by Mary Ann Ryan

So, what kind of beautiful holiday plants did you receive over the holidays? Poinsettias, amaryllis, cyclamen and Norfolk pines are all beautiful plants that are often shared during this season. They give wonderful winter color inside and assist us with our festive decorations. But now that the holiday season has come to a close, what will you do with those plants and how should you care for them?

The most common holiday plant is the poinsettia. To keep this plant from year to year, you must treat it as any other houseplant. Give it lots of sunlight, water evenly, not too wet. Feed it with a liquid fertilizer once a month, and pinch off all dead and dying leaves. Be sure to keep it warm, above 65 degrees. When the nighttime temperatures increase to above 65 degrees, transplant your poinsettia into a larger container, and put in filtered sunlight throughout the summer. Keep it well watered and continue to feed it throughout the summer. Bring it back in when the nighttime temperatures begin to drop again.

How do you get it to bloom again for Christmas? You need to trick your plant. It needs shorter daylight hours and longer nighttime hours. What that means, is it needs uninterrupted darkness from sundown to sunup. At the end of the day, about 5:00, place your plant in a closet that you will not open that night, or place a box over top the plant. In the morning, bring it out of the closet or take off the box, and give it sunlight through out the day. Do this until the plant begins to color up, and you have been successful!

Amaryllis is a fun bulb to grow. After the amaryllis is finished blooming, cut off the flower spike. Depending on the size of the bulb, you may get more than one spike. When the plant is finished blooming, large leaves will
grow. Allow these leaves to grow and develop. Treat your amaryllis as you
would any other houseplant. Water when it is dry, and continue growing it in a sunny window.

When spring approaches and the nighttime temps are above 55 degrees F, plant your bulb outside. It can be maintained in a container, or you could plant it in a flower or vegetable garden. It will continue to grow its leaves throughout the summer. Keep the bulb well watered and fertilize heavily. When fertilizing, use a fertilizer with a ratio of 10-10-10 or 5-10-5. Feed every other week, and mix according to the label. During the summer months the bulb receives its strength to produce its next set of flowers, so proper care and feeding is very important through this growing time.

When fall approaches and cool temperatures arrive, it is almost time to bring the bulb back inside. After a hard frost, dig up the bulb, knock all the soil from the roots, and store it in a cool, dry location. The bulb requires a dormant time, which is the reason for the storage time. Keep a close eye on the bulb, because when the flower spike begins to appear, it's time to pot it again. You could pot the bulb after about 2 months of dormancy even if the spike has not appeared. If you grew the amaryllis in a container, you can just bring the container inside and stop watering. This will be the bulbs dormant time. Again, once the spike begins to grow, it's time to start watering again. Then the process begins and you can enjoy the flower another season!

The Norfolk Pine is another common houseplant given over the holidays. This plant also requires lots of sunlight. Water the plant when the soil is dry to the touch. Feed it regularly, about once a month, with a well-balanced fertilizer. This plant does well in a cooler room as well as a warm room. However, dry air isn't a good idea. It prefers humidity. Keep the plant away from fireplaces, wood stoves, or heaters.

A common insect problem with the Norfolk is mealy bugs. They will hide in the scales of the leaves or needles. If you see these insects, insecticidal soap or a horticultural oil spray will take care of them. Often times more than one application will be necessary for good control. Once again, be sure to read the label before applying any insecticide.

The most important thing to remember when trying to grow a cyclamen is to realize that it grows best in cool temperatures, and likes plenty of sunlight. A cool window would be the best location for this plant. Temperatures that get above 68 degrees F are not beneficial for prolonging the life of a cyclamen. Be careful not to over water; this will cause roots to rot. Water when the soil is dry to the touch. Be sure to discard the excess water that drains into the saucer about 15 min. after watering.

The cyclamen will bloom from October through April. When the temperatures become warmer, the plant stops producing flower buds. As the summer progresses, often times cyclamen will go almost into a state of dormancy. The plant will stop growing leaves, and often appear to be dying. Continue to keep the plant alive through the summer months, keeping it as cool as you can, and giving it plenty of sunlight and slow down the watering and stop feeding. When the fall months approach and the nighttime temperatures begin to drop, you will see an improvement in your plant's behavior. Its leaves will perk up, and it will begin to produce flower buds again. Before you know it, the plant will be back to its old self again and ready to perform for you during the winter months!

Mary Ann Ryan is the Horticulture Program Assistant for Penn State
Cooperative Extension - Adams County. Penn State in Adams County is
located at 670 Old Harrisburg Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325, phone 334-6271 or 1-888-472-0261. Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce.