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With the holidays upon us, adding some merriment to our indoor spaces with flowering plants can be a welcome break from the increasingly graying landscape outside. Flowering plants help us liven up the winter months and create a more festive and cozy-feeling home. Poinsettias are a popular Christmas bloom, but if you want to expand beyond this traditional plant, there are plenty of other blooms you can select for holiday flowers indoors. Here are some additions and alternatives to consider when you’re gifting indoor plants or decorating for the holidays.
Christmas cactus
For a choice of colors in your blooms, nothing beats a Christmas cactus. There are a variety of colors to choose from, ranging from white to bright red and purple, and they are non-toxic to both humans and pets. A Christmas cactus is simple to care for, requiring watering when the top inch or so of soil is dry while it is flowering, and less frequently after that. When the cactus is not blooming, you can keep it in a mostly shaded spot and water lightly about once per week. During the shorter days of late autumn and winter, the cactus will begin to prepare itself to bloom. starting six to eight weeks before you hope to get some flowers, keep the plant in the dark for at least 10 to 12 hours to help encourage it to flower. You also might want to keep the temperature of the plant below 65 degrees—giving it some time in a darker, chillier location like a basement will help it to produce a big, showy burst of flowers for the holidays.
Amarylis
Amaryllis are another popular holiday choice for their propensity to bloom in winter if kept indoors—but keep in mind that they are toxic for pets. These bulbs will sprout in late autumn on a windowsill and require less light than other types of flowering bulbs, making them ideal winter houseplants. If you keep the soil moist around the bulb while keeping the stem and the top of the bulb where it protrudes from the soil dry, the amaryllis will thrive. You can also choose not to pot your bulbs and wax them instead, but these bulbs will grow for just one season in their wax, and they are difficult to replant because being encased in wax prevents the bulbs from growing roots. To make your own waxed amaryllis bulb, just use a double boiler to melt some paraffin wax, then paint the wax onto the bulb. Then, just like with a potted amaryllis, place the bulb in a warm location with access to some daylight to encourage it to flower.
Paperwhites
Paperwhites are a snowy white flowering plant that grow from bulbs. They do well as houseplants and don’t need much light to flower, but keep in mind that they are toxic to pets and can even be deadly, especially if the bulb is ingested. Keep their roots wet either in soil or in a vase, and they will flower for about two weeks once they pop. A paperwhite will do well as long as they aren’t subjected to freezing temperatures, and they can bloom even in indirect sunlight.
Orchids
Orchids are another houseplant that will give you showy blooms around the holidays. Orchids are non-toxic and safe for pets and kids. Since orchids often take a lot of care to get them to the point of blooming. (If you want faster results, though, you can buy prepped orchids). They need warmer temperatures, around 65 degrees, and if you don’t get a lot of natural sunlight in your area—at least six hours a day—you should use a grow light to keep them happy.
Kalanchoe
Kalanchoe plants will bloom in winter and come in a variety of colors from white to bright pink. They are toxic to pets, but they are known for being low-maintenance houseplants that don’t need much care. They prefer lots of light, so if you don’t get full sunlight exposure for at least eight hours a day, adding a grow light might help keep them blooming. To encourage blooming, the kalanchoe needs at least six weeks with 14 hours of darkness per day. Aside from the minimal light requirements, they need moist soil and regular indoor temperatures to stay healthy.
from LifeHacker https://ift.tt/mJrvAdD
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