Looking for the easiest way to get your house ready for the holiday season? Bring home a house plant. Christmas plants, including popular Christmas cactus, amaryllis, and poinsettias, can give your home a festive look as they flower throughout the holidays. A real Christmas plant is an excellent alternative to store-bought decorations that look artificial and can be costly, especially if you’re growing a variety of holiday plants. So let’s take a look at how to care for these plants after the Holiday Season so you can display them again next year.
Christmas Cactus
While many of you have enjoyed your festive holiday Christmas Cactus (I’m a bit jealous of you, sorry). My cactus has been in its hibernation cycle BUT I’m going to be ready for next year. Thanks to Laura from Garden Answer for sharing her tips on how to care for a Christmas Cactus year-round.
How to Propagate a Christmas Cactus
Christmas cacti are very easy to propagate, which is best done during the spring. If you wish to take cuttings to share, ensure the piece(s) you break off have at least two or three segments.
- Clip a piece of cactus with two to three segments.
- Let the segments sit for a day or two.
- Fill a pot with cacti and succulent mix.
- Make a hole in your soil and place the clipping in the hole.
- Keep the pot in a warm, bright place, keeping the soil moist. In a few weeks, they should root and start to put out new growth.
Amaryllis
While amaryllis plants are popular holiday gifts, the truth is that people plant them long after the holidays are over. With proper care and attention, they can continue to bloom throughout the winter. Here we’ll share all of our favorite tips for caring for an amaryllis plant year-round.
How to Propagate an Amaryllis Plant
A step-by-step guide on propagating an Amaryllis plant can be quite helpful for plant enthusiasts.
- Start by selecting a healthy bulb with no signs of disease or damage. Gently remove any loose scales and trim the roots slightly.
- Next, prepare a well-draining potting mix and place the bulb in a pot, ensuring that the top third of the bulb remains above the soil surface.
- Water the plant thoroughly and place it in a warm, bright location. Over time, the bulb will develop new shoots and roots.
- Regularly water and fertilize the plant to promote healthy growth. With patience and care, you can successfully propagate an Amaryllis plant and enjoy its beautiful blooms.
Poinsettia
So, you just got a Poinsettia for Christmas. It looks bright and beautiful, and you want to make sure it keeps looking that way. A huge thank you to Laura and her husband from Garden Answer for sharing their tips on how to care for a Poinsettia year-round.
How to Propagate a Poinsettia Plant
If you’re looking to expand your collection of beautiful Poinsettia plants, propagating them can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to do so.
- To start, choose a healthy and mature Poinsettia plant that you wish to propagate. Begin by taking a cutting from the plant, making sure it is around 4-6 inches long and has at least 3-4 leaves. Remove any lower leaves from the cutting, leaving only the topmost ones intact.
- Next, prepare a suitable rooting medium for your Poinsettia cutting. A mixture of perlite and peat moss or a well-draining potting soil can work well. Moisten the rooting medium slightly and make a small hole in it using a pencil or your finger. Carefully insert the cutting into the hole, ensuring that at least one node is buried beneath the soil. Gently press the soil around the cutting to secure it in place.
- Now, it’s time to provide the right conditions for your Poinsettia cutting to root. Place the cutting in a warm and bright location, but avoid direct sunlight as it can be too intense. Maintain a consistent level of moisture in the soil by misting it regularly or covering the cutting with a plastic bag to create a mini greenhouse effect. After a few weeks, you should start to see roots forming.
- Once the roots are well-established, you can transplant your new Poinsettia plant into a larger pot or directly into your garden, and watch it flourish and bring joy during the holiday season.
I hope you enjoyed learning How to Care for Your Christmas House Plants. Christmas Cactus, Amaryllis, and Poinsettias are beautiful plants when they’re healthy so it would be a shame not to enjoy them year-round. We’d love to hear your comments so if you have suggestions, like the post, or just want to say hi, the comment box is on the bottom of this page. Also, I’ve placed a few Pinterest Pins below. Please feel free to share them with your Pinterest Friends.
Till next time …. Joy
