Holiday Plants Ring in the New Year
The holiday glitz and glamour are now a memory. Decorations are packed and stored for next year. The Christmas tree is outside for pickup or composting.
What do we do with our indoor holiday plants? Can we effectively maintain them?
With a little attention and luck, holiday plants can survive and bloom again. Indoor conditions may not be the best environment for some of our plants, but by paying attention to each plant’s needs, we can help them through the winter months.
Holiday plants will rest in the winter months. If you have not already done so, remove decorative foil or temporary holiday containers. Place a saucer underneath each pot to catch drained water. Keep them watered, in bright light and away from drafts. Turn your plants regularly to keep their growth even and their stems strong.
Be alert for pests such as mealybugs or white flies. Wait until spring to fertilize, using a general, all-purpose fertilizer. Do not repot until spring unless the plant is outgrowing its container. Following are more specific instructions for growing and maintaining popular holiday plants.
Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) can be kept in a draft-free location and away from direct heating sources. Discard poinsettias that drop their leaves, look wilted, or show signs of disease or insects. Remove dead leaves, keeping the soil free of spent leaf litter.
Wash your hands after touching broken poinsettia leaves and stems, as the sap can cause an allergic reaction in individuals with latex allergies. Keep your poinsettia out of reach from pets and children, as ingesting several poinsettia leaves might cause an upset stomach, vomiting, or diarrhea.
In early summer, repot the poinsettia to a pot one size larger than its current pot. Place your poinsettia outside in a shady location. Pinch the stems (wash hands or wear gloves) to encourage branching and fertilize regularly throughout the summer. New growth will be green. Bring your poinsettia indoors in early fall.
Poinsettias require very specific light conditions to produce flowers. To try forcing the poinsettia to bloom again, keep the plant in total darkness for 12-14 hours a day, followed by 10-12 hours of bright sunlight beginning the first week in October through the end of November. After two months of a short day/long night cycle, the colorful foliage (bracts) will begin growing, and you have successfully grown a 2024 holiday treat!
Christmas cacti (Schlumbergera spp.) are relatively easy to maintain. Remove spent blooms by pinching or snipping them from the leaves. Place your Christmas cactus in bright light and water regularly, but do not allow the soil to become waterlogged or dry. In early summer, place your cactus outside in partial sun or on a covered porch, and fertilize monthly through the summer to fall.
Bring your cactus indoors in early fall when night temperatures drop below 60 degrees. Reduce fertilizing and watering. To set buds, Christmas cacti must be exposed to cooler temperatures (between 55-65 degrees) and long nights (13 hours of uninterrupted darkness).
The short day/long night cycle should begin in late September or early October and continue for eight weeks. Once buds develop, move plants to a cool, bright location and await their showy blooms.
Cyclamens (Cyclamen persicum) prefer cooler temperatures, moist soil, and bright, indirect light. Avoid wetting the leaves and stems to prevent rot, and drain away excess water when watering. Allow the soil to almost dry out before watering again. Pluck faded flowers and leaves from the plant.
New leaves and blooms may appear during the blooming cycle. Use a low-nitrogen fertilizer or houseplant food every two weeks when in active growth. After flowering, the leaves will yellow and fall away, and the tuber will go dormant. Place the pot in a cool, dark location, such as a basement or garage, for about two months. Water infrequently, keeping the soil dry.
After two months, soak the soil with water and place the plant outdoors or in a bright indoor location. Once growth resumes, begin watering and fertilizing. With patience and care, your cyclamen should rejuvenate and rebloom.
Frosty ferns (Selaginella kraussiana ‘Variegata’) are challenging to grow and establish. These plants prefer moist soil, low light, high humidity (at least 70%), and warm ambient temperatures (65-70 degrees). If the foliage becomes limp, brown or yellow, it indicates a lack of humidity and water. Assure the soil is kept evenly moist. A micro-climate for your frosty fern can be created with a cloche, dish garden, or terrarium setting. A tray with water and an inch of pebbles works well.
Fertilize with a nitrogen-based fertilizer every two weeks to a month in the winter and once a week in the spring. Too much fertilizer will cause the “frosty” edges of the fern to turn green.
In the spring, place your frosty fern outdoors in a shaded area and water and fertilize regularly.
Similar to the frosty fern, the Ellwood false cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Ellwoodii’) presents another set of challenges in the indoor environment. Ellwood false cypress prefers moist but well-drained potting mix in bright light conditions. Dry soil will cause the tree to wither, turn yellow and die. When purchased, your tree may be potted in a non-soil mix, causing the soil to dry out frequently.
Repot your tree in regular potting soil in the same size pot or one that is one size larger. Like the poinsettia, keep your tree away from drafts.
Place your Ellwood false cypress outdoors in the spring and apply a balanced fertilizer every 4 to 6 weeks. Using sharp scissors, gently prune your tree to a shape you prefer. Cut away dead leaves and branches.
The gift of holiday plants continues into the winter months, with the reward of a few starter plants for your outdoor spring containers or porch plants.
Penn State Extension offers additional advice on caring for your holiday plants into the winter months at extension.psu.edu/poinsettia-and-christmas-cactus-care and extension.psu.edu/care-of-holiday-plants.
If you have questions about holiday houseplant care and other gardening practices, telephone the Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Butler County at the Garden Hotline at 724-287-4761, ext. 7, or email the Master Gardeners at butlermg@psu.edu.
Lisa Marie Bernardo and Mary Alice Koeneke are Penn State Extension Butler County Master Gardeners.
