Heather N. Kolich, ANR Agent, UGA Extension Forsyth County
As the holiday season winds down, you don’t have to say goodbye to your seasonal live plants. Potted plants like poinsettias, cyclamen, and Christmas cactus can continue to bring enjoyment for years.
Your first act in prolonging the life of holiday plants is to remove their festive foil wrapping. None of these plants like to have their roots standing in water, and the foil keeps excess water from draining away.
Poinsettias can last for years as potted foliage plants. Their colorful display isn’t actually from flowers. The beautiful red, pink and ivory “petals” are really leaves that have experienced a strict schedule of light and dark periods under greenhouse conditions. With proper care, they can maintain their color for months. These plants need at least six hours of bright, indirect light every day; frequent watering; and a stable temperature between 65 and 70 degrees. When the colored leaves fade, cut the plant back to around 10 inches and transplant it into a pot that is one size larger. Poinsettias can live outdoors in a sheltered place until temperatures become frosty.
Cyclamen are winter-blooming plants that hail from Mediterranean regions. They have wing-like flowers – which can be white, pink, rose or crimson – that hover on long stems above heart-shaped leaves. Cyclamens are water sensitive; they like to be moist but letting the soil get too wet injures them. They prefer cool temperatures (50-60 degrees Fahrenheit) and indirect sun, so place them in a north or east facing window that receives filtered light. They will bloom for several weeks and then naturally die back for a warm-season dormant period. When the flowers fade, slowly decrease watering until the leaves die. Then put the pot in a shady location and water it just enough to keep the soil from completely drying out. This lets the tuberous root rest for the next round of blooms. Leaves will reappear around mid-September. When that happens, return the pot to bright light and regular watering and fertilize the plant once monthly.
Amaryllis bulbs are forced to bloom during the winter, but they will rebloom in the spring if you transplant them outdoors. Until then, place holiday amaryllis in a cool room and out of direct sunlight to prolong flowering.
Holiday cacti bloom around Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter depending on the variety. They will bloom for around six weeks if they have plenty of bright sunlight and moderate moisture. Sunny, south-facing windows are the best place for these guys. When blooms fade, pluck them off and give the plant a light dose of houseplant fertilizer. In warm weather, holiday cacti can live outdoors in semi-shaded spots.
Table-top rosemary plants and live tree species that are adapted to our climate can be transplanted into the landscape in the spring. Until then, provide these plants with bright light from a sunny west or south facing window. Allow the surface of the soil to dry between waterings. As the weather warms, prepare the plant for life outdoors by setting it outside for an hour in the morning. Continue this practice for a couple of weeks, gradually lengthening the time outside each day. This allows the plant to acclimate to the brighter light outdoors without creating plant stress.
Natural cut Christmas trees and wreaths can enjoy new life, too. Tossed into a woody, secluded area of your backyard, post-season Christmas trees give homes to a variety of critters, including forest insects, fungi, birds and small mammals. If you don’t care to create a wildlife habitat, your Christmas tree and wreath greenery can still contribute to the environment through recycling. Wood chips from ground-up greenery are useful for mulching nature trails and walkways. Be sure to remove all lights and ornaments, first.