Thursday, November 29, 2012

Poinsettia Care Tips

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PoinsettiasPoinsettias are one of the longest-lasting blooming plants available to consumers.

To choose the perfect poinsettia:

  • Pick a plant with small, tightly clustered buds in the center.
  • Look for crisp, bright, undamaged foliage.
  • Avoid plants displayed in drafty or crowded areas.

To keep the poinsettia blooming:

  • When surface soil is dry to the touch, water thoroughly. Discard excess water in the saucer.
  • To prolong color, keep a temperature range of 60 degrees for night and 72 degrees for day. High humidity is preferable.
  • Place plant away from hot or cold drafts, and protect from cold winds.

To rebloom for the next season:

  • During winter, continue to follow holiday upkeep tips.
  • March 17 (St. Patrick's Day): When bracts fade, cut stems back to eight inches above soil line.
  • Continue to water regularly.
  • Lightly fertilize with a good, balanced all-purpose fertilizer every three to four weeks.
  • When temperatures are warm, place plant outdoors; first in indirect, then direct sunlight. Avoid temperatures below 50 degrees throughout the summer.
  • July 4 (Independence Day): Cut back new growth stems. Repot if needed.
  • Early September (Labor Day): Move plant inside. Provide six or more hours of direct light.
  • October 1 through mid-December: Confine plant to complete darkness for 14 hours, giving it 10 hours of natural light daily. This will set the buds and cause bracts to color.
Schneider's Florist has beautiful poinsettia plants in stock for this holiday season. Pick one up or have it delivered.

wwww.Springfieldohioflorist.com

Original Article can be found at: http://www.aboutflowers.com/flower-holidays-occasions-a-parties/christmas/poinsettia-care-tips.html

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Thanksgiving Decorating


It’s time to start decorating for Thanksgiving!  While you don’t have to go all-out in the decoration department like you might do for Christmas or Halloween, it’s still important to add a few special decorations for the holiday.  Here are several easy ways of adding to the Thanksgiving atmosphere.

Add fall colors.  Thanksgiving and fall share orange, brown, red, gold, and dark yellow, and if you’ve already added some of these colors to your home décor for the fall, then you probably don’t need to add anything else.  You can use your fall tablecloth, napkins, and even fall flowers for Thanksgiving.  If you want to make it look a little different, you can always rearrange some of your fall decorations for Thanksgiving.

You can also put out some fall colored candles.  There are a number of different autumn scents that are perfect for Thanksgiving, such as pumpkin spice.  You don’t have to light them, of course, but adding a few to your mantle or as a table centerpiece looks very nice.

You don’t necessarily have to buy all of your Thanksgiving decorations.  Take a walk outdoors and collect fall leaves, pine cones, and a few branches.  You can arrange these items on a platter, bowl, or vase as a centerpiece, or your kids can use them to make different art projects.  You can also incorporate them into a Thanksgiving wreath for your front door.

Since a large part of the Thanksgiving holiday revolves around the meal, look at ways you can subtly add to the décor there.  A platter with a border of fall leaves, for example, makes a great serving dish for your turkey.  Glass bowls tinted with fall colors are also great.  You may even already have some great dishes that look great for the fall and Thanksgiving.

These are just a few different things you can do to add to the atmosphere of your Thanksgiving meal.  Be sure to put your own spin on things, too, and be creative.  Also, don’t forget your Thanksgiving flowers in Springfield, OH.