Whilst I’m a ‘not terribly festive, yet not quite scrooge’ type of person, I do make space for Christmas plants indoors! It’s the only chance we get to be seasonal with houseplants, and there’re some really traditional choices. They brighten the Christmas home, but can also be used as festive centrepieces for the dinner table. And, that’s not to mention Christmas trees!! This month, I’m going to chat about the top indoor Christmas plants, and how to get the best out of them!
Christmas Cactus
This is a classic, and they bloom like clockwork every Christmas. But how can you keep them happy?
In the wild, this is one of very few cacti that grow in jungly conditions, so in your home they won’t want to be in the window where it’s super sunny. Improve humidity by placing on a saucer of gravel. Assuming you’ve been given one in bloom, the key to re-blooming is how you treat them afterwards.
After flowering, let the plant rest, and water only occasionally. Move to a cooler spot too. The plants will start to grow again from April through to September, and that’s when you feed them! A little vacation on your patio outdoors will also boost the winter blooming. As September comes, the reduction in temperature will bring on flowering! Water only occasionally, and once you see buds, bring the plant back into warmth…
Sounds complex, but jot down the different stages on your calendar, and you’ll manage just fine!
Poinsettia/Princettia
A Christmas home isn’t a Christmas without this crimson gem! But breeders have been busy, and we now have almost every colour of the rainbow to choose from, as well as marbled and striped! Princettia is a recent addition, and it’s a little less fussy about conditions, and can even be used in an autumn container outdoors!
Make sure Poinsettia stay happy by keeping them away from draughts! Equally, don’t put them by a warm radiator either! If you’re buying from a shop, keep the plant warm whilst you bring it home, especially if it’s a cold day!
Water carefully, only when the surface of the soil has dried out. Mist plants regularly too, to increase the humidity. A saucer of gravel will also help! Similar to Christmas Cactus, let plants rest after they’ve done their thing!
Your Christmas tree
You just HAVE to have a real tree, especially if you’re going to be a fan of mine!! But, let’s see how we can keep your tree happy, lasting longer, and your carpet needle-free…!
Once you’ve chosen your tree, made the backseat of your car dirty with mud and dragged it into place, give it a drink of water! That’s very important, trees will perform best when placed into water as soon as possible after harvesting. Use a stand with a water reservoir and give trees two pints of water for every inch of stem diameter. Don’t be tempted to shave down the trunk to fit it into a stand either! Place out of sun and away from radiators.
After the twelfth day, take your tree to a composting unit or plant it into your own garden!
Hyacinths
The big bolshy bulb for Christmas flowering, Hyacinths are vivid and richly fragranced, and can be grown in soil or water. It’s well worth tracking down a set of Hyacinths for your sideboard over the festive period.
As with a few Christmas houseplants, cooler conditions are best. Warm spots will manifest in lanky stems on your Hyacinths, so try and avoid hot conditions at all costs! Water well, but only once the bulb is in flower. After flowering, remember you can plant into the garden too!
Cyclamen
This beaut is another staple of the indoor Christmas display, but they can be divas! Get the watering just right and they’ll reward you with blooms for months upon end!
Keep watering consistent and do the same with temperatures too! Water Cyclamen only when they dry out and keep away from radiators and draughty conditions! Good luck!
I hope this gives you a little bit of info to keep your festive plants happy, and don’t forget to send me photos!!
Much love,
Michael x
