Poinsettias 101

"So just how often does my poinsettia need watered?"  That's probably the most common question (and very valid, too!) posed to us this time of year.   There's two answers to that question, the long and the short.

Of course, the long answer is a little more fun!  You get the bonus of a little context and history, like knowing that the poinsettia plant is a euphorbia native to Central America.  Another common euphorbia is one of our spring staples, Diamond Frost.  Historically, the Aztecs extracted dyes from the poinsettia and used its white milk for treating fevers.  It wasn't until the early 19th century that the poinsettia was "discovered" and brought  to the United States by Joel Roberts Poinsett.  (In addition to propagating and becoming the namesake for the poinsettia, Mr. Poinsett also served as a U.S. minister to Mexico, a member of the House of Representatives, and was a co-founder of the predecessor of the Smithsonian Institution.  And yes, his list of notable accomplishments continues!)

So even though we associate the poinsettia with Christmas and cold weather, it's actually a relatively drought-tolerant plant from Central America.  Of course, it does need water!  Maybe it's time for the short answer...

The short answer?  Not too often.  Water the soil well and then let the soil dry out before watering again.

Best of luck with your poinsettias!

Seeing Stars

There are oodles of gorgeous poinsettias to be found in December! Two of our current favorites are "Cinnamon Star" and "Marble Star". A far cry from the traditional red poinsettia, they're too fun to not share with you!  

They're each certainly a conversation piece- and a pretty one, too! Tradition tells us that "Nothing says Christmas like a red poinsettia!". But the fun and funky colors have something to say, too... perhaps "Happy New Year!"?

Open House Day

To all who came out today for our annual Open House- thank you!  It's always so nice to see so many old and new friendly faces in the greenhouse.  We had a wonderful morning and hope that you enjoyed it too!

If you entered your name into the door prize drawing, you could be a winner!  Cross your fingers, the winners will receive a phone call from us early next week.  Good luck!

Christmas Open House

Our Christmas Open House is only a few short days away and you're invited, of course!  

Hope to see you on Saturday!

Tucked Away

Always a fun surprise:  praying mantis chrysalis in our yellow twig! (Actually called the "ootheca"- and yes, I did look it up just for this post!)  This season there seems to be a surplus of these little guys tucked away in our red and yellow twig.  So look twice when you're choosing your twigs and berries... there just might be a little bonus!

Deck the Halls!

We're now in full wreath-making mode!  If you stopped by this past week you may have noticed our assembly line in the back of the greenhouse.  We were kept busy cutting up greens, bunching them and then clamping them into wreath frames- a time consuming process.  The best part?  Choosing the perfect embellishments, of course!  

Petite Paperwhites

Poinsettias are a Christmas staple- no doubt about that!  However, the last few years we've been learning to love bulbs just as much.  It's so enjoyable to watch a Paperwhite or Amaryllis sprout, grow and finally bloom!

These little guys are amazing!  Depending on the variety, their fragrance can be mild or strong and their height  can reach up to one and a half feet.  A common concern we hear about Paperwhites is their height and if there is any way to control it.  We recently stumbled across an article published by Cornell University's Horticulture Department called "Pickling Your Paperwhites" that suggests using a mixture of hard liquor and water to keep your Paperwhites on the petite side.  Here's their "recipe":

Pickling Your Paperwhites

1.  Plant your Paperwhite as you normally would and add water (we usually use just enough so it barely reaches  the bottom of the bulb).

2.  Wait for the roots to grow and the bulb to begin to shoot up some leaves.  This should take about one week.

3.  Once the roots are established and your Paperwhite is growing, drain the water.  Replace the water with a mixture of roughly seven parts water and one part hard liquor.  Continue to "water"  the Paperwhite with this mixture as you would normally.

The full article is available here: Pickling Your Paperwhites  Scroll to the bottom for a great illustration of the final product.

Easy enough, right?  Best of luck with your bulbs this winter!