Gardening Experts Share Secrets to Keeping Your Holiday Plants Thriving Long After Christmas

Turn your holiday plants into year-round showstoppers with these easy care tips for poinsettias, Christmas cacti, and amaryllises! 🌐 #News #Lifestyle #HomeAndGarden #Christmas

ST. PAUL, MN – Holiday plants like poinsettias, Christmas cacti, and amaryllises bring festive cheer to any home. But with a little care, these plants can last well beyond the season and bloom again year after year. Here’s how you can keep them healthy now and ensure they continue to bloom for future holidays.

How to Care for Poinsettias

To enjoy your poinsettia again next Christmas, the key is to rejuvenate it after the holiday season. Once the danger of frost has passed, move the plant outside when nighttime temperatures stay above 50°F (10°C). Prune it back to maintain a bushy, compact shape. Starting in early October, initiate the blooming process by giving your poinsettia 14 hours of complete darkness each night. You can achieve this by covering the plant with a cardboard box or placing it in a closet from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m.

During this time, water the plant sparingly. When the buds appear in early December, you can stop the dark treatment, and your plant will be on track to bloom just in time for the holidays.

Tips for Growing Christmas Cacti

Christmas cacti are another popular choice, available in a range of colors like red, white, and pink. These long-lived plants can bloom for 20 to 30 holiday seasons if properly cared for. To encourage blooming, treat your cactus to long nights starting around October 1. You can also promote flowering by lowering the plant’s nighttime temperatures to between 50°F and 55°F (10°C to 13°C) in early November.

Just like the poinsettia, your cactus needs those extended periods of darkness to trigger its blooms, so make sure it gets the right conditions to continue thriving year after year.

How to Grow Amaryllis for Beautiful Holiday Blooms

Amaryllises are a favorite during the holidays, and many enjoy growing them from bulbs. These bulbs are often sold pre-potted and come with full instructions for care. Once you begin watering, you can expect beautiful blooms in just 4 to 6 weeks.

After flowering, let the plant continue to grow as a foliage plant until the leaves turn yellow. At that point, store the bulb on its side in a cool, dark place—like a basement or closet—for 8 to 10 weeks to give it time to rest. When new growth begins to appear, repot the bulb and place it back in a sunny spot to start the cycle over for next year’s blooms.

General Care for All Holiday Plants

While each of these plants has its own specific care requirements, they all share a few common needs. Place your holiday plants in a bright room, but keep them out of direct sunlight. They all thrive at temperatures between 60°F and 70°F (16°C to 21°C) and like moist, but not soggy, soil. Be sure to avoid drafts and keep the plants in a location where they can get plenty of light during the day.

With the right care, these colorful plants will flourish and be ready to brighten your home for next year’s holiday season. Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

RELATED TOPICS: Home and Garden | Christmas

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