Gardening: Keep holiday blooms looking fresh

The holiday season is only a few days away. Here are a few tips for keeping your amaryllis, Christmas cacti and poinsettias looking their best for the holidays.

Amaryllis

This large South American bulb produces striking red, pink and white blooms and is one of the easiest bulbs to get to bloom in the house.

Fill a 6- to 8-inch pot half full with moist potting soil. Settle the amaryllis bulb into the mix and then fill the pot so about a third of the bulb is above the soil, then water to settle the soil. Water sparingly until the growth emerges and then water enough to keep the soil damp but not waterlogged. Place the pot in direct light in a 65- to 70-degree room. The bulb needs warmth to grow properly.

Within a few weeks, long, strap-like leaves will appear followed by the flower stalk. The flower stalk will be heavy when it opens fully so it may be necessary to add a support stake to keep it upright.

Thanksgiving and Christmas Cacti

While not true cacti, Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti are epiphytes which means they live on trees by setting their roots in tree hollows and branch crotches where they can get water. The plants are long-lived and often handed down through families. The Gaiser Conservatory at Manito Park has one that is more than 100 years old.

Starting in mid-September or early October, the plants need a cool period and limited light to begin bud set. This can be a cool corner of a living room or a lightly used bedroom where the plant will get daylight but limited evening light. Buds form on the tips of the branches and will bloom for four to six weeks. Pick off the spent flowers to keep the plant looking tidy.

Let the plants dry out a bit between waterings over the winter. Too much water will cause root rot.

Poinsettias

Until just a few years ago, poinsettias only came as 2-foot tall plants in red, white and pink. Nowadays, with the work of plant breeders, we can find them in shades of orange red and with variegated leaves and nearly every shade of white, pink and red. They even come in diminutive sizes that can fit in any home decor. The poinsettia flowers are actually specially adapted leaves called bracts while the true flower is a tiny structure with yellow pollen at the end of the stems.

Poinsettias need bright but indirect light and regular watering to keep them healthy. The plants will wilt quickly when they get too dry and this will affect their vigor. Don’t let them sit in water in the pot saucer. The bracts will hold their color well into the spring and the plants can be planted out in the garden after all danger of frost has passed and enjoyed for the summer. However getting them to bloom again is extremely difficult and time consuming so buy a new one when the holidays roll around.

Pat Munts is co-author, with Susan Mulvihill, of the “Northwest Gardener’s Handbook.” Munts can be reached at pat@inlandnwgardening.com.