Question about my thankgiving cactus

[Garden Gnome]

About a year or two ago my mom was given a thanksgiving cactus as a gift. She put the plant on top of the fridge and we both sort of forgot about it. It ended up not getting enough light or water and losing about 90% of its leaves and becoming very sickly. About a month and a half ago, though, I started to water it regularly and I placed it in a window with better light.

My question is, since it's winter and most cacti don't need to be watered as often at this time, should I keep watering it regularly or should I just water it every three weeks to one month? I have repotted it and taken off off all the sickly leaves since then and it has been doing quite well. Do you think that because it is still sort of "sick" that I should just keep watering it every one or two weeks? Or should I let it rest by only watering it once a month?

Here's a picture of my thanksgiving cactus:

[Eeyore]

I give mine a little bit of water once every week or 2. They don;t need a lot of water and the soil should dry out between waterings.

[Garden Gnome]

Thanks

[Garden Gnome]

Actually I've got another question for you, Eeyore. (sorry for the double post; I can't figure out how to edit)

How can I tell when the soil is dried out? Do I only have to let the top layer of soil dry out? Or should I let ALL of the soil dry out? And, if so, how can I tell when all the soil is fully dried? (I watered my thanksgiving cactus today after only the top layer of soil was dried out... I guess I should probably leave it for a few weeks now because I've been watering it every week to week and a half)

[Eeyore]

If you aren't drenching the soil I'm sure it's fine. You can get one of those water meters with the copper stems and the little guage on the top that tells you when the soil is dry. The soil should dry down quite aways. Another way to tell is to poke your finger in the soil, if it's dry an inch down then give it some water. With cactus it's best to err on the side of too dry rather than too wet. when it starts to droop you'll know it needs water.

[Garden Gnome]

Thanks for the advice I'll remember that next time I think about watering it.

[Jeannie]

G.G. try to get over the idea that plants need water as per some kind of schedule.
That would be OK, if all conditions it would put up with were always the same. But they aren't. The seasons change, light levels change and they can change according to how you treat it.
The Christmas Cactus in Texas, might well be the same cactus in Toronto.....but the conditons are entriely different.
Water only according to the plants' needs---not yours. Put your finger down to the first knuckle, feel any dampness, let it go another two or three days--check again.
When it feels dry, water.....and water always to drainage. Dump the dranage after 5 or 10 minutes so the plant doesn't suck up what it just got rid of.

It can be given about as much light now as you can give.....but a northern exposure is not one of them,.
In flower, the C.C. should not be turned away from the light it is receiving....so never turn the plant. When and or if you remove the plant to another room to water it, place it back in the exact same position it was when you picked it up.
Don't feet a flowering C.C....its not growing. That will come later.

[Maralyn45]

I too give them water twice a weak..thanks