Have you purchased those beautiful poinsettias, amaryllis or other tantalizing holiday plants but aren’t sure how best to care for them? Follow these steps for longer lasting common holiday plants.
Poinsettias: Native to Mexico. The showy part of a poinsettia is actually not a flower but colorful bracts (modified leaves below the blossom). They don’t like to be completely dry and also don’t like to sit in standing water. Make sure to let them drain completely after watering. They need bright light indoors so a south or east facing window is best. Keep away from heat sources or vents. Can be grown as a green houseplant if given enough light and houseplant fertilizer. In order to flower and color up again, the plant must receive 14 hours of complete darkness each day starting in late summer or early fall, for at least six weeks: a big commitment but doable. Put it in a completely dark closet or cabinet early in the day and remove it the next morning. For six weeks!
Live Christmas tree care: Regular live pines with roots in a pot or wrapped need to have roots kept moist and cool but not soggy. Don’t place a living tree near a heat source to prevent drying and breaking of dormancy. Place ice on top of the soil in the pot to slowly melt and keep it hydrated and cool. Don’t keep indoors more than 2 1/2 to 3 weeks, tops! Acclimate the tree to the outdoors after the holidays by placing it in a sheltered shady spot such as on your porch for a week before planting.
Norfolk pines: Native to Norfolk Island in the south Pacific near New Zealand and are not actually a true pine but are conifers (produces cones). These are not cold hardy and need to be kept in a warm and brightly lit room in winter. Avoid putting in drafty areas or near heat vents or cold windows. Avoid letting it dry out completely. Don’t water this tropical pine with ice – it will not like that! Fertilize with dilute half-strength houseplant fertilizer spring through fall. Mist the plant with filtered or distilled water regularly when air is dry. It can be kept indoors all year as a houseplant or moved out in summer to a protected place on a porch. I would wait until after the humidity rises with the monsoon as these prefer humidity.
Cyclamen: The florist’s cyclamen – the one you see sold in stores – is derived from a cyclamen native to regions around the Mediterranean. It prefers cool weather to bloom and grow and goes dormant in hot weather. Overwatering will surely kill this plant right away. So, only water when dry and allow to drain completely. Place in a cool and bright spot in your home. As the temperatures turn warmer the plant will begin to go dormant. Let it rest and keep watered every now and again until cooler temperatures arrive. Increase water as new leaves appear. Fertilize with half-strength houseplant fertilizer while actively growing.
Amaryllis: Amaryllis are native to south Africa and will blossom naturally in spring. The bulbs must go through a cooling period of around eight weeks to bloom so the bulbs you purchase during the holiday season have been prechilled. Plant an amaryllis bulb in potting mix, leaving the upper third of the bulb exposed. Only water when completely dry until the shoot emerges. Once the shoot emerges, increase watering to keep the soil evenly moist but not too soggy or the bulb will rot. Keep in a bright and warm spot. After the bloom and leaves start to fade, stop watering, and allow the bulb to dry. I have successfully planted them after the holidays out in the garden or in a pot on the porch where they begin to grow again in spring. For waxed amaryllis there is no care (not even watering) except to place in a warm bright spot. After blooming, the wax could be peeled away carefully and the bulb planted in a pot.
Holiday/Christmas cactus: Schlumbergera species are native to Brazil, where they grow on trees or shrubs (epiphytic). They require sharply draining soil. Use a cactus or succulent mix when repotting. They need high light conditions to bloom well. Keep in a warm bright place and only water when dry. As these are tropical plants, they do prefer higher humidity. Set the pot on top of a dish of rocks sitting in water to increase humidity but keep the bottom of the pot out of water (this trick works with all humidity loving houseplants). Fertilize all year with houseplant fertilizer at half-strength.
I hope to see you around the Patagonia Plants Nursery this holiday season. I just might have a little holiday plant you might like. Happy holidays!