Crocus care tips for January
How to look after gift plants at Christmas
Many people will have been lucky enough to have received a potted plant for Christmas. If you were one of them, but you are not too sure about how to look after it properly, then read on...
In winter this tree can be kept in an unheated conservatory or greenhouse. While it can withstand temperatures at freezing point, they will fare much better if kept slightly warmer. Try to avoid sudden extremes of temperature as this can stress plants and cause leaf and blossom drop. If kept indoors, keep them well away from central heating and stand the pot on 'pot feet' in a tray so that the soil is never waterlogged. Mist regularly with water to increase humidity.
For best results:
Water thoroughly with rainwater then allow to drain - it is better to underwater than over-water.
Feed once a week using a specialist citrus fertiliser (there is one for summer as well as winter).
Stand plant outside after the spring frosts have ended (usually about the end of May).
Bring in again before the first frosts in autumn.
Orchids make excellent and unusual house plants that add an exotic touch to the room. They are surprisingly easy to look after and will produce a succession of flowers over several weeks.
For best results with Phalaenopsis (moth) orchids:
Place in a warm room with a temperature of 18-21ºC, in a position that’s in light shade, away from direct sunlight in summer.
Avoid damp or very humid conditions which will cause marking of the petals.
Move to a well-lit spot during the winter months.
For best results with Cymbidium orchids:
Place in a room with a minimum temperature of 10ºC, in a position that’s well-lit but out of direct sunlight in summer.
To maintain flowering the plant should be re-potted every second year.
Use a potting mix of peat moss, sand and bark or a good quality orchid compost.
Give full light in winter, but shade from direct sunlight in summer.
Grown for their showy flowers, which come in a wide range of colours, these tender perennials make superb houseplants. They will flower from mid-spring to mid-autumn and tend to bloom more prolifically when slightly pot-bound. Mainly originating from woodland, rocky slopes and grassland in southern Africa, they require a frost-free position with filtered sun. They can also be used as summer bedding and will grow in fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil in partial shade.
For best results:
Water regularly during the growing season, allowing the compost to get a little dry in-between.
While actively growing, feed with a high potash fertiliser.
Overwinter in a shaded greenhouse, or indoors on an south or west-facing windowsill.
Repot each spring into a slightly larger, shallow pot filled with fibre based compost.
Bright and colourful flowers, that sit above a rosette of highly patterned foliage, make these very decorative indoor plants. They grow from tubers (similar to a bulb), so will die down after flowering, but if kept dry through dormancy, they will return year after year.
For best results:
Keep in a well-lit but cool room that’s out of direct sunlight.
Water moderately when actively growing from the base.
Maintain temperatures above 10ºC.
Avoid draughts and central heating radiators.
Deliciously scented narcissus, which are commonly potted up and used to dress the Christmas table, or simply fill a room with their fragrance during the festivities. They grow like the wind and can be planted out in the garden after they have faded.
For best results:
Keep in a very bright room as this will stop the stems getting too tall.
Turn the pot regularly to prevent them growing towards the light.
Water moderately when actively growing.
After the flowers have faded, plant outside in a sunny, sheltered position and they will flower again the following spring.
The bold, showy flowers of these tender bulbs are often used to bring colour into the home throughout the winter and are particularly popular at Christmas.
For best results:
Leave the pot in a bright spot where the temperatures remain around 15-20ºC.
Turn it regularly as it will start growing towards the light.
Water regularly. The aim is to not allow the compost to get too dry, but make sure the excess water can drain away freely.
Feed with a high potash fertiliser at fortnightly intervals.
