Thanksgiving Day is the beginning of the holiday season for many folks.
Shopping, decorating and cooking kick into high gear. Gardeners tend to
look for ways to bring the garden inside for decking the halls or for
giving gifts. Holiday plants are available in most stores. And with the
right care they will last through the whole season.

Poinsettias are the most popular of the holiday plants. Red is still
the
preferred color, but poinsettias also come in pink, white, salmon,
burgundy and variegated forms. It is important to pick a healthy plant
from the start. Look for fully colored bracts and un-opened flower
buds.
The flowers are the tiny yellow buds in the center of the plant. The
leaves and colored bracts should not be droopy. Check the base of the
plant for any wilted or brown leaves. Brown or black leaf edges
indicate
that the plant has been exposed to cold temperatures, drafts or dry
heat.

Your poinsettia plant should be set in a plastic sleeve to protect it
from the cold during the trip home. And don’t leave it in a cold car
while you continue shopping or running errands. Once home remove the
plastic and keep the plant in bright light away from drafts and heat
vents. Water only when the soil starts to dry, usually no more than
once
a week. They thrive in daytime temperatures of 65-70 degrees F and
slightly cooler at night.

Another popular holiday plant is the Christmas cactus. The actual name
is zygocactus or formerly Schlumbergera. Lengthening nights and cool
temperatures trigger flowering. Growers can control both of these
factors in the greenhouse and can have the plant blooming for just
about
any holiday. This cactus is not a desert plant. It actually comes from
the jungle environment of S.E. Brazil where it is humid with high
rainfall. Keep them away from heat vents and fireplaces. These plants
need good drainage and should be allowed to dry between watering. Water
after the top half of the soil is dry. They prefer indirect light.
After
the blooms have dropped pinch off the end segments of the branches to
encourage full growth and more blooms.

Cyclamen bloom from December through April making them a natural choice
for holiday color. These butterfly shaped flowers come in red, white,
pink and lavender. Temperature, fresh air and moisture are very
important when growing cyclamen. If you keep your house at 72 degrees
F,
this plant may not be the best choice. Daytime temperature should be 65
degrees F and 50 degrees F at night. Keep the soil moist but not soggy.
Cyclamen grow best with high humidity and no drafts. Set them on a
pebble tray with water to increase the humidity around the plant. They
prefer morning light. Remove faded flowers with a slight tug and new
ones will soon follow.

Two more plants for an indoor display are paperwhite narcissus and
amaryllis. Both are usually sold as bulbs and need to be started
several
weeks ahead of the desired bloom time. Paperwhites will flower four
weeks after they are potted up. They can be grown in potting soil or in
a dish of decorative stones. Cluster several in the pot or dish with
the
top third of the bulb above the moistened soil or stones. If you choose
the pebble method, fill the dish with water till just below the base of
the bulb. Place the pots in the coolest room in the house away from the
light. In one to two weeks shoots and roots will be developed and the
plant can be brought into bright light. If the room is too warm the
foliage will elongate and flop over and the delicate scented white
flowers fade.

Amaryllis requires eight weeks to grow to the bloom stage. Bulbs
purchased now should have some shoot or flower bud emerging if you want
it in bloom by late December. Plant the bulb in a pot that is about an
inch bigger around than the bulb. Keep the potting soil moist but not
soggy. Amaryllis will grow in bright light with average home
temperatures. Turn the pot regularly to help the stems grow straight.
Each flower stalk produces four to six large blossoms that will last
for
several weeks. After the flowers have died the stalk can be cut to the
base. Let the foliage grow on and care for it as you would any other
houseplant.

Beth Nardone, botanist, is a resident of Hillsborough and is the

Nursery

Manager at the Belle Mead Co-Op. Questions and comments can be sent to

bethtanical@patmedia.net