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December 2006
PRUNING: If you have
hollies, boxwoods or other evergreens, now is a great time to trim or prune
them for holiday decorations. Be sure not to prune or trim any shrubs that
flowers in the spring, like azaleas or forsythia, or you'll be trimming away the
part that would have flowered in the spring.
POINSETTIAS: The length of time
your poinsettia will last in your home is dependent on the maturity of
the plant, date of purchase, and how you treat the plant. With care,
poinsettias should retain their beauty for weeks and some varieties will
stay attractive for months.
- After you have made your poinsettia
selection, make sure it is wrapped properly because exposure to low
temperatures even for a few minutes can damage the bracts (the
colored portion) and leaves.
- Six hours of light daily is ideal.
Keep the plant from touching cold windows.
- Keep poinsettias away from warm or
cold drafts (fireplace or front door).
- Ideally poinsettias require daytime
temperatures of 60 to 70°F and night time temperatures around 55°F.
High temperatures will shorten the plant’s life.
- Check the soil daily and make sure
the container drains properly. Water when soil is dry. Allow water
to drain into the saucer and discard excess water. Wilted
plants will tend to drop bracts sooner.
- Fertilize the poinsettia if you keep
it past the holiday season. Apply a houseplant fertilizer once a
month. Do not fertilize when it is in bloom (yellow/white flowers in
the center of red/pink/white bracts.
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Smith's Nursery, Inc.