Shining star
You’re a shining star, no matter who you are; shining bright to see what you could truly be—when you follow our expert tips to keep poinsettias cheery and bright the whole holiday season.
Photo by L.A. Jackson
Earth, wind and fire—besides being the name of a classic R&B band that makes just about anybody with a pulse jump up and trip the light funk-tastic, it is also a trio of helpful reminders for providing the necessary care that poinsettias need while they are decking the halls this Christmas.
Earth. Poinsettias will suffer in soggy soil, so make sure the pot has a drain hole in it. For the same reason, if frilly foil wrap adorns the container, it should be removed or have holes poked in the bottom. Lower leaves turning yellow and starting to drop off is a sure sign of a pot bog.
On the other hand, keeping a poinsettia’s “earth” properly irrigated is, of course, essential for its health, but only water when the upper soil surface feels dry to the touch. Giving your pretty plant a drink of room-temperature water about every three to four days will usually do the trick.
Wind. Drafts can cause problems for your poinsettias. The most obvious draft comes from heating duct vents, and while they help keep these Central American natives cozy, placing them too close to such balmy breezes will dry out the foliage, which can cause leaves to curl and even drop.
In addition, avoid placing them close to doors that let in drifts of chilled air every time they are opened. Such locations are microclimates of rapid temperature fluctuations, which can also lead to leaf loss.
Fire. The sun is the biggest fire I know, and poinsettias, being tropical plants, do like it. However, in an enclosed house, exposing them to direct sunlight is not the best option. Poinsettias will last longer in a festive nook or cranny that is bathed by strong, indirect sunlight for at least six hours a day.
Smaller fires come from wood stoves and fireplaces, which, like indoor duct vents, produce plenty of warm, dry air. So to prevent leaf crinkle, keep poinsettias in other rooms, if possible, away from these sources of heat.
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December in the garden
• When your Christmas cactus pops into bloom, place it in a bright, naturally lit room and reduce watering to prolong the flowering period.
• Now is a good time to take hardwood cuttings of such deciduous woodies as forsythia, Japanese quince, mock orange, spirea and viburnum.
• Even in the winter, outdoor woody ornamentals can dry out, so continue to water. Adequate moisture is especially critical to newly planted evergreens, as transpiration on cold, windy days can really suck the sap out of such young plantings.
• Rotate African violets a quarter turn every two weeks to prevent the plants from growing off-center as they lean toward their light source.
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Tip of the Month
Visit a nursery with display beds or stop by a public botanical garden near you in the next two months to see what is in bloom or is adding interest to the winter landscape. Whether it is something like the curved green claws of Poncirus Flying Dragon, the blazing frigid-weather color from the exfoliating trunks and stems of Japanese crepe myrtles (Lagerstroemia fauriei) or the delightful fragrance of winter daphne (Daphne odora) that catches your attention, you should be able to find plenty of examples of plants that can perk up your garden during the coldest times of the year.
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L.A. Jackson is the former editor of Carolina Gardener magazine. Contact him at lajackson1@gmail.com.
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