If you have received a holiday plant as a gift or will be buying one, make it last for weeks and months with the proper care.
A few tips for gift plant care:
Provide bright, indirect light.
Keep the plant out of drafts.
Keep the soil moist but not soggy.
Remove faded blooms.
Give the plants cool temperatures at night.
Most flowering plants require ample, indirect light to keep them in good condition. However, keep plants that are in bloom out of excess direct sunlight since the sun's heat wilts flowers quickly. Turn plants once a week to prevent them from leaning excessively toward the light.
In rooms with poor light, incandescent or fluorescent lamps located 12 to 18 inches above the houseplants are helpful, but heat from incandescent bulbs this close can be damaging.
Keep plants out of drafts of hot or cold air such as those from hot air registers or air conditioners. When watering your gift plants, attempt to keep the soil moderately moist. Roots can be severely damaged by allowing the soil to become either bone dry or water logged.
Always apply enough water to soak the entire soil ball so that water runs through the drainage hole. Flowering plants and those with large foliage areas will generally require more frequent watering than plants with few flowers and sparse foliage. Always remove the foil wrapping from the plants when watering, as the foil usually is plastic lined to keep water from getting on furniture or counters.
One of the best ways to water is to put the plants in the kitchen sink and water them. Allow the plants an hour to drain before putting them back where you had them before.
The ideal growing temperature for most holiday plants is lower than found in the average room. Most plants, however, will do well in a bright location with a temperature range of 65 to 75 degrees during the day and 50 to 60 degrees at night.
During the winter, locations near windows may have lower temperatures than in the rest of the room. Do not place plants too close to windowpanes because the plant leaves radiate heat and, during winter months, cold damage can occur.
Ed Poenicke is a retired Chatham County extension agent.