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Alycian · 10-29-2009, 06:23 AM

Do you realized that Christmas is about 8 weeks away? If you are like me you grow an Amaryllis bulb or two and for them to have a bloom by Christmas week, they should be planted within the next two weeks. I bought mine today and will probably go ahead and pot it tomorrow morning.

I usually buy a poinsettia each year too but I don't get it until after Thanksgiving. I buy red plants for both but they do come in other colors. What colors do you prefer?

**blackthumb** · 10-29-2009, 07:47 AM

When it comes to plants for Christmastime, I'm a sucker for the red and green colors myself...I love poinsettas, however I've never tried to have an Amaryllis bulb...what other colors do they come in?

CactusKiller · 10-29-2009, 08:14 AM

Same for me-red. I havent bought one in a few yrs unfortunately because of my cat-heard they were poisonous to animals and children.

Alycian · (This post was last modified: 10-29-2009 10:12 AM by Alycian.)

(10-29-2009 07:47 AM)blackthumb Wrote: When it comes to plants for Christmastime, I'm a sucker for the red and green colors myself...I love poinsettias, however I've never tried to have an Amaryllis bulb...what other colors do they come in?

My avatar is an Amaryllis so that's a variegated bloom, there's white and pink, also yellow but you want see a yellow one around Christmas. They are a tropical plant and shouldn't survive cold winters, but I have three that I planted in my flowerbed in the front and they have made it through several winters but at last they have not bloom.

This is probably because they were forced to bloom in winter ever how they do that, and just have not bloom since. I am hoping that with care they will revert back to their normal state. But I have had people tell me that they won't.

You should try one this year. Walmart probably already has them. I bought mine today at Rite Aid for $5 but they can cost up to $20!

I can never get a poinsettia to turn red for me again either. You almost need a green house for that.

(10-29-2009 08:14 AM)CactusKiller Wrote: Same for me-red. I havent bought one in a few yrs unfortunately because of my cat-heard they were poisonous to animals and children.

Red and green for me too, but sometimes a pure white one with your red bloom are gorgeous together. An Amaryllis will have from 3 to 5 blooms per stalk and a lot of times have two stalks which will be about a week between the two thus giving you blooms a good while longer. Just remember to move them to a cooler location and out of the sun after they bloom to make them last longer.

They just add that bit of extra to your Christmas decor.

Alycian · 10-29-2009, 07:32 PM

http://www.thegardenhelper.com/amaryllis.html

Here is a site that I get tips from and this page is for the Amaryllis.
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So since we are discussing Christmas, how can we not mentioned the most obvious plant there is? The Christmas tree.

Do you prefer a live tree or artificial? I love live trees but admit I now use the artificial variety. They look more natural now than ever. But this forum is for live plants so that is all I will say on that.

I am no expert but my favorite tree is the Frazer Fir. But it is the tree that was grown 45 & 50 years ago that I like the best. Can't find a tree of that decrib on tree farms today. What am I talking about? The lushness of the needles. Today all varieties of fir trees are too full. Now I know this what the generics strive for and they have reached their goal but at a sacrifice of the ability to properly display ornaments!

Now, our ornaments lay on the branches rather than hang! And the silver icicles no longer look right because they cannot hang, they lay. I think the layers, which is why I love the Frazer Fir, should have a spacing of 9 inches to even a foot between them thus displaying our ornaments to their best advantage.

So, what is your preference?

Alycian · (This post was last modified: 10-29-2009 10:36 PM by Alycian.)

I have a tip, the kits that come with the Amaryllis has either loose soil in a plastic bag or a soil tablet that is soaked in water. Be sure to do that in a container without hole for obvious reasons, then transfer to your pot.

But my tip is this; take a unused coffee filter and placed it in the bottom of your pot and add a few pebbles to weight it down and keep it flat as well as offering air circulation for the bulb roots, then add your soaked soil. But not a all of it, just an inch at the bottom then set in your bulb and add soil around it.

And never trim the dried roots from the bulb, this will delay it blooming by another 2 to 4 weeks! Then add warm water to the pot after you have planted the bulb and allow to drain. Keep in a sunny location, rotate the pot every few days so that the stalk will be straight and keep the soil moist.

(10-29-2009 08:14 AM)CactusKiller Wrote: Same for me-red. I havent bought one in a few yrs unfortunately because of my cat-heard they were poisonous to animals and children.

Oh yes poinsettia are poisonous for any animal that digest them and I admit caution is the word but having said that, I have cats and in 40 years of keeping both have never had a mishap. I would be concern with kitten however, as they like toddlers know no dangers or limits. But if you have a grown house-cat, there shouldn't be any problems.

Mistletoe is another problems but if you removed the berries, they should be OK too. I hang mine high and moisten with a spray on occasion. They are parasitic and most times get moisture from the host or from the air.

**blackthumb** · 10-29-2009, 11:05 PM

With the Christmas trees...I really enjoy a real one. I'm going to get a live tree this year...this is the first time in 8 years that I haven't lived in a tiny apartment, and I have the room for one. I remember when I was little, we would always have a big tree, and it made the house smell so good.

What I DON'T like about the real trees are the needles. I found out the hard way it's not a wise idea to vacuum the needles...they can mess up a vacuum cleaner quick! If you're not careful, you're picking needles out of the carpet in July.

Alycian · 10-29-2009, 11:50 PM

Yes, that's the drawback, for sure! Don't put up the tree too early. I put my artificial tree up the day after Thanksgiving but for a real tree, wait at least 9 more days.

I wouldn't buy it until I am ready to put it up. Be sure to have the salesman to cut another inch or two off of the bottom, a fresh cut so that the tree can draw up water. Keep the cut moist, get it into water as quickly as possible or tie a wet towel around the cut until you can.

The secret to not dying out is never allowed the water level to drop below the cut! The tree will try to heal itself by forming a scab over the cut which prevents water from being taken up into the tree when it is expose to air.

But be certain it doesn't lose too many needle when you choose it by shaking it a little. Also, consider the girth of the tree and where you are placing it. If it seen necessary measure both your space and the tree, girth as well as height allowing for your container. You won't be sorry!

**blackthumb** · 12-08-2009, 06:16 AM

I was reading an article in my paper today about Christmas plants. Some other suggestions were cyclamen and azaleas. Azaleas need plenty of water or they will wilt quickly...so make sure the soil is always moist and that they are kept in a cool spot.

Cyclamen has beautiful flowers of pink, red or white...they thrive in cool, humid conditions...one tip offered was to fill a shallow pan with pebbles and water. Place the cyclamen in an inverted dish and put in the pan just above the water line. The soil should be kept moist, with water kept off the plant's crown. They should also be given lots of bright light.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Alycian · 12-08-2009, 07:47 AM

Well, my amaryllis bloom way too early which surprise me.