Let
it snow, let it snow, let it snow…Snow?
As I write this I am wearing short sleeves and getting ready to water
plants. I am starting to wonder if I
should buy myself that cute snowflake sweater I saw in a catalog or spend my
hard-earned dough on plants. If our
gorgeous weather is making it hard for you to get in the holiday spirit and you
need some new gift ideas for the “person who has everything,” never fear,
consider some blooming holiday cheer!
Everyone out there, male or female, green thumb or black thumb, will
love a beautiful living present they can enjoy long after the eggnog is gone
and the sweater doesn’t fit because of too much edible “holiday cheer!”
Consider
blooming indoor plants, or how about making your own Dutch bulb garden? Forcing flower bulbs indoors is easy, loads
of fun, and makes lovely inexpensive gifts for any occasion. Holland bulbs such as tulips, hyacinths,
daffodils and crocus are ideal. Bulbs
need to be chilled before they can be forced, so buy pre-chilled ones ready to
plant, or pick some up to chill yourself.
Just place them in cold storage for about 12 weeks to encourage root and
stem development and “fool” them into thinking they just overwintered. Your refrigerator is ideal for this, but keep
the bulbs away from ripening fruit or vegetables. Do NOT put them in the freezer, or you will
have squishy “bulbsicles.” All you will
need to do now is pot them up in any shallow container in light well-drained
potting soil so the tips of the bulbs are showing. Lower-growing varieties will work best and
many are very fragrant, especially hyacinths.
Water until moist then place your pots in a semi-dark, cool room for 4
to 7 days. After that, bring them to a
well-lit, warmer room (65-70 degrees) out of the direct sun and watch the magic
begin! Dress your pots with sterile
decorative moss, pebbles, holiday rickrack, small glass ornaments, berries,
etc. Have several pots of different
varieties grouped together for a dramatic statement. For a Dutch garden look, try mixing varieties
in the same pot or basket and place taller varieties in back, shorter in
front. Keep an eye out for interesting
or unusual containers, baskets and dishes to use. The possibilities are only limited by your
imagination!
Paperwhite
daffodils are definitely the easiest bulbs for indoor forcing. Since they are a warm-climate bulb, they need
no pre-chilling. These fragrant, pure
white-flowered bulbs will start growing as soon as they are planted. Paperwhites will even grow in a tray of
pebbles with a little water at the base, or planted in regular potting
soil. Simply plant in the container of
your choice, move to a cooler room for about a week, then place in a warmer,
brighter room and enjoy! Plant these
awesome bulbs at weekly intervals for continuous bloom. If paperwhite fragrance is too strong for
you, remember you can plant them outside in your garden or pot on the deck
(just plant them about 4” deep instead of at soil level). They are gorgeous mixed with pansies and will
bloom in 5 to 6 weeks. Birdbath looking
lonely outside? Place paperwhites in the
bowl with stones and a little water, and you are guaranteed oohs and aahs, if
not from the birds, then definitely your friends and neighbors!
The
huge, stately blooms of amaryllis are not to be missed, either at the holidays
or in the garden in summer. They grow so
fast, you can almost watch them shoot up right before your eyes! Like paperwhite bulbs, these require no
pre-chilling. Place these in a pot sized
so the bulb is about 1” from the side of the pot with about 1/3 of the bulb
showing. Water sparingly until you see
the flower stalk appear. Bring to a
bright room and prepare to be awe-inspired, for amaryllis are truly
majestic! Most forced bulbs will not
perform again and need to be discarded in the compost bin, but not
amaryllis. After they bloom, do not
throw them away! Simply cut the stalk to
2”, but only cut the strappy leaves when they turn brown. Bring them outside after the last frost to
live until the end of summer. Stop watering
and fertilizing and bring to a cool, dark place for 2 months, repot to a
next-larger size pot, and start all over again.
These huge bulbs can also be planted directly in the garden in
well-drained soil for summer bloom. Just
plant 8” to 10” deep in a sunny spot.
Of
course, never forget to give the classic holiday favorites, poinsettias and
Christmas cactus. No longer are
poinsettias traditional red. Check out
the new Winter Rose, with beautiful, curly flower bracts that look just like a
giant rose! Poinsettias also now come in
pink, cream, peach, rose, and marbled varieties. Remember, these are tropical plants, so give
them some extra humidity if possible and keep them away from heat sources and
cold drafts. Keep soil barely moist and
do not let them sit in water. When a
branch inevitably breaks, seal the end with a match and place in a bud
vase. It will last just as a cut
flower. If you would like to carry them
through to next December, here are a few easy tips. When the flower bracts fade, cut the plant
back to about 8”. When evening temps
stay warm in late spring, bring them outside to a bright shade spot, repot one
size larger, water and fertilize regularly.
Cut the plant back by 1/3 around Memorial Day, and again at the end of
August to keep the plant bushy and have more flowers later. Continue water and fertilize regimen until
night temperatures are too cool. From
October 1st to mid-December, place your plant in total
darkness for 14 hours (i.e., 5 pm to 8 am) and natural light for 10 hours per
day to force bracts to turn color by Christmas.
Remember, even a small amount of street light may ruin your attempts, so
make sure the darkness is complete.
Christmas cactus are even easier.
Just place the plant outside after the last frost through fall, water
and fertilize regularly. The warmer the
daytime temperature outside, the more light they like, the cooler the
temperature use a little more shade.
Bring back in the house when nighttime temperatures are
questionable. Keep evenly moist and
avoid rapid changes in temperature and light when budding, and enjoy watching
the brilliant buds pop! Remember,
poinsettias are NOT poisonous, despite the myths to the contrary. They just don’t taste very good in salads!
All
plants given as gifts for any holiday, especially when beautifully decorated,
are warm and touching, and always are appreciated. Don’t forget to gift one to yourself! They will never clash with your décor, eye or
hair color, shrink in the dryer, and you can’t gain those extra holiday pounds
from them, even if someone does eat them!
Consult your favorite garden center for tips and advice, plants and
garden art for anytime gift-giving. I am
sure they will have something that will please everyone on your gift list, even
‘ole Ebenezer Scrooge!
Dawn
Leith
Durham
Garden Center