its autumn resting period, before it sets flower buds, it prefers slightly less frequent watering, but once it begins to bloom, keeping the soil a touch more consistently moist helps the flowers last longer. Checking the soil with a finger before watering is a far better guide than following a strict schedule, and it sounds like your mother trusts you to manage exactly that kind of careful attention.
What desert covers much of Uzbekistan?
The Kyzylkum Desert stretches across much of Uzbekistan, a vast, sandy landscape between two great rivers, historically challenging for travellers to cross.
Why was Uzbekistan important on the Silk Road?
Cities like Samarkand and Bukhara in Uzbekistan sat directly along the ancient Silk Road trading routes connecting China to Europe, becoming wealthy centres of trade, culture, and learning as caravans passed through carrying silk, spices, and countless other goods for well over a thousand years.
Take good care of that cactus, and I shall see you very soon.
Ho ho ho, Santa
