Moxie Gardener

Poinsettias

In America, no other blooming plant says Christmas like the poinsettia.  First introduced to the United States from Mexico in 1828, it is as much a part of Christmas as the tree itself.

In its native habitat in Mexico, poinsettias, or Euphorbia pulcherrima, reach the size of shrubs or small trees.

Poinsettias thrive indoors at comfortable room temperatures with bright indirect light.  Kept in these conditions and well watered, Christmas poinsettias can continue to look spectacular long past the new year.

It is possible to get your poinsettia to bloom again next Christmas, although it requires consistent attention (as in every day) for about six weeks in fall.  Ready to make the commitment?  Below are the steps to take to make your poinsettia bloom again next Christmas:

1. For the rest of the winter, keep your poinsettia in bright light and water when the surface of the soil feels dry.
2. Put your poinsettia outside in the shade for the summer, at the same time you move your houseplants outside.
3. It is a good idea to repot the poinsettia in a pot only slightly larger than the one in which it is growing, using indoor potting soil.
4. Prune the end of each branch to just above a leaf node.  This will cause the poinsettia to branch out and form a more lush plant.
5. Beginning in mid-September, the plant must receive twelve hours of complete darkness every night for at least six weeks.  Complete darkness.  The light from a city street light will cause the poinsettia to fail to bloom.  The best way to provide complete darkness is to put the plant in a closet or cover with a light proof box every night for at least twelve hours. During the day, put your poinsettia in bright, indirect light at comfortable room temperatures.  Also, cut down on the amount of water you give the plant during this time, but not so much that the leaves wilt.
6. At the end of October, or after about six weeks of total nighttime darkness, you should notice buds swelling at the tips of the branches.  You can now grow your poinsettia in normal indoor conditions, along with your other houseplants.  The buds will open to reveal tiny yellow flowers, and the red-colored bracts, which are actually leaves, will slowly emerge.

That’s it.  Not terribly difficult, but it does require dedication during those six weeks of nighttime darkness.  Why not give a try to cultivating your poinsettia to bloom again next Christmas?

Christmas Cactus

Seasonal plants, especially Christmas seasonal plants, are often thought of as “disposable.”  Not so the Christmas Cactus.  This plant is so long-lived that specimens often out-live their custodial gardeners.

Commonly called a “cactus,” Schumbergeras are actually an “epiphyte,” a plant that grows on other plants, much like orchids.  In their native jungles of Central and South America, Christmas cacti are often found growing in the forks of tree limbs in decayed leaves along with other natural debris caught there.

Schumbergera is the Latin name for the Christmas cactus, although it was formerly classified as Zygocactus.

When you get your Christmas Cactus home put it in bright light and keep away from drafts and temperature fluctuations.  Do not put your Christmas Cactus near a door that opens to the outside.

Don’t over water, but don’t let the soil dry out.  Either one of these conditions will cause your cactus to drop its flower buds.  Water when the soil in the top inch feels dry to the touch.  Do not allow your Christmas Cactus to sit in the water which drains into the saucer beneath its pot.

Christmas Cactus live for many years, as long as you provide the proper growing conditions.  About a month after it finishes flowering, prune your cactus (if desired for shape or size).  They do best when crowded in their containers so only repot every three years at the most.  The best time of year to repot Christmas Cactus is February through April.

When the weather warms up, move your cactus outside to a shady spot, similar to where you would summer your houseplants.  In September and October, grow in a room at about 50 degrees F.  Provide bright, indirect light during the day and total darkness at night.  Cover the plant with a box or place in a closet.  The plant must experience twelve hours of total darkness every night for six to eight weeks in order for flower buds to form.

Water sparingly during this time, but do not allow the soil to completely dry out.  Fertilize in late October or early November with a low nitrogen (first number) fertilizer.

Sudden changes in temperature, light levels, or moisture levels will cause Christmas Cactus to drop its buds.  Christmas cactus can also drop its buds if its soil dries out completely.

Christmas Cactus will re-bloom for you if you provide the right conditions for flower bud formation during autumn.  The rest of the year it makes a stunning hanging plant to add interest to your indoor garden.  It will likely outlast you and your houseplants.

Force Paperwhite Narcissus now for blooms on New Year's Eve.

Paperwhite narcissus are the easiest and fastest bulb you can force to bloom indoors.  It only takes about six weeks for the flowers to open.  Bulbs are in stores right now and have been for weeks.  If you start a batch of bulbs every two weeks, you can have a continuous supply of blooms for months.

If you start a batch today, they will bloom in time for New Year’s Eve.  Their fragrant and delicate white flowers give New Year’s Eve its own special look and ambiance—part of the holiday season, but a little different from the Christmas decorations.

Paperwhite narcissus are much easier to force than tulips or daffodils because paperwhites don’t require near-freezing temperatures to produce flowers.  While paperwhites will flower if kept at room temperature, they will be more robust if grown on at slightly lower temperatures.

Pot the bulbs in either indoor potting soil or smooth gravel.  Fill the pot about halfway with growing medium.  Place the bulbs, pointed side up, on top of the soil or gravel.  Put in as many bulbs as you can, with their sides barely touching.  Add more soil or gravel, leaving the top third of the bulbs exposed above the surface.  Water well.

If you’re using gravel as a growing medium, use a watertight pot and keep the water level just below the bottom of the paperwhite narcissus bulbs, so only their roots are in the water.  If you are using soil as a growing medium, use a pot with a drainage hole in the bottom.

Let bulbs grow for about five weeks at a temperature in the upper 50’s to lower 60’s in dim light, until flower buds form.  Water regularly.  When buds form, move the pots to a more brightly lit area, ideally the spot you plan to display them.

The warmer the temperature, the sooner the flowers will fade.  To prolong the blooms of your paperwhite narcissus, put the pot in a cool room or even a refrigerator overnight.

Paperwhites are very fragrant and their scent will perfume an entire room.