Winter or Holiday plant other than the Poinsettia
Winter/Holiday Wreath and Flower Tips
by Michael Day of Flowerville

Q. When can I buy and put up my holiday wreaths? Do they last longer inside? Should I spray them with water occasionally or leave them alone?

A.Holiday wreaths can be purchased in many locations. Your professional local florist shop can provide you with a variety of sizes & styles of wreaths and the ability to customize them with specialty color ribbon and additional "add in" decorative accessories.

Garden centers, greenhouses, grocery stores, and catalogs all offer wreaths too, but are limited in the ability to personalize them to your particular decor.

Fresh wreaths will dry out sooner indoors than outdoors. Spraying them with water helps a bit, but the mist can leave residue on furniture, walls and floors, so I don't recommend spraying indoors.

Be careful not to put fresh green wreaths on a door with a glass screen replacement window! The glass can act like a magnifying glass and the sun will brown & burn your wreath very quickly.

The time to purchase your wreath depends on when you want to start enjoying it! I usually put them up the middle of the month because I enjoy them for weeks, even though they begin to dry out in a few weeks. Enjoy!

Happy Holiday!

Q. Is there a Winter or Holiday plant other than the Poinsettia to use and give during the season?

A. Other than the Poinsettia, some of the prettiest blooming plants to give & enjoy during winter time are Cyclamen, Paper White Narcissus & the regal & majestic Amaryllis!!

These three plants are beautiful and the amaryllis and paper whites are fun to watch develop from bulb to bloom over the holidays!

Q.I just adore Paper whites in the winter. Is there anything special I should look for or request when ordering them? I’m hoping to have a Christmas display of Paperwhites and Cyclamen throughout my home.

A.Paperwhite narcissus are a beautiful simple fragrant addition to holiday decor.

If bulbs are purchased, they must be "conditioned" for home forcing. When buying bulbs, be sure they are for forced blooming indoors. Each bulb will bloom once, then should be discarded. They are not meant to bloom again.

The process of force blooming may take several weeks to a month or so....stagger plantings to extend blooming over the winter months.

Pre-potted/forced bulbs may also be purchased for a quick display, and this is the time of year for cyclamens!

Enjoy your winter blooms!

Q. How long will a wreath last on an outside door on the porch? Should we spray it with water?

A. If you are asking about a Holiday wreath of assorted pines, and you live in the Cleveland area, or a place with similar temperatures, the wreath will last for months!

As long as its cold outside, the greens will maintain most of their color, provided its not exposed to sun. Keep fresh wreaths out of sun & do not put them between a glass storm window & inner door. The glass magnifies sun & its heat & "cooks" the wreath.

It's not necessary to mist the wreath, for it will add only a slight time to its longevity.

Q. I live in the Caribbean and I purchase a large X-mas arrangement every year. The flowers include roses, gerbers, lilies, carnations, etc. I find that after 2 days the flowers always wilt and begin to die.

I try and make sure that all flowers are receiving water each day and I mist them with cool water. Is the temperature in my home the problem? It doesn't get much cooler that 79 degrees. Thanks so much for your help! Barb

A. If your Christmas arrangement is dying so quickly, I would first talk to your provider & see why this continues to happen year after year.

The bloom selection you have described sounds more typical to flowers in the states & Northern climates. They are probably imports and may suffer from your climate & conditions.

Maybe your professional florist can suggest blooms more acclimated to the Caribbean conditions. Of course, you could always fly me down during our cold winter to do a consultation!!! :)