With most people having lots of other things on the minds at the festive season sometimes the plants can be neglected. All those lovely poinsettias that were carefully nurtured for months, with heat and light controlled by computers, are suddenly thrust out into a commercial world that has more often than not no idea of how to take care of them. They have to suffer the indignity of cold draughts and poor lighting conditions before eventually ending their journey in a centrally heated room that is usually much too warm.
Cyclamen, another favourite plant at this time hates warm rooms and quickly deteriorates in such conditions. These are cool growing plants and just require frost protection and careful watering to keep them happy. The leaves will elongate and flop over and the plant will stop flowering in warm dry conditions.
Azaleas that are sold in flower at this time are also fairly hardy plants although they require frost protection. They are really not suitable for use as house plants although a lot of them are regularly offered as such. Azaleas will not tolerate hot dry conditions under any circumstances and I can guarantee that 95% of all sold as house plants are dead within two months.
Isn't it amazing that people will buy anything that is in flower at this time of the year whether the position hey are going to put in is suitable or not.
So how do we look after the Christmas plants? Let's start with the Poinsettia (Euphorbia Pulcherrima) As I said earlier these plants are grown in specialised controlled conditions and should be kept in a temperature of between 55 ° and 60 ° F. They need careful watering and should never be left standing in water. A good soaking for about five minutes, (dunk the pot in a dish of water if it is very dry) and then let it dry out completely. Good light conditions are also necessary otherwise the leaves will go a sickly pale green colour.
Cyclamen should be given a cool room or hallway with no central heating and good light conditions. They can take full sun at this time of the year in the northern hemisphere as it is not strong enough to harm them. Again a good soaking and then let them dry out before watering them again. A little water every day is the quickest way to kill them.
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