Gardening

If you missed Sharon Pranzo's discussion at the Greenhouse Garden Center last weekend on how to take care of houseplants in winter, you missed a very informative, fun lecture. Sharon knows her subject and offered just about everything a home gardener needs to know. We talked with her to pick up on some of her advice.

"Indoor gardening is a great hobby, not just for the winter but during the growing season as well," Pranzo says. "Some of the benefits are it adds personal touches to your home, fulfills the need for gardening for those who do not have space to garden at home, feeds the nurturing aspect in many of us, and if successful gives us a sense of pride in the plants we grow."

Good thinking and that said, here are some of her winter house plant tips:

n Water those plants with luke warm water. Cold water can shock a plant. Moderation is almost always good when dealing with house plants.

n Water when the plant needs it, not according to the calendar or a schedule. If you're not sure if the plant needs water, use a moisture meter (costs about $3.95), a device with a long sensor one can stick into the earth. Be sure you know your plant's name; each plant has specific watering needs. Some gardeners judge a plant's needs by the way it looks - if the leaves droop it needs water. That may be a little late, however.

n For smaller plants, those in pots 8 inches diameter or less, dunk them in a bucket of luke warm water. Don't use the bucket you use for mops or washing the car; those can contain chemicals that can harm the plant. Devote a special bucket to the chore. After the pot has stopped bubbling (which means the air in the dirt has been replaced with water), set the plant aside and let it drain. Not on the rug, of course.

n Let your plants go a little on the dry side. Get accustomed to the weight of the plant to judge when it needs watering. Lighter means water, please. Or use a moisture meter.

n Do not feed your plants during the winter. Transplant them only during the growing season "and don't go up more than one size."

n Keep the leaves clean and dust free. Use a damp paper towel and hold your hand under the leaves for support when cleaning. For fuzzy leaves use a paint brush. Commercial cleaners work but sometimes leave spots.

n Keep the pot soil slightly moist but don't overwater. Overwatering can cause the roots to die. Often, the bottom of the pot will be waterlogged while the top third will be dry. This is a case where the moisture meter can really help.

n Do not fertilize between December and February. You can start pepping up the plant in March.

Almost every gardener picks up a poinsettia around the holidays. Keeping the poinsettia healthy is easy (and don't believe the old wives' tales about the leaves being poisonous; they're not). The pretty, colored part of the poinsettia called flowers are actually modified leaves. True poinsettia flowers are located underneath each bract. These are green, bloom with a yellow flower.

"Place the poinsettia in a sunny window or the brightest area of the room," advises the Garden Center expert. Daytime temperatures should be around 65 to 75 degrees and 60 to 65 at night. Avoid the temptation to put poinsettias on top of TV sets; it's too hot for them there. Either over or under temperatures hurts the plant. Above 75 degrees shortens the bloom life; below 60 degrees brings on root rot. Don't let the plant wilt or it will lose its leaves. Water with luke warm water until water runs out of the drainage hole. (You did poke a hole in the foil lining the pot, of course.)

Keep poinsettias away from windows at night or draw the drapes.

You can repot poinsettias in the spring with one part soil, one part sphagnum and one part sand. Cut back the old stems about six inches above the dirt. Indoors or out - the choice is yours during the summer.

The amaryllis is another holiday flower of recent times. Once the amaryllis' bloom appears, remove from direct sun light. Rotate to create a straight stalk. After the flowers have faded, remove them but don't cutoff the stalk or any of the leaves. Water when the top layer of soil feels dry. Place in the sun so the leaves can produce food for the following year's blossoms.

If the amaryllis was outdoors before the first frost, bring it in. Trim the yellow foliage and stalk and don't water. Let the pot go dry. Store in a cool room for four months. Then scrape the top layer of soil away, replace with fresh soil, water thoroughly and watch it grow.

Holiday cactus, also called Christmas cactus, can be brought to bloom by reproducing the plant's natural environment: Shorter days, cooler temperatures and drier growing conditions. Temperatures of around 60 degrees seem to bring out the blooms. When the buds are growing, increase watering so the mix never feels dry to the touch. A quarter turn daily is enough; too much and the buds stretch for light and drop off.

Contact Sam Bauman at sbauman@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1236.