Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas are just a few of the holidays that folks will be celebrating in coming days. Thankfully many of us will be with family and friends this year.
Here at Glendale Farms we will be busy over the next few weeks delivering our poinsettias to grocery stores and greeting friends. Come by the farm to pick up your prize poinsettias for holiday decorations. Remember, we only take cash and checks on the farm.
In this enews, we included some unique seasonal flair. A little bit of poinsettia history, tips on poinsettia care and a few decorating ideas. You will enjoy reading about these prized and colorful plants. Be sure to stop by the farm early in the season to pick up your holiday poinsettias.
The main greenhouse will be open daily – seven days a week starting on Black Friday through Christmas Eve. Plan to stop by Glendale Farms on Shop Small Saturday and support local businesses in your community. This year we grew enough poinsettias to pack six greenhouses with these beautiful tropical plants.
We look forward to seeing you over the holiday season. If you have any questions, call Deb or Tim at 203-874-7203.
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What is the history of the poinsettia and its connection to the holidays?
The poinsettia originates in Mexico. It grows wild as a bush in the highlands and reaches a height of up to five metres. As “Flores de Noche Buena”, “Flowers of the Holy Night”, the plant has been associated with Christmas in Central America as early as the 16th century. The poinsettia is also known as the Christmas Star, Christmas Flower, Mexican Flame Leaf, Lobster Flower, Winter Rose, Crown of the Andes, and, in Turkey, Atakurk’s Flower (named after the founder of modern Turkey).
Poinsettias were introduced to America in 1825 by botanist Joel Poinsett, who was the first US Ambassador to Mexico.
The most beautiful “petals” on the plant aren’t flowers at all, but lush red, white, pink or green leaves. The flowers are actually the little yellow buds in the center of each collection of leaves (the collection of leaves is called a bract).
National Poinsettia Day is celebrated on December 12th
How do I care for my poinsettia plant?
Poinsettia care is easy throughout the holidays. Just follow these simple rules:
Light: Place your poinsettias in an area where they’ll receive a minimum of six hours of bright (but not direct) sunlight each day.
Temperature: These plants prefer temperatures from 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and from 60 to 65 degrees at night. The lower night temperatures help the poinsettias keep their brilliant color. Protect the plants from both cold and hot drafts from outside doors, heat registers or appliances.
Never expose them to temperatures below 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Take them right home from the farm.
Water: Poinsettias like moist, but not wet, soil. To know how often to water poinsettias, wait until the top of the soil is dry. Add room temperature water to the plant, allowing the water to drain through the pot. Then discard any excess water in the saucer. If the plant’s container was wrapped with decorative foil, be sure to remove the foil from the bottom of the container to allow water to drain through.
Decorating with live poinsettias
This Christmas, why not think differently about how you decorate your home?
The heart of any festive scene, the Christmas Tree, draws upon the wonder of nature, so it is only natural that we look to replicate this style elsewhere within our homes. Poinsettias – also highly recognizable as a festive bloom – are the perfect way of creating calming and warming interior displays; displays which place nature at the centre of the design.
You can create a stunning colorful festive area in your home or office. Nestle your poinsettia plants around the base of larger plants. Transfer your poinsettias to colorful pots and place them in a prominent location in your home.
The bright red poinsettias are often associated with this festive bloom – however the white poinsettias are the ideal solution for creating a magical snowy look. Paired with silver, or enchanting gold, the poinsettia provides a crisp color accent to winter wonderland themes.
Cut the poinsettia stems off the plant and use them to decorate your holiday table, arrange on a wreath and make various holiday decorations with these live plants.
Forget traditional bunting and hanging décor, but instead draw upon the homemade and maximise the stunning floral displays that poinsettias can create!
Immediately after cutting the poinsettias, hold their stems in 60°C water for approx. 5 seconds, then dip in cold water. This way the magnificent bracts will stay dazzlingly beautiful for up to two weeks.
Visit Glendale Farms for your holiday poinsettias. Not only do they make great holiday decorations, they make great host gifts.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more decorating ideas as we move along the holiday season.
