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Gardening DIY: 4 Surprising Things You Need to Know About Poinsettias

Celebrate National Poinsettia Day 

1. National Poinsettia Day is December 12.

US Ambassador to Mexico James Poinsett brought the plant from Mexico to the US in the 1920’s. It has grown to become the most-loved holiday plant across America. Growers have cultivated it in hues of red, white, pink and variegated varieties.

2. Poinsettias Grow Wild in Mexico

There is a legend in Mexico about the transformation of the plant from a weed that grows wild in the countryside to the brilliant plant it is today. Red “flowers” are known as bracts.

3. Poinsettias are Easy to Care For Once you Do This

Have you struggled in the past with keeping this brilliant plant thriving during the busy season. You agonize as you walk through the door, dreading the fact that you will soon kill this tropical plant and feeling as if you will never be able to develop a green thumb? Follow these super-simple tips and you will be the impressing friends and family with your expertise in no time.

  • start with when you are buying the plant- give yourself a break and take your time selecting the healthiest plant. Look for low bushy plants with strong stems and green leaves. Avoid this with yellow leaves or leaves that are curling along the edges
  • if you can buy on a day when the temps are above 50 degrees F, you can avoid shocking the plant. Moving the plant from the greenhouse to your car and then to your house, even if the trip is under 15 minutes, is enough time to overexposure this tropical plant to harsh elements
  • seller should provide a sleeve for protection, utilize it
  • at home, display the plant in an area free from drafts but also away from drying heat; these plants like moderate temps
  • natural light, not direct light, is preferred
  • these plants do not need to be re-potted or fed
  • over-watering is the leading cause of death for these sensitive beauties; the most effective technique is to add 4 or 5 large ice cubes to the soil when it is dry and crumbly but before it is hard and crusty to the touch (remember to have a green thumb you will have to get your hands dirty)
  • don’t despair if your poinsettias wither, this means they are thirsty- follow the step above and you should be fine unless the plant has been withered for more than 2 days; it should bounce back except for a few dead leaves or bracts, which you should remove in order to allow the rest of the plant to fight its way back to health
  • at home, display the plant in an area free from drafts but also away from drying heat; these plants like moderate temps
  • natural light, not direct light, is preferred
  • these plants do not need to be re-potted or fed
  • over-watering is the leading cause of death for these sensitive beauties; the most effective technique is to add 4 or 5 large ice cubes to the soil when it is dry and crumbly but before it is hard and crusty to the touch (remember to have a green thumb you will have to get your hands dirty)
  • don’t despair if your poinsettias wither, this means they are thirsty- follow the step above and you should be fine unless the plant has been withered for more than 2 days; it should bounce back except for a few dead leaves or bracts, which you should remove in order to allow the rest of the plant to fight its way back to health

4. You Can Grow Your Own Poinsettias from Leaf Cuttings

Now that you have successfully shepherded your plant through the season, time to level-up. Ready to impress family, friends and your self with your cultivating abilities? Imagine the satisfaction you will feel taking cuttings from your poinsettia and growing a full-size plant for next season?

check out this slide show for step-by -step instructions for making this happen.

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So I decided to get a live tree for Christmas, here’s what happened

Armed with the right info, you too can successfully decorate your home for the holidays with a live tree (roots and all!) . Then, use it to landscape your yard once the holiday season ends.

Imagine yourself gifting the planet with another tree and adding a low-maintenance planting to your landscape. Don’t worry if this sounds daunting. Even if you are a gardening newbie, with a little planning, you got this!

Avoid Rookie Mistakes

When my husband and I bought a living evergreen tree for our new house for Christmas, we jumped in before thinking it all they way through.  Despite much cursing (him, not me! ) and hand-wringing (me, of course)  we managed through and our Canaan Fir evergreen now thrives in our backyard.   Read on for pointers on how to avoid the mistakes we made that year.

Before you bring home the new tree, consider this

  • Buy local and be prepared to transport the tree (Hint: it will not fit into a trunk!)
  • Buy smaller, it will be easier to manage and the roots will add height
  • Make a schedule. A live tree will need to be transitioned from outdoors
  • Prepare a proper container beforehand, the rootball will be heavy and wet
  • Have a plan for moving the tree to the spot where you will display it. We used a wheeled cart but you may need to borrow a dolly
  • Check the tree for wildlife before bringing it into your home

Once the tree is inside, do this

  • Cover the floor/carpet to guard against stains from water run-off
  • Use bright festive fabric or a  tree collar to cover the root ball or pot
  • Spray the tree limbs with water to keep them fresh while indoors
  • Use cool LED lights to prevent the tree from drying out. Ideally room temp should be 65 degrees F
  • Enjoy the minimal needle-drop, a live tree will shed much less than a cut tree
  • Prepare the spot in your yard to plant the tree after the holidays
  • Add reminders to your calendar to check that your tree has enough water. A dormant tree still requires adequate water to establish new roots

Now that you have the main idea, read on for important details

Continue reading “So I decided to get a live tree for Christmas, here’s what happened”
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7 Reasons to Skip Yard Clean-up This Fall

Don’t Clean….Let Nature Take its Course

As the weather turns brisk,  you may find yourself procrastinating, putting off those end-of-season garden chores. When the temps drop and days grow shorter, it’s harder and harder to get up off the comfy couch to go outside and rake those leaves.  Bundling up dead twigs, bagging and dragging fallen leaves…ugghh.  It’s easier to check the Twitter feed one more time or take a look at one more video, right?

What if I told you that it is perfectly fine- and perhaps even a better choice- not to clean up the yard and garden this year? Yes, I know it may sound too good to be true, but hear me out on this one…..

Conventional Wisdom?

Conventional wisdom tells us to clear out the fallen leaves and withered plants from yard and garden in the fall in preparation for the next planting season.  It’s time to take a fresh look and examine this conventional way of thinking.

Cooperating with, instead of fighting against, the natural environmental life cycle has its benefits. Let me quickly get to the point, the reasons are:

7 Reasons

  1. Promote natural composting
  2. Prevent weed growth
  3. Encourage beneficial insects
  4. Prevent soil erosion
  5. Attract desirable wildlife
  6. Provide natural insulation for plantings
  7. Free time for other priorities

Let’s Dig Deeper

Ok, let’s delve into this a little deeper so you can better understand how this helps you.

Promote Natural Composting

Leaf cover promotes natural composting. Leaves and small twigs break down  in the cold and wet weather. And, as these disintegrate, organic matter returns to the soil and enriches it for the next planting season. 

Working in the garden together, my husband and I used to spend many hours adding lightweight bagged peat and humus to the clay soil that filled the garden and landscape beds, hoping it would allow our plantings to take hold and thrive.

Who knew that leaf-composting in place could accomplish the same goal with only a fraction of the effort?

Prevent Weed Growth

A build-up of leaves prevents the growth of weeds. Weeds are extremely hardy and will are not deterred by winter weather. These continue to spread and grow, although at a slower pace than during the warmer seasons. Layers of leaves can halt the spread, leaving fewer weeds to remove in the spring.

Encourage Beneficial Insects

Leave the fallen leaves in place to provide cover for beneficial insects such as earthworms and certain types of flies. These bugs also aid the breakdown  or composting of leaves, twigs and grasses, forming  a natural fertilizer for lawns and flower beds. 

My young daughter’s preferred outdoor activity has been digging for worms…..umm, she gets it from her father. In elementary school, my husband “rescued” earthworms which had appeared on the sidewalk after a heavy rainstorm. Stowing these beneficial insects safely in his lunchbox he proudly marched into the cafeteria. Much to his dismay, his heroic efforts to save the worms were not appreciated by the lunchroom monitor. But I digress….

Heavy fall rains and winter storms carry away nutrient-rich topsoil.

Prevent Soil Erosion

A natural covering of fallen leaves prevents soil erosion from your landscape. Heavy fall rains and winter storms carry away nutrient-rich topsoil.

Erosion can be harmful when it exposes tender roots of shrubs and trees to below-freezing temps. And rich topsoil is one of the main ingredients for successful planting in the spring.

Attract Desirable Wildlife

Leaves, seed pods and berries attract desirable wildlife. Looking for food  and nesting material during the cold weather months, animals and birds will seek out plants left in the yard.  Give the birds a reason to select your tree in your yard to build a nest for baby birds in the spring!

Provide Natural Insulation for Plantings

Allowing leaves to gather in perennial flower beds and around shrubs and small trees act as a natural insulation from the harsh winter elements- cold, ice and snow.  Shielding your plantings adds a layer of protection until the warmer weather returns.

One note of caution, it may be better for your lawn if you move leaves to the side- grass  and turf both need sunlight and moisture even in the cold-weather months. (For more on this topic, see this link). 

Free Time!

Avoiding fall yard clean-up frees up time for other priorities. Who hasn’t put off cleaning? When you are juggling work, family and home there are some things that need to fall off the priority list. Count garden clean-up as one of these. You can always catch-up on lawn and garden chores in the spring.

Problem Solved

So there you are. You have my permission to remain planted on that couch. These 7 good reasons to let nature take its course will pay dividends in the spring. And, your procrasti-guilt has vanished, with one more item checked off your neverending to-do list. In the end, your choice to not take action may even have done your yard and garden a favor!

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Hello world!

We are Denise and La Mar Shepherd and we are so happy to connect with you and share what we have learned about gardening on a budget. Since moving to our house on the lake in the middle of the city, we have learned a ton about native plants and their impact on the environment. What we have learned from our friends has changed our methods. We also strive to use natural ( think environmentally friendly) substances and re-purposed tools to combat unwanted weeds and non-native invaders of the leafy and insect-variety.