In addition to all of the greenery used for holiday decorating, you can use some blooming plants to add some bright color. The most popular and traditional blooming plant for the holidays is the poinsettia. Another option is an amaryllis bulb.
Here is some information on how to take care of them this season. With a little bit of work, you can save these plants to bloom again next season. I have also included instructions on how to do this, too.
Poinsettias should be placed in an area where they will get at least six hours of light. Avoid direct sunlight from windows. They prefer a room temperature of 65-70 degrees. Water as needed, allowing them to go to the dry side to avoid over-watering. If they are placed in saucers, be sure to pour out the excess water in the saucer after you water.
Poinsettias can be kept alive to use the following season, however, in our climate, it can be challenging. After the holidays, they need to be kept near a sunny window. Water them when necessary, but only when they are dry, to avoid over-watering. Then, when the danger of frost is gone, they should go outside in a partially shaded area. When it goes outside, the plant should be cut back to about 4 to 6 inches. Maintain the plant normally and feed it with a liquid fertilizer according to the directions.
Before frost returns in the fall, the plant will need to go back inside around Oct. 1. To get the color back, you will need to control the sunlight. The plant will need to be placed in darkness for about 12 hours each night until Thanksgiving. Once you see the color developing, you can stop the darkness. I hope this gives you a way to take a little bit of Christmas from this season to next year.
Another traditional holiday flower is the amaryllis. Amaryllis are large bulbs that produce large flowers on top of tall stems. You will be able to find amaryllis in bloom from florists. Garden centers will sell the bulbs to plant for winter blooms.
Amaryllis bulbs take about six weeks to bloom after they are planted. If you are buying a bulb now, they will not bloom before Christmas. Most amaryllis bulbs are bought and given as gifts. They will bloom in the house in the winter.
Plant the bulb and place the potted bulb in a warm place with direct light since heat is necessary for the development of the stems. The ideal temperature is 68-70 degrees. Water sparingly until the stem appears, then, as the bud and leaves appear, gradually water more.
After the amaryllis has stopped flowering, it can be made to flower again. Cut the old flowers from the stem after flowering and when the stem starts to sag. Cut it back to the top of the bulb. Continue to water and fertilize as normal all summer or for at least five-six months, allowing the leaves to fully develop and grow. When the leaves begin to yellow, which normally occurs in the early fall, cut the leaves back to about 2 inches from the top of the bulb and remove the bulb from the soil.
Clean the bulb and place it in a cool (40-50 degrees), dark place such as the crisper of your refrigerator for a minimum of six weeks. Caution: Do not store amaryllis bulbs in a refrigerator that contains apples, this will sterilize the bulbs.
After six weeks, you may remove bulbs whenever you would like to plant them. Plant bulbs eight weeks before you would like them to bloom.
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