Holidays are filled with traditions, celebrating with family and the giving of gifts. This year, our family is altering the tradition of giving store-bought gifts. We are giving each other homemade gifts. Thankfully, there are some very creative and talented members of my family. I, unfortunately, am not one of them. After much thought, I have decided to pass on to each of my children a portion of a gift that once belonged to their great grandfather. During the later years of his life, he was given a pothos ivy. Each time I water it, I am reminded of his legacy within our family. Through taking several cuttings of the ivy, I have created new plants that will live on in the recipients’ homes, for what I hope, will be a long time.
Plants play a prominent role during holiday celebrations. Poinsettias and Easter Lilies are immediately identifiable as to what holiday they represent. Caring for those plants before and after the holidays is often less clear.
Joel Poinsett brought plants with colorful bracts from Mexico to the United States in 1825. The shorter days in the fall and winter naturally bring out the color in the leaves. When caring for poinsettias, check the potting soil each day and water when it feels dry. Keeping a poinsettia alive from season to season is possible but does take some work. From December through February, keep the poinsettia in a bright location and continue to water. Cut the stems back to about 6” in early March, place in a sunny location, water regularly and fertilize every 2 weeks through May. In June, move it slowly outdoors and plant in a sunny location. Care for it as you would other annual flowers. By mid-September bring it indoors and place in a sunny location. From early October to early December move it to a completely dark area of your home or cover it with a box from 5pm to 8am each day. Continue to water as needed and fertilize every two weeks. In early December, color should start to develop and the plant can be moved to a sunnier location in your home.
Easter Lilies offer beauty to the spring Christian holiday. They were first grown in Japan and brought to the United States in the late 1800s. This beauty can be transferred outdoors. Once the chance of frost has passed, the lily should be gradually acclimated outdoors over a two-to-three-day time period. It will do best in a full sun location and the bulbs should be planted in the ground at a depth of about 6”. As the foliage starts to wither it can be cutback. Water when dry and the Easter Lily may bloom again in July. Cover it with at 6-8” of mulch in November and rake away that mulch by mid-March. Through this care it may bloom again in successive years.
Spring blooming bulbs are sometimes associated with Passover. Symbolizing new beginnings and rebirth these flowers honor the holiday which celebrates the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Daffodils, tulips and hyacinth can be forced indoors resulting in a beautiful and fragrant display. To force them, plant 5 bulbs in a 6” wide container filled with potting soil. Set the container of bulbs in an area that is approximately 45 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 weeks. Water the bulbs regularly and keep them in complete darkness. Gradually remove the bulbs from the cold storage and place them in an area that is approximately 55 degrees for 5 days. Move them to a brightly lit area of your home that is about 70 degrees. Gorgeous flowers should emerge in about 4 weeks.
Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter cacti have flowers that emerge during their respective holidays. The flowering of these plants is closely tied to the exposure to light and temperature. They need 15 hours of darkness to begin blooming. A Christmas cactus, for example, should be moved to a cool location in September. Continue to water during this period. As flowers begin to emerge, the cactus can be moved back into the main part of the home.
As we enter the portion of the year that many of our outdoor plants have gone into dormancy, so will this column. I hope that you create many happy memories with friends and family this holiday season. If you are the giver or recipient of holiday plants, I wish you much success. Hopefully one day my children’s children will enjoy the ivy from their great-great-grandfather.
Kathleen Carr is the owner of The Growing Scene, Inc.,a landscaping company. She can be reached by calling 815-923-7322 or emailing her at Kathleen@thegrowingscene.com. Have a gardening question? Please contact her. She may address it in an upcoming column.
