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GARDEN ADVICE

Festive House Plants

Now that we are in December that most festive of houseplants, the Poinsettia, is widely available. These days fabulous red poinsettias are complimented by a choice of pink, cream and variegated varieties. A Poinsettia warms up any room with its colourful bracts. The bracts are really modified leaves and if you look very carefully you can see the true flowers which are small and yellow at the centre of the bracts.

Our Poinsettias are locally grown and by the time the Poinsettia reaches the shop it has gone through a strict regime of enforced early nights, like an athlete preparing for a race. In order to encourage the bracts to turn red or cream or pink (depending on the variety), the plants need to be kept in total darkness for 14 hours each day from the end of September for about 8 weeks. This effectively tricks the plants (which originate from South America) into colouring up in time for Christmas. This response is known as photoperiodism. It is something you can attempt at home but it is quite tricky to achieve.

If there is one thing that is guaranteed to make a Poinsettia wilt it is a cold draught. Therefore it is better to buy the plant from a centrally heated shop than a pavement stall. Insist that the plant is properly wrapped so that it doesn't catch cold on the way home. Avoid leaving the plant in the car for any period of time while you finish shopping or even worse, overnight. Once in the home, Poinsettias enjoy a warmer temperature than most houseplants of around 55-60. A bright location is best and the compost should be allowed to dry out a little before rewatering.

If the thought of treating your Poinsettia as delicately as your grandmother leaves you cold, plump for a Cyclamen instead. Cyclamen like cool conditions such as a cool conservatory or porch rather than a heated sitting room. They come in wonderful Christmas reds, warm pinks and icy whites. They are fairly easy to maintain provided they are not over watered which can cause the crown to rot and the plant to collapse.

Indoor Azaleas are my personal favourites. They don't mind copious watering and they produce abundant flowers. Place in a cool bright position. They prefer acid conditions so a regular feed with a suitable plant food while they are in flower really helps. Azaleas are one of the easiest houseplants to keep year after year. The indoor varieties are not frost-hardy but once the frosts are over in the Spring, they can be put outside in a shady spot in the garden and brought back inside before the first Autumn frosts to flower again.

Perhaps the most common plant to take up temporary residence in the house at this time of year is the Christmas tree. It is a strange tradition, taking a fairly prickly tree into the living room and dressing it up with lights and baubles.

There is always a certain amount of needle drop with real trees. This is exacerbated by warm central heating and dry rooms. There are a few measures which will help reduce the constant hovering. The traditional Christmas tree is the Norway Spruce which is widely available and the cheapest variety. However, it is not the best for needle retention. The Nordmann with its dark green glossy needles and dense, bushy shape retains its needles very well.

Another way to minimise needle drop is to look after the tree. With a cut tree it is a good idea to saw the end off at the base when you get it home, and place the tree in a bucket of water outside until it is needed in the house. If you buy a tree in a pot this should also be watered well and kept outside until it is needed. Once inside keep the tree well watered.

Above all, Christmas trees are to be enjoyed. However good the artificial trees might be, they lack the delicious sent and depth of colour of the real thing.