Gift holiday cheer with flowering plants
Q: Iwould like to give flowering plants as gifts to friends and buy a few to cheer upmy home and would like some advice on howbest to proceed.
— HenryMcWilliams, Chicago
A: Flowering plants such as azalea, kalanchoe, cyclamen and amaryllis workwell to brighten long winter days and make welcome gifts at any time during the winter.
Buyers should select plants that are free from spots on the leaves, bruising, wilting or browned leaf margins. Look for plants with flowers that are partially open or with lots of buds so you will get a longer period of color— plants with flowers that are completely open will not last as long. You may find those on sale, so judge accordingly on the value you receive for price and the reduced flowering time.
The flowers will last longer in a cool roomwith temperatures in the low60 degrees Fahrenheit, and they should be kept away from hot and cold drafts. Generally, keep these plants in bright light for best performance and keep the soil evenly moist but neverwaterlogged. There is no need to fertilize; most people consider these plants to be temporary and will discard them once the flowering is complete.
It is very important to protect the plants from cold winter temperatures when bringing them home. Most garden centers wrap plants to protect them fromcold temperatures and against breakage. If they don’t, be sure to ask salespeople to wrap them for you.
The plants should be placed in a stable location in your car while transporting them home. If you plan to transport multiple plants, it’s a good idea to use a box to carry them in. When transporting plants home, the car should be warm, especially if outdoor temperatures are below freezing. Plants should never be transported in a cold trunk or be allowed to sit in a cold car for any length of time, so make your plant purchases your last stop of the day.
The plants should remain wrapped for no more than 24 hours. Open the top to allowthe plants to get air if they are going to be wrapped for an extended period of time.
To unwrap a plant, it is best to set it on a stable surface and carefully tear or cut the wrapper from the bottom up. Do not attempt to pull thewrapper off the plant, as you risk breaking stems, flowers and leaves. Foil pot wrappers are attractive, but should be removed whenever the plant is watered so the plant does not sit inwater. It’s a good idea to put a saucer under the plant if it is on awood surface to avoidwater damage.
For more plant advice, contact the Plant Information Service at the Chicago Botanic Garden at plantinfo@chicagobotanic .org. Tim Johnson is senior director of horticulture at the Chicago Botanic Garden.