When you think holiday plants what’s the 1st plant that comes to mind? POINSETTIAS? You are correct! I’ve talked with the growers at Gertens to learn more. FYI, they grow about 86 THOUSAND plants with over 30 varieties. In today’s Garden Scoop I’ll share tips on caring for your holiday plants, including poinsettias, amaryllis, holiday cactus (and how to tell them apart) and cyclamen. If you’re giving them as gifts, insert a care card so the receiver can enjoy them longer.
Red Glitter, Peppermint Ice Crystal, Marble
Start caring for your Poinsettias even before you place them in your vehicle!
- Make sure you get your poinsettia covered by the Gertens team in the Poinsettia House before taking it out to your vehicle and into our cold winter air. Cold temps will kill your poinsettia – they are native to Mexico.
- Once home, remove your plant from the sleeve, make sure there are drainage holes (if the pot is in foil) and place on a saucer.
- They prefer bright light. Place in a south, east or west window and AWAY from cold drafts or heat sources.
- Keep the soil moist but not wet. Water when the soil surface feels dry. Set the plant in a sink, water thoroughly allowing the plant to drain completely! Don’t let it sit in water.
- The color should last about 4 to 6 weeks.
- For more on keeping them as houseplants, check out the University of Minnesota Extension here.
Amaryllis by mornin’ Amaryllis on my mind! (cheesy take on old tune)
‘Striped Amadeus’ amaryllis
The name ‘Amaryllis’ is from the Greek word amarysso, which means “to sparkle”.
Let’s talk about selection first. For the most stalks and blooms, choose the largest bulbs. Make sure they’re firm and dry. It’s common to see new growth! Choose bulbs that have bright new green growth.
- Plant your bulb(s) in a cylindrical container that is about an inch wider than the widest part of the bulb and twice as tall as the bulb to have plenty of room for the roots.
- Make sure there are drainage holes.
- Fill the pot halfway with a soil high in organic matter (ask the experts at Gertens), set the bulb, add enough soil so about 1/3 of the bulb is visible.
- Water till moist and drain.
- Place in a sunny window.
- Water when the top 2 inches of soil is dry, make sure the water drains out.
- Move out of direct sunlight once the flower buds start to open.
Note: you can also buy amaryllis already potted, then just pay attention to the last 2 bullet points.
Notice the green offshoot on the bottom? That will grow into a new bulb and can be removed and planted separately!
Another healthy amaryllis
Planted amaryllis bulb – photo credit U of MN Ext.
For more on after-flower care click here.
Holiday cactus
Every year someone says their Christmas cactus is an overachiever as it’s blooming before Thanksgiving! Here’s a quick little primer on how to tell if it’s a Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter cactus:
Now you know!
Thanksgiving cactus
Holiday cactus can live for a very long time, some have lived over 100 years as they were passed on from generation to generation! Let’s get to their care:
- Place in bright, filtered light. In Winter, place in south, east or west window.
- Water thoroughly when the soil surface is dry.
- Make sure the water drains out the bottom and empty the saucer.
- Remove faded blooms.
FYI –Holiday cacti like to be a bit rootbound. If your buds drop before they open, it could be rapid changes in light, temperature or humidity. Or it could be they have been under-watered. To be honest, that’s more unlikely as most folks tend to overwater.
And then there’s Cyclamen
Between the beautifully delicate flowers in a variety of colors and the equally beautiful, varied foliage, cyclamen are showstoppers!
With cyclamen, more leaves equal more flowers! And they can flower for up to 2 months. They prefer cooler temps but like direct light in our climate or bright indirect light. The experts at Gertens say:
While in bloom, keep the root ball moist. Cyclamen should be kept moist by watering in a tray and allowing the roots to take up the water rather than watering from above the plant which can lead to rotting. Remove yellow leaves and spent flowers.
Feed the plant every two weeks. Do NOT overfeed. Less is more.
When your cyclamen has quit blooming you can discard the corm (compost it) or save it. After the foliage dies back, leave the plant to dry and store in a cool, dark place for 6 to 8 weeks. In midsummer, dig out the corm and repot! Place it in a warm area to establish roots before returning it to a cool 55 - 60˚ F. to encourage flowering.
Nestling in the dark of winter with the bright colors of holiday plants,
