Newspaper Page Text
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
The Braselton News
Page 9A
Holiday plants can lead double lives
With the approach of winter
and at least three months of drab
weather, many of us can’t resist
the temptation of purchasing
potted flowering plants to add
indoor fragrance and color to our
homes. These also make great
housewarming gifts to present
to new neighbors or friends who
invite us over for holiday get-togethers.
But, when these plants begin to fade, we don’t always
know quite what to do with them and, so, they eventu
ally wind up in the garbage or frozen to death in outside
gardens.
Those who are unfamiliar with the growth habits of
poinsettias, for example, often assume that when the
leaves fall off, the plants are just not getting enough
water or humidity in the air. And, as a result, they make
the mistake of over-watering or misting the plants.
Although misting the foliage is a practice recom
mended for most houseplants, it’s not good for poin
settias. To do so will cause fungus and brown spots to
develop on previously flawless leaves and the brightly
colored flower bracts, which are actually composed
primarily of modified leaves that develop the color.
Instead, it’s better to either place the plants on trays of
moistened gravel or add a cool-water humidifier to the
room far enough away to keep the mist off the leaves.
Then, simply sit them in the brightest indoor light
available, and keep the potting soil moist as long as the
plants remain lush and attractive.
When poinsettias begin to shed their leaves under
such ideal growing conditions, it’s because they are
supposed to do so. This is the way the plants adapt to
the approaching dry season in their native habitat, and
this natural period of dormancy is important to their
well-being.
The same is true for other members of the euphorbia
family, which also includes the crown of thorns and
many cactus-like succulents that bleed the same milky
white sap when injured.
In the tropics, all members of this family are coaxed
into their annual period of rest mostly by changes in
seasonal sunlight. When light becomes increasingly
dim in late summer and early fall, poinsettias and their
relatives first stop elongating and then start to form their
flowers. A few months later, begin to shed.
When this causes the plants to become utterly
unsightly inside, water should be gradually withheld,
and the plants relocated to a cooler sun porch, garage,
or basement.
Water them only enough to keep the stems from
shriveling and let them sleep until warm weather returns
in the spring. Once the danger of frost has completely
passed, relocate them outdoors and resume watering to
encourage new growth.
Small gift-sized poinsettias can then be transplanted
to larger pots and can grow to an impressive size in a
single growing season. Getting them to flower again
next season, however, isn’t so
easy. But it’s certainly possible if
you remember just one thing —
their peculiar and changing light
requirements.
When the days naturally grow
shorter, poinsettias must not
receive any light after dusk. So,
if you put them near a reading
lamp indoors too soon, you’ll end up with a lush plant
with no holiday color. Instead, try to place them where
you can either cover them with a large black plastic
garbage bag every night, or where no one will turn on
a light fixture.
Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti, which are always
leafless, are also sensitive to seasonal light and tem
peratures changes. Moving them into a room that’s too
warm when buds are just beginning to form will often
cause the buds to fall off unopened or fail to develop
at all.
Instead, keep them in a cooler guest room or slightly
heated porch when new growth ceases, and leave them
there until most of the flowers have fully opened. Also,
allow the plants to dry out briefly between waterings as
soon as flowering begins.
Also popular for indoor holiday decor, non-tropicals
first treated as houseplants can enjoy a second life out
doors. Yet in spite of their inbred hardiness to cold
weather, this transition should not be attempted until
mid-April.
Among these, potted mums are especially popular
now, and most will adapt well to outside gardening
once established in the ground next spring. In the mean
time, simply groom the plants, keep them as cool and
well-lighted as possible through the winter, and keep a
close eye out for aphids, mealy bugs, and spider mites.
Hydrangeas and azaleas can be held over in a similar
manner with one difference.
Most azaleas will not form their flower buds until
next summer and cannot be expected to bloom again
outside until the following spring. Florist hydrangeas,
on the other hand, will form their flower buds at the tips
of branches and, even when the plants become leafless
or nearly so indoors, these should be carefully protected
if you expect a good show this coming summer. A few
of the newer hydrangeas bloom on new, as well as old
growth, but these normally are not offered as florist
plants for indoor enjoyment.
And don’t forget, if you want to change their color
from blue to pink or vice versa, use a good water-sol
uble acidifier for blue; lime for pink. You can start this
color transformation while the plants are still indoors,
and continue it when the time comes to establish them
outdoors in the spring.
Fil Jessee lives in Braselton, where he works as a
freelance journalist. He is a Georgia Certified Plant
Professional with experience in ornamental horticul
ture and landscape design. Reader questions relating to
gardening can be sent to Fil at filwrites@aol.com.
Gardener’s
Grapevine
with
Fil Jessee
filwrites@aol.com
Celtic Christmas show to be presented Dec. 7
The Winder Cultural Arts
Department will present “A Celtic
Acoustic Christmas Show” on
Friday, Dec. 7, at 7:30 p.m. and
Sunday, Dec. 9, 3 p.m.
The show will feature singers and
songwriters Harry O’Donoghue
and Carroll Brown. The show will
be filled with traditional Celtic,
Southern and seasonal songs, com
plimented by stories and recita
tions.
Brown is an acoustic guitarist
and singer/songwriter from South
Carolina with more than 30 years
of experience in the music busi
ness.
O’Donoghue is from the east
coast of Ireland and been perform
ing professionally for 27 years.
He lives in Savannah, where he
performs locally, and is the co
producer and host of the “Green
Island Radio Show” for Georgia
Public Broadcasting.
The show will be presented in
the Colleen O. Williams Theatre,
105 E. Athens Street, Winder.
There will be an intermission and
refreshments and CDs from the
artists available to purchase.
Tickets are $15 a person and
are available at the Winder City
Hall, 45 E. Athens Street, Winder.
For credit card purchases, call
770-867-3106.
Two holiday blood drives planned in area
The American Red Cross is holding two upcoming
area blood drives.
A blood drive will be held at Wrigley’s, Inc., Flowery
Branch, Friday, Nov. 30, from 12:30-2:30 p.m. The
plant is located at 4500 Atlanta Highway.
Also, a blood drive will be held at Mill Creek High
School, Hoschton, on Monday, Dec. 3, from 7:30 a.m.
to 1:30 p.m. The school is located at 4400 Braselton
Highway (Hwy. 124). As part of the Red Cross’ Thanks
for Giving promotion, donors who come to give blood
between now and Nov. 30 will be able to enter a draw
ing for two Delta roundtrip domestic tickets.
For more information, call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE
(448-3543) or visit www.redcrossblood.org.
JL : ■ ■
STOVER WINS GEORGIA TECH BLANKET RAFFLE
David Stover is shown receiving his Georgia Tech blanket from Robbie Bettis, organizer of the
Braselton Antique and Holiday Festival. The raffle was sponsored by the Friends of the Braselton-
West Jackson Library and all proceeds will be used to buy books for the library.
Gallery of Trees to benefit heart association
The Braselton Antique Mall
is holding its Gallery of Trees
through Sunday, Nov. 18.
A $2 donation to enter the
Gallery of Trees is request
ed. Donations will benefit the
Brooks and Buddies team for the
American Heart Association.
The Gallery of Trees is being
held on the third floor of the store,
which features 30 large and small
trees. Christmas music is featured
and “Mr. and Mrs. Snowman”
sings to guests.
The trees have themes, such
as bears climbing a pine tree,
dolls visiting a Victorian tree and
foreign ornaments adorning an
international tree. Guests can find
trees with fruit, elves, penguins,
fairies and even miniature Loony
Tunes.
Special ornaments include the
Town of Braselton balls and rep
licas of the Hoschton Depot. A
Christmas village, wreaths, snow
globes, reindeer, stuffed snowmen
and more all are for sale.
When guests finish the maze of
trees at the store, they can vote for
their favorite tree.
The huge Christmas tree outside
of the Braselton Antique Mall was
donated by the Braselton Rotary
Club.
The Braselton Antique Mall is
located at the intersection of Ga.
Hwy. 124 and Ga. Hwy. 53 in
downtown Braselton.
Gainesville State College topic for WIB
Pat Guthrie, CEO of the Gainesville State College
Foundation, presented the program at the October 17
meeting of the Women in Business. The meeting was
held at the Community Bank and Trust in Jefferson.
Guthrie began by giving some general information
about Gainesville State College, including the fact
that Jackson County is one of the largest “feeder”
counties in terms of numbers of students who attend
Gainesville State. Forty percent of the students
attending Gainesville State are the first in their fami
lies to go to college, and 85 percent will go on and
get a four-year degree, she said.
Guthrie’s job is to ensure that everyone who
desires to can attend Gainesville State. As a result of
the foundation’s fund-raising efforts in 2006 a total
of $425,000 was awarded in scholarships.
POWER FOR WOMEN
Guthrie also spoke about power for women, stating
that power is gained by making powerful choices.
Our thoughts are our personal energy, she said, act
ing like magnets to attract to us what we think about.
Desiring a certain goal entails thinking positively
about the result and taking positive steps to make that
goal a reality. Guthrie spoke about the three elements
of the “Law of Attraction” that make it different from
wishful thinking or “positive thinking:”
1) Think and declare what you want;
2) Believe it;
3) Take Action - tell others/create vision board/cre
ate higher intention around it and read every day.
Achieving goals also means that women should
not “burn out,” and learn to take time for themselves,
reacquainting the quiet inner self, Guthrie explained.
She then led the group through a guided relaxation
technique, focusing on centering, breathing and
reconnection with the inner wisdom.
The meeting was adjourned with chairwomen Dee
Lavender and Rita Hilton thanking Bonnie Jones of
Jackson EMC for providing lunch and for sponsoring
the program.
The next meeting of WIB is set for November 28 at
Community Bank and Trust in Jefferson.
‘A Hometown Christmas’ show ahead in Winder
The Winder-Barrow Community
Theatre will hold its Christmas
variety show, “A Hometown
Christmas,” on Saturday, Dec. 1,
at 7 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 2, at
3 p.m.
The show will be presented at the
Colleen Williams Theatre, Winder.
The event will feature songs and
scenes of the season presented
by children and adults and will
include refreshments and free pho
tos with Santa.
Tickets are $10 for adults and
$5 for children and students.
Purchasing tickets in advance is
requested, due to limited seating.
Tickets are on sale at Pam
Veader’s State Farm Insurance
Office, located at 41 S. Center
Street, Winder, or by calling
770-867-1679. To purchase tickets
by credit card, call the Winder City
Hall at 770-867-3106.
Celebrating 25 years of service to the Gwinnett Community
Shiilmdcr K. P«vipnri MD ■ Krl-hn I ht-ni MD ■ l:iy R Dcsoi MR J 'unli H. Jnshi MD"KarifecyH E Puled M0
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