Holiday Plant Care 101

   It's hard to look at a poinsettia and not think of the holidays.  And that means we're thinking about the holidays a lot right now at Tagawa's.  Plant benches that are loaded with annuals in the summer are now bursting with the colors of more than thirty different varieties of poinsettias.  Many of them are grown from cuttings by Tagawa staff.  And for sports fans.... poinsettias in your favorite team colors.... orange and blue, perhaps?

     But you don't have to have a Tagawa green thumb to keep your poinsettia happy and healthy well into the New Year.

Poinsettias' likes and dislikes ...

     I'm hard-pressed which dislike to put at the top of a poinsettia's list:  drafts or getting too dry, so I'll just take them in that order.

     Poinsettias and cold air do not get along at all, and the plants don't hesitate to show their displeasure.  Tagawa's will always insist on wrapping your poinsettia in a paper sleeve before it leaves the store.  During our recent arctic spell, sometimes we'd put two paper wrappers around the plant.

     The draft rule still applies once the plants get home.  If you set them near an outside door that gets lots of use, your plants will protest by dropping their leaves.  A naked poinsettia is not a pretty thing.  They'll also pout and dry up if they're placed near a heat vent or fireplace.  They may be native to Mexico, but a stream of hot, dry air will do them in.

And if you let them dry out....

     ,,,,they will wilt... and wilt hard.  Then they'll drop their leaves.  You should check your poinsettia's soil moisture every day.  Smaller pots will dry out much faster than larger ones.  You can use a moisture meter or gently lift the pot and check the weight to keep track of how quickly your poinsettia is taking up water.

     Soak the plants thoroughly, until water come out through the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot.  But never let a poinsettia (or pretty much any plant, for that matter), sit in that excess water. 

     Bright but indirect light will help keep your poinsettia looking its best.  By the way, poinsettias are not poisonous!  Plants in general should be kept out of the reach of children and pets.  The milky resin of this and other members of the plant genus Euphorbia can be irritating to sensitive skin.  But no part of the plant is poisonous.


Dazzling amaryllis

     In his last years, I always sent my grandfather a big amaryllis bulb for Christmas.  He  swore to me that he could sit in his easy chair and actually "watch that plant grow!"  What fun, for both of us.  Amaryllis put on an amazing display, and they do all the work!  We just watch and enjoy.

     Remember that the bigger the bulb, the bigger the flower.  Amaryllis bulbs do best when they're a bit pot-bound, growing in small pots just an inch or two wider than the bulb itself.  They can be grown in a special vase that allows their roots to reach down into a reservoir of water only or pebbles topped off with water.  Watching the roots at work is a great lesson for kids.... of all ages...!
    
     Amaryllis bulbs need eight to ten weeks to flower, but the wait is worth it!  And with some follow-up T.L.C., which our Tagawa experts will be happy to explain, you may well get another show of flowers from the same bulb next season.





"Christmas cactus" don't read calendars.
    
    For some of the most exotic flowers you'll find on any plant, take a close look at blossoms of what are generally known as "Christmas" cactus. The flowers are complex, intricate and stunning!  But the plants aren't putting on their show because it's December.  It's the day length and temperature that have triggered their wonderful display of color.  Plants that bloom early are often referred to as "Thanksgiving" cactus.  Plants that bloom later may be thought of as "Easter" cactus.  But they're all just varieties of the same plant,.

    Tagawa's has already taken care of back-timing the show of flowers for our Christmas cactus, and the colors are eye-popping!  But like poinsettias, Christmas cactus are very sensitive to drafts.  We will always wrap your plants before you leave the store.  Otherwise, you'll wake up the next morning, and every flower and bud will have fallen off. 

Christmas cactus watering rules

     Christmas cactus are in the succulent family, and they do store some water in their leaf segments.  But they're not a desert cactus.  They're semi-tropical, but shouldn't be over-watered.  Allow the top one-third to one-half of the plant's root ball to dry, then give the roots a good soaking, 'til water comes out the drainage holes.  Don't water again until the top few inches of soil have dried.

     If you want to coax your Christmas (or otherwise) cactus into blooming again next year, talk to one of our experts in the Tagawa houseplant department.  They'll be happy to coach you on the basics.

And last, but definitely not least...

     People may not think of orchids as "holiday" plants, but perhaps they should.  Actually, why not see them as anytime plants.  Orchids do have some preferences... even some requirements.  But they are not the divas you might think.  And they make great gifts!

     I was given an orchid several years ago, and it bloomed for three months!  "Moth" orchids, properly known as "phalaenopsis" orchids, are my first recommendation.  They're elegant and come in a rich variety of colors and a wide variety of sizes.

    Once they're already in bloom, moth orchids (so named because of the shape of their flowers) are wonderfully easy to take care of.  Give them plenty of bright indirect light.... regular watering and fertilization... and any and all visitors to your home will be duly impressed.  And if you want to try your green thumb and push them to bloom again, you know where to take your questions:  straight to the good folks in Tagawa's houseplant department. 

   To one and all, the very best of the holidays from Tagawa's!

    

 

    

Time for Amaryllis and Paperwhites

Whether you go all out with your holiday decorations, or not so much..... the beauty of amaryllis and paperwhites is hard to beat. They'll add charm to an elaborate holiday display, or a bright touch of elegance to a more low-key setting. And there's a bonus: both amaryllis and paperwhites are easy to grow, and waiting for you now at Tagawa Gardens. This is a perfect time to start them!

Part of the appeal of an amaryllis is watching it grow. Once they start sprouting, the giant bulbs can easily put on an inch of growth in a single day. I used to send a bright red amaryllis to my grandfather every Christmas. He was frail and didn't get around much, but he was always anxious to tell me that if he stared long enough, he was sure he could actually see that stem get taller and taller. It had been a long time since he'd been able to garden, but the amaryllis brought some of the old joy of gardeneing indoors.

Amaryllis come in a wonderful variety of colors: red, salmon, pink, white and stunning bi-color mixes. The giant flowers look like lilies. Each bulb will produce one or two hollow stems. Three to four huge flowers will emerge from the top of each stem. What fun!!

So where do you start? At Tagawa's, of course!

Tagawa's has a wide variety of amaryllis bulbs to choose from. Some are sold loose in bins, so you can pick exactly the bulb you want. Other amaryllis come boxed with a pot and soil included, and make a great gift.

The bigger the bulb, the bigger the flowers it will produce. Makes sense. And the planting takes about two minutes... no more!

Amaryllis like to be a bit crowded, so a pot just a couple of inches larger than the bulb is perfect. The pot has to have good drainage. Soggy soil is a sure way to rot the roots of an amaryllis.

You can set the pot with the drainage into a nice designer pot. The heavier container will give the plant stability as it gets taller, and more inclined to tip. Just remember to take the amaryllis out of the designer pot when you water it and let the excess water drain away before you put it back on display. This can help protect your furniture, too, and avoid the need for a saucer.

Amaryllis do best in good quality potting soil.... something loose and airy.
Fill the pot half way with the soil, set the amaryllis into the pot, then backfill with the remaining soil until only one third of the bulb is still showing. Water the bulb well, then set it in a warm room and don't water it again until the first shoots are a couple of inches tall. Bright light will keep the plant from getting leggy. Give the plant a quarter turn each day to keep it straight.

Next you wait... but not for long!

You should see your amaryllis begin to grow within a couple of weeks after planting. Depending on the size of the bulb, your amaryllis will take about eight weeks from planting to flowering. Larger bulbs take a bit longer. The bud stalks usually emerge first, followed by the leaves.

Water your amaryllis when the top of the soil is dry to the touch.... always remembering never to let it sit in standing water. Once the flowers have begun to bloom, keep the plant in slightly cooler conditions, even if it's just overnight, to help the blossoms last longer.

And there's more, if you choose....

When the flowers finally begin to fade, remove the stalks with a very sharp knife an inch or so above the bulb. Continue to nurture the leaves with bright light and feeding a gentle fertilizer (5-10-5, for example) twice a month. The amaryllis can even go outdoors in the summertime to give the leaves a chance to "bulk up" the bulb for next year's show. You may need to stake the leaves they get floppy.

Once the leaves die back on their own, store the bulb, pot and all, in a cool place for a couple of months. Water it just a bit to keep the soil from completely drying out.

And next fall, start all over again!

Or......

You can also choose to enjoy your amaryllis this season only, and then toss it out. If this is your preference, why not grow an amaryllis in a special glass vase that lets you see through to the lovely tangle of roots.... one more way to enjoy these fascinating plants.

Paperwhites are just as easy!

Tall, elegant paperwhites have been a winter and holiday tradition for years, and for good reason. It's easy and inexpensive to start several paperwhites in a shallow bowl of small rocks, marbles or decorative stones. The reward comes four to eight weeks after planting, with petite white flowers that look like tiny daffodils.

Tagawa's sells pre-rooted paperwhites for no additional charge. Gently transfer the bulbs to your own pot or tray, and watch them take off! The bulbs can sit on top of the pebbles an inch apart, just barely nestled in. Leave the bowls of paperwhites in a bright, cool room until the shoots appear, then move them into direct sunlight to keep them from getting leggy.

You water them with what?

Another trick to keep the leaves and stems slightly more compact: booze!
Specifically, any of the clear distilled spirits like gin, vodka or tequila.
The alcohol serves as a growth regulator that keeps the plants more compact.

Kris, one of Tagawa's amaryllis and paperwhite experts, offers the following instructions: Water the paperwhites normally for seven to ten days. Once the shoots are two- to three inches tall, replace the plain water with a diluted alcohol solution.

With any clear distilled spirit ranging from 40 to 80 proof, use one part of alcohol to seven parts of water. Use this solution for all further watering of the paperwhites. Kris says the result will be plants that are about one-third more compact, with flowers just a large, long-lasting and fragrant as usual.

Why not plant now?

Amaryllis and paperwhites can be grown indoors so easily. The only challenging part is making sure that you buy the bulbs while they're available, like now, leading up to the holiday season.

Whether you grow them for you own home or give them as a lovely holiday gift, amaryllis and paperwhites from Tagawa's are a terrific way to make the season an especially sweet time of year.