Tips for the care of holiday and gift plants

I think with the record heat, along with no rainfall, many people have not started thinking about the holiday season. As holiday season approaches, you may be a person that likes to decorate your home with holiday plants or even give gift plants to friends and neighbors. When you see the plants at the store, they are in great shape, but you find it tough to keep them looking great over time.

Today, I am going to share general information on care of holiday and gift plants. I will be sharing information from a UGA publication by Dr. Paul Thomas and Mel Garber. Both have worked with the UGA Extension Horticulture program.

First, there are lots of holiday and gift plants out there. Sure, most everyone has seen a poinsettia or an African violet, but you need to read up on the plant you purchase for specific recommendations.

The first tip in the care of holiday and gift plants is proper watering. Water is a big topic now due to our current drought. We may not have control on the rainfall, but we do have some say in how we water our potted plants. Keep in mind that proper watering is important to overall plant success.

Also keep in mind that large plants in small containers will dry out quicker. You need to also check these plants daily since the relative humidity in the dwelling due to heating and air conditioning is normally lower. When you check the plants, you need to check the soil and water when the soil is almost dry to the touch. Please do not overwater your plants. Overwatering can be just as bad as not watering enough. When you do water, you need to add enough water until you see some water draining from the bottom of the pot. The excess should be removed.

Making sure you have good container drainage is important, too. Thomas and Garber reminds that many gift plants will come in waterproof containers or wrapped in foil. You need to remove the pot coverings or punch holes in the bottom of the container to allow for water drainage. If you don’t, it could lead to root rot. It is suggested to put the container in a saucer to protect furniture for example. Do not mist these holiday plants since this can increase the risk of foliage material diseases.

Make sure you also provide adequate light for the holiday and gift plants. This is where studying up on the light requirements of your specific plant is important. In general, place most potted plants in areas where they will get large amounts of indirect light. If you do not have access to more natural light scenarios, most plants can be placed under lamps. Thomas and Garber adds that plants such as orchids and African violets have grown well at times under artificial light. Keep in mind that low light levels can increase the decline of many holiday and gift plants.

Keeping the indoors between 60- 75 degrees F is normally good for most plants. Note that temperatures in the 60- 65 degrees F range can help the life of flowering plants. Temperatures in the 75- 80 F range indoors can reduce the quality appearance life of many plants. You can get some chill injury to many gift plants in spots that can get below 55 degrees F.

Our information also states to not station your holiday plants in spots that can have rapid temperature changes. Keep away from drafty doorways and also away from heaters and air conditioner vents.

You need to remember that many holiday plants will last for only a few weeks. You do not have to fertilize them. If you do want to keep the plant for months after the holidays, you can give some fertilization. It is suggested to use water soluble or slow release fertilizer products according to the product label.

If you plan to keep the plants for a long time, you will have to repot the item at some point due to growth. You can purchase soil mixes and make sure the new container is proper for the size of the plant. Make sure the new container has drainage holes or be prepared to make holes in the container.

As a friendly reminder, our article from last week discussed our drought and home lawns. If you plan on irrigating your lawn, make sure you are current with our local water laws. Your water provider can make sure you are watering on the correct day and confirm times. Right now our lawn grasses need to be storing carbohydrates to help bring them out of dormancy next spring. About a .50” of water per week on the lawn may help in long run. We will cut that rate back as we get more into November and cooler weather. Regular rainfall would help the situation a lot.

For more information contact UGA ExtensionGordon County or email gbowman@uga.edu.