TIME TO GET RID OF THE POINSETTIA

Poinsettias have an irritating way of lasting forever. They’re glorious at Christmas, and can cost anywhere from five to fifty dollars, depending on the size and variety. Some people are callous enough to throw them in the trash after the holiday, but many of us keep them around for months. Because they’re so undemanding. Just a tad of water each week, and they’ll bloom indefinitely. I’ve even kept them alive out on the deck come summertime. But the truth is, I’m getting tired of looking at them in doctor’s offices, banks, and other places of business. They say every dog has his day, and this plant’s day has come and gone. It’s time to get rid of the poinsettia.

Why do I find them depressing, when they give so much pleasure in December? I guess it’s because they remind me of snow, ice and freezing weather. They’re almost as bad as those ice cycles some people keep hanging from their porch roofs all year round. Even this month, I’m seeing Christmas wreaths on doors, and deflated plastic Santas. I suppose if you’re a Christmasphile, those things don’t bother you.

I really loved Christmas as a child and teenager. But then, Christmas started having some bad connotations. Like the time I broke up with my boyfriend on Christmas Eve.. Or the New Years Eve when I didn’t have a date, and was all alone in a big city apartment. Later, when I was a working mom, Christmas turned into a stressful occasion. Presents to buy, cookies to bake, meals to host—wearing myself out while trying to make everyone happy. Then came recessions and money worries. Somewhere along the way, I began to dread the approach of the holiday season. No one knew I was thinking Bah Humbug while they were singing Jingle Bells. I was a closet Christmas Grinch.

The solution came upon retirement, when we could go South during the winter. I didn’t miss the snow while sitting on the beach, and seashells were the best Christmas decoration I could imagine. But one day, we realized that we weren’t up for the long trip. Once again, we’re home for the holidays, and buying poinsettias.

Yesterday, I stopped watering my plant. I won’t throw it out in the cold, but I’ll let it wither in the windowsill. . It’s time to get rid of the poinsettia and buy some potted tulips. Spring is only a few weeks away!

January 27, 2021January 27, 2021

DIEHARD POINSETTIAS HANG ON AND ON

I don’t know about you, but the sight of Christmas decorations after Jan. 1 depresses me. Especially since we’ve been seeing them in the stores since Halloween. Enough already! One of the worst offenders is those plastic icicles people hang across their front porch. You’re apt to see them all summer long. Makes you wonder. Are these people Christmasphiles, or simply too lazy to take them down? But there’s one sign of Christmas that refuses to go away. Diehard poinsettias hang on and on forever.

It’s hard to let a pretty flowering plant wither and die. Unless, maybe, you have no appreciation for nature’s gifts. Sometimes, I decide to let my poinsettias die a natural death. And yet, when they begin to droop and wilt, something propels me to water them. They’re so brave and hardy. They want to please us and hang around to brighten our lives.

Walking in the mall, I noticed several offices still have flowering poinsettias perched on desktops. And yes, they’re a gloomy reminder of a holiday long past. Sooner or later, they’re going to disappear from sight. Maybe when the daffodils begin to bloom in the spring. So how do you handle the demise of your now unwanted flower/ child? I’ve been known to keep them on the deck in the summer. But they still look out of place. Usually, I harden myself to the fact that they really must go. Reluctantly, I may put them outside where they freeze to death. And then, furtively, I throw them in the trash can, the lonely leaves now withered and brown.

When Christmas rolls around again, I’m usually the first to buy a few poinsettias. They’re so beautiful. However, come spring, my fickle heart is drawn to daffodils and tulips. I wish those diehard poinsettias wouldn’t give me a guilt trip. But I know that next Christmas I’ll buy them all over again.

December 11, 2019December 11, 2019

HAVE A BLOOMING HOME THIS WINTER

As you wave goodbye to snowbirds heading south, do you feel a bit down about staying home? Maybe you traveled to warmer climates in your first years after retirement. But those days are over. Health or financial concerns have brought a change of plans. So how to make the best of those gloomy cold days ahead? Have a blooming home this winter.

Start with those Christmas poinsettias you normally throw away after the holidays. Hopefully, you have more than one color. Find a warm sunny spot to group them together. They don’t need much care, but when the leaves start to droop, you know they need water.

Amaryllis & Poinsettas grouped together are beautiful — Amaryllis and Poinsettias will give you a blooming home this winter.

My next favorite are the magical, mysterious amaryllis. They come in glorious color combinations of pink, red, and white. You can buy them in November or December, but by January, it’s too late. They’re sold out. I found three at a big box store before Thanksgiving, and some are already starting to bloom. This year, I have some big bulbs saved from last year.. I’m trying to recycle them. The directions say they’ll probably start blooming in six or eight weeks—which will brighten those cold February days. But just in case my experiment doesn’t work, I’m going to buy a few more bulbs at the grocery store to save until January.

Orchids & Anthurium are beautiful house plants — Anthurium and Orchids are Easy to Maintain

Orchid plants are available most everywhere. Some are spindly or overpriced. I’ve had great luck with the big healthy ones at our local discount store. They require very little care—3 ice cubes a week is what’s recommended. . I changed that to ¼ cup water, plus a little houseplant fertilizer every month or so. Amazingly, the plant was still blooming in September. But when I moved it to another window, it didn’t survive the change in light. This year, I’ll let it stay in the same place and see if it lives longer.

Another beauty is the Anthurium plant. Mostly, they come in red, but I know someone who found a white one. I received mine as a birthday gift in July, but it had been over watered, and some of the leaves turned yellow. I cut down the watering, and it’s still blooming now, in December.

If you have the time and space, you might look into other blooming houseplants like violets, begonias or Christmas cactus.

It’s a real upper to wake up on a cold winter morning and see fresh flowers blooming all over your house. And best of all, no weeding is required!