Christmas plants make wonderful gifts for the holidays as they can be enjoyed during this time as well as year round as the fragrant blooms bring a bit of sunshine into the home during the drab winter months. You can choose among a variety of Christmas plants in addition to the traditional poinsettia. The amaryllis with its bold bloom makes a delightful gift. Paperwhites are an easy bulb to force and when placed in a gravel container, make a unique gift idea. The Christmas Cactus is a gorgeous plant that can be grown indoors or it can spend the summer outside.

AMARYLLIS

Amaryllis is a great holiday gift. This blooming bulb gives a wonderful display all season for its blooms do last a long time. Of all flowering bulbs, amaryllis is the easiest to bring to bloom. The large flowers and ease with which they can be brought to bloom make amaryllis popular. The amaryllis comes in many beautiful varieties including various shades of red, white, pink, salmon and orange plus there are many striped and multicolored varieties.. I covered the care of this unusual plant last month, but here are the highlights.

Starting a bulb from scratch should begin in Mid -October as it needs 6 to 8 weeks before the blooms appear. You should plant the bulb in a six or eight inch pot with the top of the bulb above the level of the soil. Place the container in bright light and water thoroughly at first. Then begin to water only sparingly until growth begins. Allow the soil to dry a bit between watering as this stimulates the root system. A clay pot is preferable as well.

After the blooming period, you can let the bulb go dormant. Do not water and you can place the container outside in the summer which contributes to a larger bulb growth. Follow the same steps for another year of blooming. Remember to pot in new soil and add nutrients.

Department of Horticulture, Penn State

The key to maintaining your live Christmas tree throughout the holiday season is to give it the proper care from the time it is purchased until the tree is removed from your home. Maintaining a high moisture level in the tree is the single most important factor in reducing needle loss and keeping the tree fresh. This is accomplished primarily through the use of water-holding stands and maintaining the water level in the stand above the base of the tree. Every year there are many articles written concerning the handling and care of Christmas trees. Unfortunately, they often contain erroneous information.

The following research-based guidelines will help you to maintain the freshness and aroma of your live Christmas tree this holiday season.

1. Use a tree stand with an adequate water-holding capacity. A tree stand should have a water basin that provides 1 quart of water per inch of stem diameter. For most Christmas trees, the stand should hold at least 1 gallon of water. A cut tree will absorb a surprising amount of water, particularly during the first week, so replenish the water daily.