Holiday Poinsettia Care

Charming gift poinsettia from a neighbor keeping me company in the kitchen. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Holiday Poinsettia Care

Millions of poinsettias will be making their way from retailers to homes this week, a popular holiday decorating as well as gift item. One of the biggest mistakes I see people making, especially in temperatures below 70F, is taking the poinsettias out from a warm environment into cold. If you are purchasing poinsettias for whatever reason, ask them to be wrapped and, better yet, have a lightweight blanket you can place around the plant(s) as you move them to a warm car you drive close to the retailer entrance.

These are tropical plants, native of Mexico, and they don’t do well in colder temperatures. If you want to extend their life span, make sure to keep them warm as you move them home and present them as gifts. I keep brown bags stashed in the garage just for this kind of contingency. Brown bags will help protect the delicate poinsettia bracts from the cold.

Secondly, when shopping for a poinsettia, look in the center for tighly-closed yellow buds, those are the actual flowers. Poinsettias without yellow centers are older and won’t last as long.

Finally, place your poinsettias away from a heat source in indirect light.

If they have tin foil over the pot, remove the tin foil and add a saucer underneath. Don’t overwater, keep the soil moist without being water logged.

With a little care, you can keep your poinsettias through the year to re-bloom next year.

Last year’s gift poinsettias re-blooming for this year. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

This was a gift poinsettia from two years ago now that has survived construction, poor watering schedule and getting knocked over a couple of times while it was summering outside.

The bracts, or leaves when they are green are a pretty shape and color and can easily be included in with other shade plants. I like them bunched up with my straight-leaf Bromeliads under trees in summer.

If you would rather not have to water anything, you can add the poinsettia vibe in your home decor with our crochet poinsettia throw.

Poinsettias emit a white sap when cut or broken. For some time it was assumed the sap was poisonous but it isn’t. I don’t let me cats chew the bracts but that’s more for the aesthetics of it.

One last note: poinsettias are red and may continue to bloom into Valentine’s Day, February 14 so enjoy these lovely plants through several seasons.

Charlotte

Covering Stains

Somehow I ended up with a stain on a favorite lightweight jacket. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Covering Stains

Do you ever get stains on your clothes?

So do I. Even worse, I sometimes get them on favorite pieces of clothing, usually ones I can’t easily replace. Since I shop at thrift stores, many of my favorite clothing pieces are not easily replaceable.

This lightweight beige jacket has been a wardrobe staple for years. Wish I could remember how it was stained but I frankly don’t know. What I do know is that the stain made the jacket unwearable.

Well, for a short time.

I took the jacket to my favorite embroidery shop and asked them to cover the stain with a floral pattern. After going through a number of pattern books, we settled on a design. The original order was tone on tone but a miscommunication gave me a red rose.

An embroidered red rose now covers the stained area. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The left stain was not as easy to see as the right one. They added another embroidered rose pattern to the left side, nicely covering that stain.

Two roses now cover the jacket stains. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The embroidered jacket is now back in use, the red roses a new favorite. And no thorns!

Charlotte

Dry Catnip

Baskets to capture the refrigerator heat are an excellent option to dry herbs. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Dry Catnip

I have been drying catnip for my cats, and for cat gifts, for as long as I can remember. Fresh dried catnip is much stronger, and more appreciated, than anything you can buy in the store. Although some cats do not respond to the enticement of catnip, all of my cats, and those of my family, have had a run of the sillies when enjoying homemade catnip toys.

The catnip I grow is a perennial so it comes up every year. I also don’t use chemicals in my garden so I know when I harvest it to dry, it will be safe for kitty consumption. My cats actually enjoy both fresh catnip during the growing season as well as the dried option.

To dry catnip, break up the stalks into sizes that will fit your drying baskets and make sure they are free of unwanted hitch hiking bugs. The baskets are nothing fancy, I found these baskets at a thrift store. I picked something I enjoy looking at because I dry the catnip on the top of my refrigerator, where the refrigerator heat helps to speed up the process.

It also keeps the catnip away from wondering paws.

I also save those silica gel packets that come in shoes and other shipments and use them in the baskets under either paper towels or cotton napkins. You can keep re-using the packs to help dry out a variety of herbs including catnip.

Save those silica gel packets to place under paper towels. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

If you don’t have silica gel packs, not a problem. You can place the catnip on cotton napkins, which will help wick away moisture.

Fabric napkins can also help dry out herbs such as catnip. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Once dry, you can store the herb in containers for use later. I label mine so I know when I placed the dried catnip in the containers; the fresher the herb-drying the better.

On a cold winter’s night, I bring out the drying baskets to let my resident experts sample the goods.

Catnip customers enjoying a supply during a cold winter night. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

To refresh old cat toys, you can also store the toys in a container with freshly-dried catnip for a couple of days. That will easily re-invigorate the toys.

I also use dry catnip to make yearly toys for our families cats including a couple of resident ones.

i would say we have at least one happy customer, wouldn’t you?

Charlotte

Are Mums Growing?

One of the mums in a flower bed on my Missouri hillside. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Are Mums Growing?

Mums, short for chysanthemums, are a popular flower in gift bouquets because they are long-lasting. As a gardener, these are also excellent garden plants because they not only deter bugs but they are very easy to grow.

One of the more popular times to plant mums is in the fall, leaving the gardener to water the plants through winter until they get well-established. Once settled in, mums come back every year, providing continuing fall color for years.

So how do you tell if your mums are still alive?

At first glance, this dried up mum in my flower bed looks dead. As you get close, you will see green, signs of growth around the base of the plant. That’s how you know your mum is settling in.

Underneath the dry top, signs of new growth. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

It can take a little time for the new growth to show up. Another mum outside my front door looked dead for months. Now I find new growth appearing at the bottom of that plant as well.

New later growth on another mum. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

If you have mums in water, also check the bottom of the stems. You may find that your cut mums are developing roots in water. Did I mention mums are easy to grow?

So don’t get discouraged if the top of your mums look dry and dead at the moment. Underneath, new growth should be getting established to grow later this year.

Here are some of my favorite mums, yellow ones, that have returned for several years in one of my garden path corners.

These mums have returned in this same spot for several years now that they are established. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Mums are not only pretty and helpful in the garden but their daisy-shaped flowers make excellent cut flowers.

Charlotte

Winter Rose Poinsettias

These interesting ruffled poinsettias are called “winter rose.” (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Winter Rose Poinsettias

I have to confess, I have been curious about this new poinsettia variety. I first saw one last year at one of our local home and garden centers, prompting me to think I need to get one when they are next on sale.

This year, a friend gave me one for Christmas, a medium-sized plant with 3-inch flower “heads” that indeed resemble roses. He called them a “ruffled poinsettia.”

This new poinsettia species resembles roses. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

According to my research, this plant was first developed by the Paul Ecke Plant Company. The leaves and bracts on the Winter Rose poinsettia variety are smaller and tend to curl under. The plant is usually shorter than regular poinsettias. More interesting to me, the plant is supposed to hold its colored leaves through May, a good couple of months longer than standard poinsettias.

The “flower heads” are actually plant bracts, or leaves that surround the tiny yellow centers that actually hold the flowers. The leaves are triggered to change color by exposing the plants to 14 hours of darkness from September to November. I have a standard red poinsettia from last year that is turning color after this light deprivation.

Besides red, Winter Rose poinsettias are available in white, pink and marble.

Now let’s see how long these “winter roses” last!

Charlotte

Last Minute Shopping

Last minute gift ideas don’t always come in gift-wrapped boxes. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Last Minute Shopping

The call came in late last night, a male customer clearly exasperated with Christmas gift expectations.

Four daughters. One doting aunt. I waited to hear about a wife but there was no mention so I took him to be a single Dad.

At this point in the season, with five days until Christmas, I understood some of his frustration so I made the current suggestion of 4 gifts per person:

Something they want,

Something they need,

Something to wear,

Something to read.

There was silence at the other end. Oh, he said, that’s good “that gives me a place to start.”

Then we headed into each category for suggestions. He had the first one covered for the daughters but not the aunt. How about a framed photo of the four girls, does she have one? He liked that idea; he said the girls would have fun setting up the photo shoot. Framed photos are always a good choice!

In terms of what they “needed,” he made it clear he was a good provider. I suggested writing each of them a letter explaining what each meant to him and the good wishes he had for them as they grow up. It was something he could slip in their stockings and I guaranteed it would be something they would cherish. He loved that idea. It was something he “could make” for them.

We both groaned at the “what to wear” one although I said a good pair of winter gloves and a scarf for each qualified. “Sold” he said.

The reading list was frankly the toughest one but we sorted out favorite likes and hobbies that he now can use to shop online for books to match.

The relief in his voice was palpable. “So you make money doing this” he asked.

I laughed. No, I said, but hopefully the next time he needed a personalized birthday gift he would think of us.

He thanked me again, said he was going to “double check” his list and hung up, off to shop online for books, he said.

He will make it. Merry Christmas!

Charlotte

Poinsettia Care Update

Last year’s gift poinsettias re-blooming for this year. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Poinsettia Care Update

It’s been about 10 days since my last update on the poinsettias from last year. They have been sitting in indirect light during the day with no evening light since September. I forgot to give them fertilizer during their dormant period but did keep them on the dry side.

They are now getting more leaf color, which is what turns either red, white, pink and pink and white. And I saw a really furly red leaf at one of our local home and garden centers, not to mention the crocheted poinsettia lap quilt throw we have in storage.

No I didn’t buy any of the plants, I’m enjoying watching mine from last year turn.

This is how the one in the top photo started about a month ago. This is when I knew to pull it out of the back room and give it more indirect sunlight.

Same poinsettia a good 5 weeks ago, first showing leaf color. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

As with most plants, we don’t always have the space to give them the growing conditions they need so most of these tropical plants from Mexico get tossed after Christmas.

In their native habitat, they grow the size of small trees, similar to our native Missouri dogwoods.

My plan is now to keep them growing through winter, then repot and set them outside in shade over summer so they have more time to grow. It will be interesting to see how big they will get by next year.

The other poinsettias? Well, if I happen to find one on sale I just might bring another one home.

Charlotte

Renewed Poinsettias

The first new red bract from last year’s gift poinsettias. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Renewed Poinsettias

It’s an early Christmas at Bluebird Gardens. My gift poinsettias from last year are setting new color in their leaves, also called bracts.

These popular annuals from Mexico are the quintessential holiday gift and home decor plant. The traditional red colored plants have in the last decade or so made room for pink, white and candy cane, a red and white variegated variety.

I can remember these growing in Mexico City, Mexico as trees, similar to Missouri’s state tree, the flowering dogwood.

These gift poinsettias from last year were lovely with their beautiful leaf color lasting for several months. After a short summer spent outside in the shade, I set these plants in a basement room where they could get bright daylight but no light at night. They need 14 hours of darkness and little water, which frankly was the hardest part for me to do. I was regularly checking them during the day to make sure they were not dropping leaves. There’s a fine line between moisture deprivation and outright killing these delicate plants.

Then the watch began. Not every day but I was regularly sneaking into the room to see if there was a change. Any change. When the new center leaves started to show a dab of red, I knew we were headed in the right direction.

This dab of color was confirmation the plant leaves were changing color. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

It’s tempting to look for the larger leaves to be changing but it’s the new, tiny center leaves that will be the first to show a change.

New tiny center leaves or bracts with a hint of the changes to come. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Time to find the bag of new potting soil to give this poinsettia a new lease on the holiday.

My other poinsettias are lagging behind with no signs of color. So the biggest lesson from this is that, as in most things in life, it’s all about timing.

The plants need to start their light deprivation in September, when we in mid-Missouri are still going into evenings with a lot of light. To give them their 14 hours of darkness a day, they need to be moved into dark closets or get covered with a box every day. Or located somewhere where there isn’t so much sunlight into evenings.

My other poinsettias are still all green. I suspect I will be welcoming the new year with color when they start changing.

The other poinsettias are still all green. We shall see if they turn. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

There’s a nice sense of accomplishment getting the first poinsettia to start turning color. Now the fun is watching as the rest of the plant follows suit!

Charlotte

Grow Amaryllis Bulbs

This is an Amaryllis bulb properly potted and resting before it grows again. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Grow Amaryllis Bulbs

They are starting to pop up all over the place, those ugly large flower bulbs often offered bare root in mesh bags and gift boxes. Recently I saw some already potted and growing; the challenge is timing it so they bloom as they are being given as gifts.

Amaryllis, the South American cousins to our North American perennial surprise lilies, are a popular holiday gift. I have a number of them living in inside pots currently resting. They will start growing and blooming again shortly, adding the beauty of their flowers to a gray January.

How to Grow Amaryllis

Amaryllis are very easy to grow. The key is to correctly plant them in a pot with only the bottom one third of the bulb covered in soil.

Once planted in a pot about an inch wider than the bulb, pat the soil firmly. Water.

I add spanish moss to cover the bulb.

Place in a warm spot with indirect light. Within a week, a green bud tip should begin to appear.

Amaryllis greenery, left, and a new bud growing out of a bulb. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

If the bulb has been properly nourished and rested. it will have saved enough energy in the bulb to re-bloom. Sometimes purchased bulbs are not seasoned enough and will only grow green leaves.

Within a couple of weeks, the flower stalk will grow, Water every couple of days to keep soil moist but not wet. Once the bud reaches 20 inches, a flower will appear. It’s good to stake the bud before it blooms because the weight of the flower can make it topple over.

Sometimes you may find an amaryllis bud sneaking out of the gift box, like this.

Amaryllis bulb in early bud. Once exposed to sun, the stem will grow straight. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Popular and easy to find varieties include red, white, coral and pink and white. In this example, this is an Apple Blossom Amaryllis.

Apple Blossom Amaryllis bulbs tend to bloom for me in January. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

When the blooming is over, cut off the flower stalks but keep it watered so leaves appear. Let the leaves grow until they turn yellow on their own. The leaves are collecting sun they turn into energy and store in the bulb for blooming again.

Once all leaves are gone, let the bulb rest. Don’t water it or place in sun. After a couple of months, repot in new soil, water and wait for the magic to begin again.

Amaryllis are easy to grow and a lot of fun to watch as they go from bud to flower, seemingly growing overnight. When I see the flowers in the middle of winter, I can easily dream of meadows and of the promise of spring.

I also like that with a little care, they can keep on growing year after year. So if you see them on sale, don’t pass them up, they are worth the investment of time and effort.

Charlotte

Dry Russian Sage

Dry Russian sage, bottom right, adds a nice pop of color to my front porch wreath full of dry greenery. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Dry Russian Sage

If you enjoy dry flower wreaths and using dry flowers in home decor, there is a perennial that can add a nice pop of bluish purple that often gets overlooked.

We all tend to look for lavenders but have you considered Russian Sage?

Russian sage is an easy to grow perennial often used as a landscape plant. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I see Russian Sage growing all around where I live in mid-Missouri. It is a popular landscaping plant, which means businesses tend to use them to add color. One business I know pulled them out because they were a magnet for bees, which of course I loved to see. That inspired me to add them to my garden.

I hand bundled Russian sage in garage on coat hangars to dry. Panacle hydrangeas, right, as well. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

How to Dry Russian Sage (or any other plants)

It is easy to dry this hardy perennial. Once you cut off the blue spikes, tie with a string and hang for a few days so the greenery and stems dry.

I use coat hangars in my garage. If the weather gets cool, place them in a basket over your refrigerator, the heat of the motor provides a nice drying spot.

Once dry, you can easily incorporate Russian sage into wreaths and other dry flower arrangements.

I also have a bouquet dry Russian Sage sitting in a windowless bathroom. The bluish purple color adds a nice punch of color through winter when I won’t have fresh flowers to add.

This sprig of dry Russian Sage now decorates a corner of a bathroom. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Once dry, Russian sage also looses its scent. I don’t use oils but it occurred to me you could easily add a drop of lavender.

I added small bunches of Russian Sage to my outside grapevine wreaths, adding a nice pop of color. The grapevine wreath on my front porch has a little gourd bluebird that is fun to decorate with dried plants and branches. I’m sure the deer will let me know what they think of it.

Any day now.

Charlotte

Shipping Rose of Sharon

Rose of Sharon trimmed into a tree form at the entrance to my garden. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Shipping Rose of Sharon

My brother in Virginia and I share a love of gardening. He has three flat acres compared to my one slopping hillside. Our garden concepts and designs are different but we both love having blooming plants mid to late summer.

He discovered crape myrtles; I found Missouri’s native rose mallows and their hardy cousins Rose of Sharon, a relative of the popular tropical hibiscus. The ones I have are white, pink, purple, and I discovered a double purple earlier this year.

When my brother mentioned he was looking for something else that blooms late summer, I decided to send him some of my Rose of Sharon starts for his birthday. I settled on the purplish ones to compliment his backyard full of pink, red and soft lavender crepe myrtles.

Rose of Sharon, also called Shrub Althea (Hibiscus syriacus) are old-fashioned garden staples where I live in mid-Missouri. Even some businesses use them as landscaping plants because they are hardy and will grow in less than ideal conditions. I consider them vintage flowers, like these featured in a set of vintage flowers handmade kitchen towels.

After checking if I could ship them to Virginia, I dug up small starts, wrapping the roots in wet soil and newspaper. I shook them to remove any bugs, then hosed them down and allowed them to dry. Don’t want any bugs hitchhiking their way out east.

I didn’t have a box that they would fit in so I made a shipping container out of cardboard. It was an odd shape but it worked. Believe it or not, this homemade box helped the plants get safely to Virginia.

A self-made shipping box for sending Rose of Sharon through the mail. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

A local friend has some of the crepe myrtles my brother in Virginia has so I sent my brother a photo of the Rose of Sharon, on the left, close to red crepe myrtles, right. It helps to see the two of them together, especially when my brother didn’t know what a Rose of Sharon shrub looked like.

Rose of sharon, left, growing with crape myrtles at a friend’s house here in Rolla. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Once the Rose of Sharon starts arrived in Virginia, my brother said he didn’t think they were going to make it. He said only three looked good; the rest had yellow leaves or were dropping their leaves.

I usually remove the leaves once they turn yellow.

Shipped rRose of Sharon starts potted once they arrived in Virginia. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Nonsense, I said, they are hardy. Now that they are in a pot, water daily, place in shade and wait for the new greenery to start growing.

My brother wasn’t so sure.

I knew better. I had moved three Rose of Sharon “trees” to a new spot in my garden earlier this summer. Two made it quickly but a third one on the left in photo dropped all of its leaves.

Rose of Sharon, left, dropped all of its leaves before settling into a new garden spot. (Photo by Charlotte Ekke r Wiggins)

I wasn’t discouraged, I had moved these before. The trick is to keep the roots mulched and watered as the Rose of Sharon settles in. In these record hot summer temperatures, I carried water to this garden spot to make sure the Rose of Sharon roots stayed hydrated.

About three weeks later, new growth started to appear on my moved Rose of Sharon.

New leaf growth is a sign the Rose of Sharon has settled into its new garden spot. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

A good month later, my brother said the Rose of Sharon starts I shipped him not only all pulled through but they are doing quite well.

Now my brother said he has to find spots for ALL of them in his garden.

Shipped Rose of Sharon starts recovering in their new Virginia home. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Not only are they pretty and a good bee plant but Rose of Sharon are hardy and easy to grow. I have most of mine trimmed into tree shapes. They can also grow as shrubs to fence off areas. They do drop their leaves over winter.

Happy belated birthday, David!

Charlotte

Giving Stargazer Lilies

Stargazer Asiatic lilies carry pollen at the end of their protruding stamens. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Giving Stargazer Lilies

One of the advantages of having a Missouri hillside pollinator garden is that I can share some of the flowering residents with friends. It’s fun to get floral jewelry like this gold orchid pin, too, but there is no substitute for the real fresh flowers.

In early July, my little collection of Stargazer lilies bloom, one of the most aromatic of my summer blooming perennials.

I picked up the bulbs on sale last year, not expecting many of them to survive but I have been pleasantly surprised.

The biggest issue with these lovely blooms is that they may need to be staked. The flower stalks are thick but not strong enough to hold up the lovely flowers.

History of Stargazer Lilies

Stargazer lilies are, in a word, dramatic. The almost 6-inch wide individual flowers can easily command a room in a flower vase so they are fun to share.

The Stargazer was developed in 1978 by Leslie Woodruff. He cross-pollinated an Oriental lily and Asiatic lily bringing together the fragrance and shapely flowers of an Asiatic lily and bright colors as well as ‘hardy’ habits of an Oriental lily. Since the flowers open towards the sky, they were named Stargazers.

The most common stargazer lily species has petals of bright pink color and speckles in yellow and white hues. Pink, white and yellow are also available. The fragrance of the hybrid lilies is bold yet pleasant and heady. The flowers stay fresh for longer time and thanks to their sturdy stem, they are a fantastic choice as cut flowers and long-stemmed flower arrangements.

Remove Pollen

Before taking them inside, however, cut off the pollen at the end of the long stamens. The pollen will permanently stain anything and everything it touches, including the flower petals.

To remove the pollen, cut off the pollen from the end of the stamens.

At first I thought cutting off the pollen would completely change the look of the flower but I was wrong. They still look nice and, even better, still smell as lovely as ever.

Cut off the protruding stamens to minimize pollen stains. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I do the trimming outside so the pollen can fall into the garden instead of covering my inside table surfaces as well as my hands.

Although I love the pollen for my pollinators, I do cut them off from gift flowers.

Here are the Stargazer lilies now in flower vases ready for the trip to their new homes.

These Stargazer Asiatic lilies are ready to be shared. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

To cut the Stargazer Asiatic lilies, make a 45-degree cut at the approximate length they will fit in a flower vase. Remove the bottom leaves so they don’t sit in the water.

If you are not sure the gift recipient will be around when you deliver them, add a gift card. I save the ones I get from florists so I can recycle them with one of my business cards.

Finally, to make sure the gift flowers arrive safely, I store them in one of my blue paint buckets with towels tucked inside around the flower vases to keep them from falling over and spilling water all over my car seats.

Ask me how I know that can happen.

Gift Stargazer Asiatic lilies travel in a blue bucket to make sure they arrive safely. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

So much fun to share these lovely wonders. I left one on a friend’s desk this summer. She thought I had purchased them from a florist instead of growing them myself.

Don’t forget to save one for yourself; I put them in my bathrooms so that I can enjoy the scent when I am relaxing in the tub.

Charlotte

Caring for Gift Flowers

These gift roses came in pots, another way to give roses. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Caring for Gift Flowers

If you received gift flowers such as cut roses recently, there are several things you can do to keep them beautiful:

If they came in a vase, put them where you can enjoy them but keep them away from heat vents and sun. Don't place them on top of TVs or near electronic devices that get warm, the heat will shorten the lifespan of your beautiful flowers.

If they were in a box, get a vase and make sure to wash it with hot water and dishwashing detergent, rinse and dry, then fill vase 3/4 full with room temperature water. Add a penny to water to help keep bacteria from growing. I have also used half an aspirin. Most florists also provide floral flood packets. Don't save the packets, use them!

Measure the first stem against the vase you want to put them in and make them taller since you may be cutting them down several times. Cut the bottom of the stems under room temperature water with sharp pruners or a knife, making a 45-degree angle cut so the stem can take up water. The running water helps the stem take up the water; that helps keep the rose stay saturated.

Also remove all leaves that will be submerged in water. 

Add the florist food packet, mix, then add the remaining trimmed roses.

Whether already in a vase or you add the flower to a vase, plan on cleaning the vase, replacing the water with fresh, room-temperate water and making fresh stem cuts every 2 days.

Peruvian lilies are one, if not the longest lasting, cut flowers currently available. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

If you received carnations, mums and Peruvian lilies, these flowers are longer lasting but also would appreciate fresh water every 2-3 days. Also trim the stems so water can get absorbed and keep the flowers in bloom.

A bouquet of Peruvian lilies I bought around Christmas lasted 9 weeks with a little extra time cutting off the stems and placing them in clean water every few days.

If your gift was a plant, remove the decorative paper immediately and place a tray under the pot to catch water. Check the soil to determine whether it is wet or not. If it is dry, give it room temperature water until the soil is saturated again but not wet.

Read the enclosed care instructions, they will tell you what kind of light conditions your plant needs. Then place the plant in appropriate lighting conditions. Most orchids, for example, like indirect light similar to African violets and English primroses.

Spring bulb gardens prefer full sunlight so the sprouting leaves can collect energy in the bulbs. Once bulb gardens finish blooming, keep watering and allow the leaves to turn yellow. The bulbs can then be planted in your garden for re-blooming after the bulbs have recharged their bulbs.

On a personal note, keep the flowers where you spend the most of your time so you can enjoy them. Even though they may appear beautiful one day, room conditions may change and speed up their fading process so don't take them for granted.

And there is nothing wrong with buying yourself a flower bouquet to brighten a room so go ahead, splurge and enjoy!

Charlotte

Red Roses Gift Flowers

A little bouquet of red roses on its way to a friend's business.

Red Roses Gift Flowers

We often think of gift flower bouquets as elaborate collections of flowers, of big globs of one flower, but they don't have to be. A gift bouquet can be as simple as one flower, or in this case, three little flowers in a simple vase.

But this isn't just any red rose.

I picked the hybrid tea rose with a wonderful scent early morning, when the rose was still in bud form so that it would open through the rest of the day and last longer. I added two miniature roses in the same color for a touch of whimsy. The Mr. Lincoln hybrid tea rose would have been lovely all by itself but I liked adding the little miniature roses for fun.

Pairing miniature roses with a hybrid tea rose is a simple way to make a pretty bouquet.

Miniature roses are shrub roses that often bloom more frequently than hybrid tea roses, at least in my garden, so I like having a variety of miniature rose colors growing throughout the season. I give them compost, banana peels and coffee grounds to keep them well fed, and regularly mulch them, so they get similar care to my regular roses.

Although miniature roses are easier to grow, I also grow hybrid tea roses, especially Mr. Lincoln roses. Besides their lovely red color, I love their scent, which can envelop a room with just one flower.

Mr. Lincoln hybrid tea rose has a wonderful scent and invites a sniff just because.

I also keep little glass flower vases around in a garage cabinet just for these occasions, picking them up as I see them at garage sales.

The red roses gift flowers bouquet was appreciated, even more when my friend got a whiff of the rose. She said she only plants the repeat-blooming KnockOut roses, but she may be giving the old time hybrid tea roses a second look now. My friend said she thought I had sprayed the red rose with a perfume. I assured her this was the natural scent.

When I left, she was still smelling that red rose!

Charlotte

How to Gift Wrap Daffodils

Darker vases in blue and black nicely contrast against traditional yellow and white daffodils.

Daffodils are March's gift flowers, captured sunshine to chase away winter gloom and bring on spring garden dreams. 

How to Gift Wrap Daffodils for Gift Giving

To easily gift wrap your gift of flowers, have fun shopping for an interesting vase. Most home decor stores have a selection, as do antique and thrift shops. When in a rush, don't overlook your local grocery store floral department. If you don't see any vases, ask; they will usually share what they have in stock.

When looking for a gift vase, look for something on the small size from 4-6 inches tall and 2 inches wide.

Also think about the person who is going to get the flowers. Select a vase that represents their spirit and joy. Anything in a blue range works well with yellow, as does white and black.

Flower Vases Should Be Repeatedly Used

In my world, flower vases are repeatedly used. A friend of mine who regularly gets flowers from my garden periodically cleans out her flower vase collection and gives them back to me for re-use.

I also collect vases later in the year at yard sales and keep a stash for easy use when I have flowers to share.

Don't Wait For A Flower Vase

If you don't have a fancy vase, don't hesitate to wrap them in paper towels or a clean, recycled glass jar. Most people have a vase they can use once they get the flowers so make someone's day with a nice bouquet.

A bouquet of daffodils from my garden on its way to a friend's house with other goodies.

Wouldn't you enjoy getting a bouquet of fresh flowers just because?

Charlotte

How to Dry Rose Buds

While you are shopping for your white ceramic pieces, pick up a basket with perforations around the sides and a solid bottom. It will come in handy when it's time to dry the gift rose buds.

I start by saving all those decadent bags in shoes in a jar so I can add those when I need to dry something. Once I have the basket, I add a paper towel, then the items I want to dry: rose buds, either from a florist or from my garden. I place the basket on top of my refrigerator, where the hot air from the back of the motor helps dry out the buds faster. It also keeps the flowers safe from admiring cat paws. I check once a week, until the buds are dried and ready to arrange in the white ceramic bowl.

If you just want to have the flowers still around, you can also dry them on stems with leaves. Just shape them the way you want them in the end so you don't break the brittle stems once they are dry.

Have you dried rose buds before?

Charlotte

Saving Rose Buds

We've all had them, lovely gift flowers that sooner, or later, start to loose their beauty. Instead of adding to the compost pile, cut off the buds, dry them, then display them where you can see them every day and relive the good memories they generate.

You don't need a fancy bowl, I made this one from two thrift store finds. And don't leave these in a living room corner where you see them as you go by, I have mine on my kitchen island where I can see them, and enjoy them, every day.

In the next few posts, I will show you how to dry the rose buds and make the container.

What have you used to dry your flowers?

Charlotte