Plants of the week

12/08/11
Newsletter Topics

#1 - Tips of the Week

#3 - Rose Certificates and Gift Cards

#2 - Plants of the Week

#4 - Christmas traditions

Plants of the Week

How to Properly Care for your Holiday Flowers Year Round

Poinsettias want to be placed in a room with temperatures in the 65 to 72 degree range. If pots have foil on them, remove or at least punch holes in the bottom to match holes in the pot. Place on a saucer. Add water when the soil feels dry to the touch. Best way to water is to set poinsettia, pot and all, in the kitchen sink. Water with luke-warm water and stop when the water runs out the bottom of pot. Leave in the sink till all the excess water has run out of the pot. Then place the plant back in its home. Just good indoor natural light will be sufficient. Keep your plant’s location away from a working heat source (heat vent or working fire place) and away from doorways that open to the outside of your home. Then get ready to enjoy poinsettia color for months. To get your poinsettia to bloom again next year, get the free tip sheet on poinsettias at http://bloomingarden.com/tipsheethome.html.

Christmas Cactus
The Christmas Cactus is a tropical plant that when properly taken care of, will bloom once to twice a year. They normally bloom during short daylight period, November thru March. Reduce watering in October to none will assure you blooms in December. They will sometimes throw off a few blooms during the summer. When in flower, the blooms last about a month. Christmas Cactus are available in several colors and make for a nice potted tropical plant even when not in bloom.

When Purchasing
Follow the same procedures as written above for poinsettias. When buying Christmas cactus, make sure they have lots of bloom buds on the plant if not already in bloom.

In the Home

Again, follow the same instructions as for poinsettias. You can keep the Christmas Cactus drier between watering. You also want to keep your cactus in a pot just large enough to keep the plant standing erect. Fertilize March through October following instructions on your fertilizer container. Place outdoors (if possible) from late May to Mid-September in a shady location. Add to your chances of December blooms by not watering your cactus at all, during October. Then begin watering, but not feeding as usual.

Cyclamen

Cyclamen is an interesting plant whose bloom petals sweep up like butterfly wings. Cyclamen is a favorite for holiday gift giving. Cyclamen are actually tubers (bulberous) that produce dark green, mottled; heart shape leaves and pink, white, or reddish-colored flowers. Follow the same shopping and home tips as with the poinsettias with these additions.

1. Place plant in a cool 65o to 68 o room with good natural room light. Remember they like it cool.

2. Water your plant from the top being careful not to get water on the top of the tuber itself and make sure the pot drains well.

3. Keep removing spent blooms and leaves. After the plant has finished blooming, the rest of the leaves will begin to die. Don’t throw the plant away. Your cyclamen is only resting, or going dormant. Cut back the watering and keep the plant where the tuber will still receive some sunlight. Keep the soil moist but not wet during this period. Towards the end of the summer, new flower buds and leaves will start to grow. Then water a bit more and remember Cyclamen is a cool weather plant and should be protected from any late summer heat. Then get ready to enjoy the cycle of the cyclamen all over again.

Now go decorate your home with real, living color that can give you enjoyment all year long.