Q: I have a thirty-year-old Thanksgiving cactus. A few years ago it fell down and is now badly lopsided. Is it possible to prune it by cutting back the large thick branches?

A: Because it is such a treasure and to avoid losing all of the blooms next season, prune it in three steps. Shorten one-third of the stems on the weighty side in late April, another one-third in June and the last one-third in August. To get the fastest recovery, keep the plant outdoors in a shady spot throughout the growing season so it gets better light and more growth stimulation than it would indoors.