Hello! And happy January thaw! The weather – Oh, my!  Should we dignify this weather with any acknowledgements of comments?  You can be sure that once winter really hunkers down, we are really gonna get it – we are really gonna get it!

Oh well, I just hope that you had a chance to enjoy these really warm temperatures that we’ve had this past week, especially since the current weather forecasts are for the return of winter temperatures later on today.

At any rate, let’s get going with today’s topic – plant care for all of those holiday plants you got for Christmas.  All of these holiday plants will stay beautiful a lot longer if you give them proper care.  Of course you simply cannot duplicate the expert, ideal conditions that the plants have had with the professional grower.

However, you can follow some general suggestions for all of those plants, whether they were holiday acquisitions or your old, faithful houseplants.  These should help to keep all of your plants looking good for a while longer.

First, you have to acknowledge the simple fact that your house is entirely too hot and too dry for not only your holiday plants, but also all of your plants.  So try to keep your plants in a relatively cool spot in your house.  Be careful, though, not to locate them where they’ll get a cold draft.  In fact be careful not to put them anywhere where they’ll be subjected to any sudden changes in temperature.

So don’t put those plants near an outside door.  This chilling experience may very well prove to be their last experience! 

Also, try to increase the humidity in your entire plant area.  Cluster all of your plants together.  Put your plants on a tray filled with pebbles and water.  But don’t let your pots sit in that water; just have the pots sit on top of those pebbles.  Or, if the pebble tray is not an option, simply put a container of water near your plants.  The general idea here is that this water will evaporate in your hot, dry house and increase the humidity around those plants.

You can also add moisture and humidity by spray-misting your plants.  Spray them with lukewarm water, or you can try one of those Jerry Baker concoctions.  Just take a quart of room temperature water, and mix in 3 drops of baby shampoo, 3 drops of ammonia, and 1 drop of antiseptic mouthwash.  The baby shampoo will help the concoction stick to the foliage; the ammonia will provide some nitrogen to the leaves; the mouthwash will help repel any pesky houseplant bugs that may find your plants way too inviting for the winter months.

Keep in mind, if you have flowering houseplants, you should be watering them more frequently when they are in bloom.  Don’t wait for the plants to become parched and bone-dried like the Sahara desert.  Otherwise, the plants will become wilted and the stems will get woody.

So, water, but don’t overdo it on the waterfront either.  Don’t drown those plants.  Those roots need moisture, but they also need air.  Too much moisture in the plants’ soil leaves no room for the necessary needed air.  So too much water and those plants will drown and the roots will rot.

When you do water your plants, make sure that you water them thoroughly.  And try to water them from the bottom up.  Place those pots in shallow containers with water.  Those plants will be thoroughly watered when you see of feel moisture on the soil surface.  Of course, never let those plants sit in the water for any extended length of time.  You don’t want to drown those roots.   So remove the pots after they are moistened and let the excess water drain off before putting them back to their regular locations.

If you have flowering plants, those blooms need lots of light, so you can put them in a sunny window.  And those blooms will last a lot longer if the plants are not in really bright sun.  So, instead of a southern window, try a window that faces south.  So – sun – but not too much sun!

Another hint – you do not have to fertilize those new holiday plants.  The grower has already supercharged them.  And this mega dose of nutrients should last for at least 2 months.  So don’t add any more fertilizer to your new plants.  Hold off on that blue juice (aka MiracleGro) for just a while longer.

So – go to it!  Keep warm and keep those plants warm!  Start potting around with those potted plants.

Remember – Eat Smart New York!

And – Bye – Talk to you soon!

D