Caring for Holiday Plants

During the holiday season many plants will be given as gifts.  To keep these plants from ending up early in the compost pile or garbage can here are a few tips to remember about caring for some of the more traditional gift plants.

Because most of the plants that you will get as a holiday gift like bright light it is important to select a sunny window or well lighted area to showcase your holiday plant.  Do not place them in direct sunlight.  Drafts are not good for them so make sure they are not in a location that has a draft from a door, window or heating vent.  If you want to use the plant in a decorative location in your house during a party remember to move it back to the ideal location in your house following its use as a decorative centerpiece.

The first thing to do when you get a plant that has a protective plastic covering on it is to gently remove this cover.  The wrapping material can bend leaves and damage the flowers. 

If you receive a plant in a pot wrapped in foil, it is best to punch holes in the bottom of the foil and sit the plant on a saucer or replant the plant into a decorative holiday pot that has proper drainage.  The plants that are flowering when you receive them should have their soil kept moist, not wet.

Many of the plants you will receive during the holidays have been planted in a peat moss soilless mixture.  Once this mixture dries and you try to add water the water will immediately run out of the pot.  This usually means the plant has dried too much.  You will need to place the plant into a pot or sink of warm water and let it soak for about an hour, and then remove it.  You do not want to fertilize the plant at this time.

Poinsettias are one of the most common holiday plants during this season.  If you have been to any of the garden centers or retail stores lately you probably have seen their displays of poinsettias for sale.  Once you get the poinsettia home if the lower leaves begin to wilt and drop it is a sign that you have not given it enough water.  If the lower leaves of your poinsettia start to turn yellow and drop this is a sign that you have given it too much water.

The cyclamen plant is another great holiday gift plant.  They like a bright east window, cool conditions of 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit at night and 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit during the day.  They are also a plant that likes high humidity.  It is a good idea to set their pot on top of a saucer filled with pebbles and keep the saucer filled with water.  The soil in the pot also needs to remain moist and the pot should drain well. Although the cyclamen is a very attractive plant when blooming they are not a forgiving plant, especially if you let its soil dry out.  Do not apply water to the crown of the plant, always water from the base of the pot.  When the plant’s leaves turn yellow or the buds fail to open this can mean several things: the plant is in a location that is too hot and dry or it is receiving an insufficient amount of water or light.

On all flowering holiday plants, make sure you remove the flowers as they begin to fade. Once the plant stops its flowering you can give it a feeding of liquid fertilizer.  During this period it is also a good idea to let the soil slightly dry between each watering and transplant any pot-bond holiday plants at this time.

If you are transporting holiday plants to give as gifts it is a good idea to make sure they are protected from the wind and cold when you move them.  During cold weather place them in a sleeve of plastic protection or in a box to keep them insulated from the cold. Transport them in a warm car and never leave the plants in a cold or extremely hot car.