GREEN THUMBS AND GARDENING GIFTS

If holiday gift shopping makes you feel like a Grinch, don’t despair.  ‘Tis the season for giving, so why not give a gift that lasts all year, whether practical or just pretty, garden gifts aren’t just for dedicated gardeners. 

 A plant is a special gift that brings beauty to the home and to the heart as you help a living thing grow. Holiday plants might open the door to the enjoyment and pleasure of nurturing other plants indoors throughout the winter.  Just remember:  a green thumb is simply a positive state of mind.

 

 Indoor plants keep us in touch with nature and in a sense bring the outside in.  Working with living plants provides some new and exciting challenges, but by paying attention to a few simple details, it is possible for almost anyone to have beautiful indoor plants in winter – and year around.

 The secret to growing houseplants is providing the right conditions.  As much as today’s homes need plants, houses can be a hostile environment:  low light, desert-like dryness, heat, drafts and infrequent watering compensated by over-watering.

  If you have a holiday plant, the easy first step is to identify it.  Then learn light, watering, humidity, soil-type and fertilization requirements.  If you can meet these conditions, chances are good that the plant will flourish under your care.

 

 Typically, poinsettias reign at Christmas.  But, numerous other plants are highly desirable for indoors.  Look for cyclamen, kalanchoe, azalea, Christmas cactus, orchid or miniature rose.

 When buying, select plants that will grow in your environment.  Picking the right plants is easy; changing conditions in the home is not.

  If there are no bright, sunny windows, do not select plants requiring lots of light.  If the air is hot and dry during the winter, avoid plants requiring cool temperatures or high humidity.

 Select plants that appear to be insect and disease free. Check the undersides of the foliage and the axis of leaves for signs of insects or disease.  Select plants that look sturdy, clean, well-potted, shapely and well-covered with leaves.  Plants which have new flowers and leaf buds, along with young growth, are usually of superior quality.

    Remember:  large plants often are shocked when moved from a greenhouse into the home, so don’t be surprised if the plant loses a few leaves or looks droopy for a few days.  Once the plant has adjusted, it should perk up.

  Give the new plant a bath as a precaution against insects that might be present.  Use warm water and non-detergent soap.

  Placing plants is important.  Keep them off of cold windowsills and never allow leaves to touch cold window glass.  Be sure to keep plants away from heating vents.

   Over-watering is the leading cause of houseplant death.  Soil that is too wet is low in oxygen, and can cause a plant’s lower leaves to yellow and fall.

            Enjoy your holiday plants and remember don’t panic.   With a little forethought, preparation and observance on your part, a new plant can become a challenging project, not a predetermined failure.  No matter the color of your thumb in the past, you can turn a “black thumb” green.

           

TOM’S TIMELY TIPS FOR DECEMBER

•           Keep newly purchased fresh cut Christmas trees in a bucket of water in a cool place until use.

•           Before placing Christmas tree in a reservoir stand, cut trunk on a slant about one inch above existing cut for optimum water absorption.

•           Be sure to keep reservoir filled and place tree in the coolest part of the room.

•           Keep bird feeders filled throughout winter.

•           Enjoy the holiday season and best wishes for a happy new year.

Tom McNutt is a professor emeritus at The Ohio State University and a retired TV garden expert.