Dave's Garden - Gardening Community
Sponsored Links: Organic Gardening - Garden Decor - Garden Plants - Garden Pests - Garden Supplies

Beginner Houseplants: Did anyone get plants forChristmas?

  Welcome!  
You've found the famous Dave's Garden website! Join this friendly global community that shares tips and ideas for home and gardens, along with seeds and plants!

Check out the DG homepage for a brief overview of what you'll find in this gardening mega-site.

  Login  
If you don't have an account yet, visit the registration page to sign up.

Username:

Password:

Forum: Beginner HouseplantsReplies: 26, Views: 150
Print -
AuthorContent
littlebearsmom
Zanesville, OH

December 26, 2008
07:14 PM

Post #5930717

Happy "day after Christmas" everyone. I received a couple of new plants for Christmas: "Crown of thorns" and a purple pitcher plant which I am excited to learn more about. Anyone else get any new plants?
Pillita
Keystone Heights, FL
(Zone 8b)

December 26, 2008
11:43 PM

Post #5931629

Not plants, but some really neat plant books!
NatureLover1950
Vicksburg, MS
(Zone 8a)

December 27, 2008
05:18 PM

Post #5933643

LOL! My kids tell me I have so many houseplants that every window should have a "No Vacancy" sign. I've never had a pitcher plant but I've had both the red flowered and white flowered crown of thorns. You will love this plant--it's so easy to care for. If a piece breaks off it will root very easily.
NCButterfly
Apex, NC

December 27, 2008
05:49 PM

Post #5933732

No Plants just my favorite type of gardening gloves. I cannot have any more houseplants my husband teases me about livinging in the Rainforest
I tell him that is why we are so healthy. Every room has one or more plants
tommyr2006
Poughkeepsie, NY

December 28, 2008
09:23 AM

Post #5935449

2 nice plants you have there! No plants for me this Xmas but I did give an Oncidium orchid ("Carnival Costume" with 2 spikes) to my sister. I need more plants like I need another hole in my head!

LOL!
amalie63
Duncan, OK
(Zone 7a)

December 28, 2008
10:21 PM

Post #5937957

No plants here for Christmas, I have way over 100 and I live in a small 2 bedroom apartment. I have a few plants coming to me in the Spring from a few trades though
dnjclark
Dade City, FL

December 29, 2008
07:39 AM

Post #5938840

I got a large miniature poinsettia. It is loaded with small bi-colored (green and red) flowers and is gorgeous. I live in zone 9 and we do get an occasional frost and once in a great while we do get a freeze for a few hours. I was wondering if this plant could be planted in the garden at Spring time and left to grow out there? Does anyone know? Will it have to be protected next winter if there is a frost or freeze? I have given up on plants that need that as often times even covering them didn't save some. I really don't want to lose this plant but it is really quite large right now and will surely grow more. Any thoughts?
tommyr2006
Poughkeepsie, NY

December 29, 2008
12:09 PM

Post #5939610

"I got a large miniature poinsettia."

HUH??? LOL!

dp72
Woodway, TX
(Zone 8a)

December 29, 2008
01:33 PM

Post #5939953

In Houston people grow them outdoors and they rarely freeze. Your temps should run about the same or warmer. I don't know where in FL Dade City is.
venus420
Cadillac, MI

December 29, 2008
02:26 PM

Post #5940145

So, I received a Pointsetta...Any ideas on how NOT to kill them? I only to get any life out of them for 2 or 3 weeks. I have over 70 house plants that do well, but I just can't seem to be able to keep a Pointsetta...or is it normal?
dp72
Woodway, TX
(Zone 8a)

December 29, 2008
04:30 PM

Post #5940552

Do they drain properly? Often the pots are wrapped in decorative paper and that keeps them from draining excess water when you water them. They're in the euphorbia family, so overwatering is usually the problem rather than underwatering. Only water when the finger test tells you they're bone dry. Needless to say, the better the light, the better they will do. Are they in a potting mix, or that stuff that feels like styrofoam? The former is what they need to live long-term. In MI, you can plant it outdoors in May, but it will die at the first fall freeze. You won't have the colorful bracts, but the green foliage is nice too.
tommyr2006
Poughkeepsie, NY

December 29, 2008
08:00 PM

Post #5941258

Venus,
Bright indirect Sun, let soil dry out a bit between waterings. In March or April Cut it back in half and wait for new leaves to sprout. Start fertilizing every other watering with half strength miracle grow or any 10-10-10 at HALF the rate listed on the label. If it says 1 tablespoon per gallon do HALF a tablespoon.

littlebearsmom
Zanesville, OH

December 29, 2008
11:18 PM

Post #5942160

Yes, the euphorbia was wrapped in decorative paper but I removed it. Thanks for the tip.
littlebearsmom
Zanesville, OH

December 29, 2008
11:20 PM

Post #5942176

On another happy note: My birthday is coming up this weekend so my daughter is taking me plant shopping at Lowe's and Home Depot! She likes to pick up one or two nice plants at a time but I prefer to do lots of "rescues". Won't she be surprised? Might be the last time she volunteers to take/ go plant shopping with me.! LOL!
dp72
Woodway, TX
(Zone 8a)

December 30, 2008
12:15 AM

Post #5942391

little, poinsettias are very easy to grow from cuttings. When the weather warms up, just cut off some stems and put them in potting soil in the shade. (Strip leaves off the portion that goes under the soil level.) Keep them in the shade, and water as needed, never letting the soil get completely dry until they begin to root. You will know they are rooting when they begin to put on growth. When you make the cuttings, there will probably be the "milk" sap typical of euphorbias. Let the cuttings completely dry before potting them. Overnight should be fine. Otherwise disease organisms can enter through the wounds.
venus420
Cadillac, MI

December 30, 2008
02:26 AM

Post #5942670

Thank you for the info on the Poinsettia...and don't I feel like a doof! It's that dumb "decorative paper"...I left it on because it was pretty. Well finally I should have on that lives. Thanks again.
dp72
Woodway, TX
(Zone 8a)

December 30, 2008
09:10 AM

Post #5942999

venus, good luck with your plant. If you want to leave the pretty "decorative paper" on there, you can poke holes through the bottom of the paper to let the water drain out. The holes won't show, of course, and it will still look pretty. When you water it you'd want to put the pot in the sink or somewhere so it can drain. Anytime you water a succulent (or any other plant) it's best to use lots of water and thoroughly wet the potting mix. If no water runs out the drain holes, you haven't watered it enough.
Blondie0924
Montague, MI
(Zone 5a)

December 30, 2008
11:08 AM

Post #5943365

No, unfortunetly, my hubby doesnt know how to tell if its a hoya or not yet...lol. But will get more in the futur:)
littlebearsmom
Zanesville, OH

December 30, 2008
11:08 AM

Post #5943366

As promised, my 19 year old daughter took me plant shopping today for my birthday and boy was I surprised! Instead of going for the "big full price guys" she went to the clearance table with me at Lowe's and between the two of us we brought home 7 new plants. I don't know what all of them are yet but I will have a lot of fun looking them up. One was a "corn plant" from the draceana family, maybe "fragrans", about 3 feet tall, 2 hoya plants, cream and green in color on bamboo hoops, name unknown, another bright green and yellow draceana, again name unknown, about 2 and a half feet tall, a draceana marginata in a 4" pot and a 4" pot of baby pony tail palms, probably 10 in the pot and some type of anthurium! The best part is we spent just a little over $15 for all these rescues and she loves them. She wants to set up her own plant stand with lights in her room! Another plant lover is born!
dipsydoodle
Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom

January 05, 2009
11:47 AM

Post #5968856

I got an indoor mini iris kit with bulbs and a minature grow your own bonsai kit
littlebearsmom
Zanesville, OH

January 06, 2009
07:30 AM

Post #5972333

Let us know how you do with your new kits. Sounds fun!
dnjclark
Dade City, FL

January 07, 2009
09:14 AM

Post #5976516

okay Tommyr! It is a large miniature poinsettia!! LOL The plant is about 2' high and it is a good 2+' around. It is loaded with small blooms...31 to be exact and each bloom is about 2 1/2" across. The blooms are a lime green that turn red but stay edged with the green. Really a pretty plant but I think it would be happier in the ground come spring time. I just don't want the cold to kill it next winter. I did lose a regular poinsettia that was about 10 years old last year but maybe it was more than the cold that killed it off.
Thanks to Texas for their info. They are in 8a and I am in 9 so maybe I will give it a shot.
LyonesseLore
Everett, WA

January 16, 2009
03:09 AM

Post #6011334

I broke down in Walgreens and bought a plant! lol I was there Christmas morning on my way to work and there were the "gifts" there.

a coffee plant in a coffee mug, and boy did this one look sad. so i bough her. She is doing great! Full and green and standing straight up, she's grown over 4 inches since i got her!

Now my only thought is that if I hear : "Feed Me Seymore" I'll be in trouble for sure! lol
DaleTheGardener
Tampa, FL
(Zone 10a)

January 16, 2009
08:53 AM

Post #6011593

I buy new plants every week, especially Coleus>

Thumbnail by DaleTheGardener
Click the image for an enlarged view.

JuneyBug
The Ozarks, MO
(Zone 5b)

January 16, 2009
12:37 PM

Post #6012532

Dale, is that outside?!

Zone envy!
DaleTheGardener
Tampa, FL
(Zone 10a)

January 16, 2009
12:54 PM

Post #6012601

JuneBug,

It is a container that spends a great deal of time outside, but, today it is under cover.

This is a croton, they live outside, they are tougher than coleus>

Thumbnail by DaleTheGardener
Click the image for an enlarged view.

JuneyBug
The Ozarks, MO
(Zone 5b)

January 16, 2009
01:13 PM

Post #6012678

Zone ENVY, anyway! They sure look lovely!

I really like that croton, mine is the more common type with rounded leaves. We had also grown it in HI, where we transplanted a super large (6'-8' or so) bush and then cut branches about 4' long and stuck them in deep holes in the ground and every single one of them grew into gorgeous bushes.
I had taken 45 cuttings of an overgrown coleous and planted them in a nursery area. Every one of them grew, too. Couldn't believe how easy it was to garden in HI.

You cannot post until you register, login and subscribe.

Other Beginner Houseplants Threads you might be interested in:

SubjectThread StarterRepliesLast Post
African Violet pots - use for other plants? plantkiller_sc 5 Nov 8, 2008 7:15 AM
Sun Star- watering instructions? Rachel5298 4 Aug 15, 2008 6:05 PM
Welcome to the Beginner Houseplants forum! dave 31 Mar 29, 2008 12:13 AM
Peace lily blooms are green, not white! dave 44 Aug 11, 2008 8:19 PM
anybody enjoy forcing flowers? forcingflowers 26 Apr 15, 2009 10:58 AM


We recommend Firefox
Overwhelmed? There's a lot to see here. Try starting at our homepage.

[ Home | About | Advertise | Mission | Acceptable Use Policy | Tour | Privacy Policy | Contact Us ]

Back to the top

Copyright © 2000-2009 Dave's Garden. All Rights Reserved.
 

NameMedia Home and Gardens
Gardens.com Bloom.com Share on FacebookShare on Stumbleupon

Hope for America