Gardening - December Cheer

No doubt during December many of you will be buying or will be given seasonal plants for the home.  One of the main plants used for Christmas decoration is the Poinsettia and here’s a few tips to help you on the way to having a healthy plant throughout the Christmas season.

Poinsettias usually have large red leaf bracts (other colours are available these days), which are often mistaken for flowers.  When buying a plant look at the true flowers (yellow and tiny in the centre of the bracts); they should be unopened for maximum plant life.  Do not buy plants that have been outside or in a cold shop and always make sure plants are protected from the cold on the way to the car.  Once in the house, place in a well-lit spot away from draughts.  They require a temperature of 55-60^oF and maximum light during winter.  Water thoroughly and wait until the compost is moderately dry before watering again.  Poinsettias need moist air, so mist the leaves regularly.

This months Top Tips

• Keep a check on heating systems and insulation in glasshouses before the onset of the coldest weather.

• Place Cyclamen plants on saucers and water from beneath, as they dislike to be watered from above.  They also like a cool environment, so avoid placing near radiators or fires.

• The next few months are a good time to commence rejuvenative pruning of old shrubs.  This is where dead, diseased, crossing and oldest wood is removed, being careful not to remove more than a third of the shrub.

• Check fruit and vegetables in storage for any signs of rot and decay.