Taking Care of Your Holiday Plants

April 4th, 2008

Paperwhite Narcissus is also a holiday plant that starts out as a bulb. Narcissus bulbs should be planted in a pot with good drainage. The bulbs should be placed close together with their pointed end up. Leave the top half of the bulbs uncovered. Once planted, water the bulbs thoroughly. Place the pot in a well lit, but cool room. Once the shoots are about an inch tall the plant can be moved to a warmer room.

For a different twist on a holiday plant try a Christmas cactus. These plants are easy to care for and can have flower colors that are shades of pink, yellow, salmon or white. The cactus can adapt to low levels of light, however, it will bloom more in higher light levels. Christmas cactus is not a true cactus and is not quite as drought tolerate as other cactus plants. The plant should be watered thoroughly when the top half of the soil is dry. Feed the plant every two to three weeks. Plants that are exposed to drafts, overwatering or are too close to a heat source may drop their buds.

And a note about the most traditional of holiday plants, the Christmas tree. When bringing home a freshly field cut tree it should have a new cut about one inch from the old base. Having a fresh cut will remove any clogged wood that may not readily absorb water. Depending on the size of the tree, it may absorb up to a gallon of water the first day you have its in the tree stand. Always make sure there is plenty of water in the tree stand. To keep the needles fresh longer you may want to consider spraying the tree with Wilt-Pruf or another type of antiranspirant. These are clear films which slow water loss from the needles. Insects can hitch a ride on your tree. To prevent bugs from coming into your home, shake the tree and bounce it on the pavement a few times before bringing it indoors. If you see signs of insects, spray the tree with a insecticide containing pyrethrins before bringing it indoors.

Plants add color, texture, and smells to your holiday festivities. Spending time to get to know what your plants need will add to your enjoyment throughout the holiday season.

Donna Evans is co-owner of Gizmo Creations LLC, a landscape design and website design firm. Gizmo Creations has designed landscapes throughout the midwest and on the west coast. Anyone with questions on plants or landscaping should check out the landscape design forum at http://www.gizmocreations.com/forum

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Entry Filed under: Holiday Planner