One frigid winter night I stepped out the door carrying a beautifully blooming kalanchoe houseplant loosely protected with plastic, a housewarming gift for my neighbor.  Ninety seconds later when I arrived at my new neighbor’s door, the kalanchoe was dead.

      The lesson here is that most houseplants originate in tropical regions and cannot tolerate even a short blast of cold.  If you are giving or receiving a poinsettia, Christmas cactus or other houseplant this time of year, special care must be taken when transporting them outdoors. 

      The key to keeping the plants alive is to protect them with as many layers of paper, plastic and even blankets as possible.  It might not be a pretty presentation, but at least it will be alive.  It would be smart to warm the car up and move it as close to the door as possible when a tender plant is to be carried.

      If you are the recipient of a gift plant, check the potting soil to be sure it is moist and water immediately if it is not.  Slip the pot out of the pretty foil that surrounds it and let it drain before replacing the foil.   You can keep the foil around the pot for a few days, but then it should be removed and the pot inside should be placed on a saucer for drainage.

      Inspect the plant, including the undersides of the leaves and the stem to be sure no greenhouse pests have been relocated to your home.  Look carefully, especially at poinsettias, to see if tiny little whiteflies are flying around the plant.  Most pests can be removed with just water using your kitchen sprayer or the bathroom shower.

      If the pot feels unusually light, the plant is root bound and it should be transplanted to a larger pot with a good potting mix.

      In general, houseplants and gift plants should be kept in a warm location near a south or west facing window.  Poinsettias do best in indirect sunlight, but Norfolk Island pines and Christmas cactuses can be placed right in the sunshine. 

      Make sure the plants are not near a furnace register, fireplace or other heat generating appliance and move them away from the window if it gets cold in the area at night.  The key is to prevent rapid temperature fluctuations.

      The soil of poinsettias, Christmas cactuses and Norfolk Island pines should be kept constantly moist, but not dripping.  Do not allow the plants to sit in standing water or you risk root rot.

      Giving your houseplants a summer vacation outdoors will revitalize them with better air circulation, increased light and more humidity.  Remember though, that the plants aren’t used to cool night time temperatures, hot sun and wind.  So go easy and gradual.

      Wait until there is no chance of frost, and night time temperatures are consistently above 60 degrees. 

      Don’t just place them outdoors in the hot sun the first day.  Even though they may have been sitting indoors in front of a south window, the sun’s strength outdoors is much more intense and can burn the leaves. 

      For the first few days, place the plants in a shady area out of the wind and bring them back in at night.  Then, leave them out all night, still in the shady spot.  If they are plants that do best in the shade, leave them there all summer.  If they are sun-lovers, move them to a partly shady spot for a few days and then gradually move them into full sun for longer periods each day. 

      If you see white or brown patches on the leaves, wilting foliage or burned leaf edges, you moved too fast.  If you notice it soon enough, the burned plant may be set back a bit but won’t die if you move it back to the shade immediately and start the process over more slowly. 

      The plants will need much more water outdoors than they did inside due to evaporation from the sun and wind.  They may need to be watered every day.   Stick your finger into the soil about an inch.  If it is dry, water the plant.

      Be on the lookout for pest infestations.  Aphids and spider mites are most common.  They can be sprayed off with a hose or rinsed under a faucet. 

      Spring and early summer are good times to repot plants, so before you move them outdoors, check to see if they need repotting.  If you water the plant and it runs right through, you see roots coming out the drainage hole, or the top of the soil is white and crusty, it’s time to repot.

      If you pull the plant out of the pot and see little soil and a lot of roots, either move to a bigger pot size, or use a sharp knife to cut chunks of the tangled roots off on all four sides and the bottom of the plant before repotting with fresh soil.

      When you bring the plants back inside in fall, which you should do when temperatures drop to 50 degrees at night, the moving process goes much faster.  Still, when they get indoors it is best to place them next to an open window for awhile until they adjust to the indoor temperatures and humidity. 

      Before you bring them back indoors, rinse the plants to remove any pests or pollen that have settled on them. 

      There are some plants that should stay indoors.  These include African violet, weeping fig, philodendron and peace lily.

      In real estate sales the buzzwords are “location, location, location” and the same is true for healthy houseplants.  After over- and under-watering, improper amount of light is the next leading cause of failure of houseplants to thrive. 

      Many of our indoor plants are tropical plants shipped from nurseries in Florida.  They are accustomed to the bright, warm Florida sunshine and suddenly they are sitting on a store shelf in chilly Wisconsin.  What a shock!  They might look fine for a few days, but then they start to decline, sometimes rapidly.  When you bring the plant home it has to make yet another adjustment.  There is 5-10 times more light in deep Florida shade than in an average Wisconsin living room. 

      Plants are able to adapt to new environments, but it takes about eight weeks. During that time, don’t expect your plant to thrive; just focus on keeping it alive until it adjusts. 

      The first few weeks, the plant may use what seems to be a LOT of water.  Remember, it came from Florida, and no one told it that in Wisconsin it doesn’t need to drink as much, so it is still transpiring (taking up and releasing water into the atmosphere) at the Florida rate.  If the plant doesn’t get enough water during this critical time, it will be unnecessarily stressed.  Monitor the soil moisture carefully during the first several weeks.  Whenever the soil is dry to an inch below the surface, water the plant.  Make sure to cut back on water as the plant acclimates.  You’ll know this is happening because the soil will dry out much more slowly.

      Your plant should come with a tag that tells how much light it needs.  While plants can adjust to different light levels, they will be healthier the closer you come to matching optimal levels.  A south or west window is considered high light, an east window is medium light and a north window provides low light.  While your plant is acclimating to the new light conditions, it may lose a few leaves.  This is nothing to worry about. 

      Before plants are shipped, they are often sprayed with many things.  It is a good idea to wipe the leaves with a soft cotton cloth to remove residues.  Make sure to wipe the leaves regularly – dust on leaves can reduce light by 25%!       

      There are ways to tell if your plants are getting the proper amount of light.  If they aren’t getting enough, they will not grow, leaves will yellow and drop, variegated leaves may lose their variegation and the soil stays wet.  Too much light may cause strange growth, pale leaves, dropping leaves, scorched leaves and dry soil.  Perfect light will produce plants that grow nicely with dark green leaves few of which drop, and will require regular watering. 

            Temperature and humidity are other factors affecting the health of houseplants. Most home temps are fine but the air is too dry.  Misting plants regularly helps them flourish

      Are any of these things in your house:  adhesives, carpeting, chlorinated tap water, cleaning products, computer, draperies, fabrics, facial tissues, grocery bags, nail polish, paint, paper towels, plywood, pre-printed paper forms, or upholstery?  If they are, your indoor air is polluted with things like formaldehyde, xylene, toluene, benzene, chloroform, ammonia, alcohols and acetone.  All of these substances can cause allergies, asthma, eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, nervous system disorders, sinus congestion, cancer and reproductive problems.

      Back when NASA was planning for people to live on the moon, they began studies on treating and recycling air.  They realized that the earth produces and sustains clean air through the living processes of plants.  They began testing many different plants to determine how this was done and which plants do it best.

      Basically, this is what happens.  Pollutants in the air are absorbed though microscopic openings in plant leaves called stomata.  The gaseous organic substances are then digested or translocated to the roots where they serve as food for microbes.  Another way that plants have of moving air polluting substances to their roots is by emitting water vapor into the atmosphere from plant leaves through a process called transpiration.  This transpiration sets up convection currents where water is pulled rapidly up from the roots through the plants.  Then air is pulled down into the soil around the plants where root microbes biodegrade the pollutants into structures that can be used as a source of food for the plants.

      The three best plants for removing indoor pollutants are the areca palm, also called yellow or butterfly palm, the lady palm and bamboo palm.  They all rated high for removal of chemical vapors, are easy to grow and maintain, are resistant to insect infestation and have a high transpiration rate. 

      The book How to Grow Fresh Air by Dr. B.C. Wolverton lists 50 common houseplants and rates them according to their ability to remove chemical vapors, ease of growth, insect resistance and transpiration rate.  There are two photos of each plants and detailed growing information. 

      Not all the plants listed in the book are as big as the palms.  Some of the smaller ones include English ivy, Boston fern, peace lily, golden pothos, florist’s mum, wax begonia and gerbera daisy.

      The book also discusses personal breathing zones, an area of about six to eight cubic feet surrounding an individual.  It refers to an area where a person remains for several hours, such as a desk or computer, watching TV or sleeping.  Plants located within a personal breathing zone can add humidity, remove chemical toxins and suppress airborne microbes.  Those benefits are in addition to their aesthetic and psychological values. 

      Look at where you spend your time indoors and try to place a pollution eliminating houseplant within your own personal breathing zone.

      You’ve received a beautiful poinsettia for Christmas and you want to keep it looking nice as long as possible.  Or you’ve decorated a small Norfolk Island Pine instead of a big Christmas tree this year and want to keep it as a houseplant after the decorations come off.  What to do?

      Many gift plant pots come wrapped in colorful aluminum foil.  Remove the foil or punch holes in the bottom of it just below the drainage openings of the pot inside so water will drain out.  Place the plant on a saucer to protect your furniture.

      When you receive a gift plant, look it over carefully for pests that may spread to your other houseplants.  Poinsettias may have whiteflies which can be removed by a good washing using your kitchen sprayer or in the shower.

      According to Rachelle Kernen, Retail Manager at Pansies Nursery in Neenah, poinsettias should never be placed in the sun.  Bright but indirect light from a south or west window is best.  The soil should be kept moist but not dripping wet.  Nighttime temperatures of 60-65 degrees will keep the plant lasting longer.  They should not be subjected to drafts or sudden temperature changes.  When the red leaves dry up and fall off, poinsettias can be grown as green houseplants and even transplanted outdoors in spring. 

      Norfolk Island Pines are the lacy evergreen miniature Christmas trees in pots that are often sold already decorated.  It is an extremely tolerant plant that will survive in cool or warm temperatures, and light or dark locations, but branchlets will droop when light is limited.  The best growth is obtained in the sun with a temperature of about 65 degrees and soil kept moist.

      The soil of Christmas cactuses should be kept constantly moist.  They prefer sunshine and form flower buds at a 55 degree night temperature regardless of day length, or a night temperature of 63-65 degrees during short days.  Flower buds may drop if the temperature is too high or the light intensity is too low.

      Red and white chrysanthemums are popular this time of year.  They should have abundant moisture with good drainage and should be kept in full sun in order to develop their full color.  The flowers will last a long time if they are kept cool at night, but the plants are not worth keeping after the flowers die.

      Red, white and pink begonias are another holiday gift plant.  They should be kept in the full sun of a south window in winter, but moved to a shadier area in summer.  Begonias like a uniform water supply and thrive best with a minimum temperature of 60 degrees.  The plants will not flower if night temperatures are over 70 degrees during the short-day period of winter.  Begonias are good bedding plants that can be planted outdoors in spring.

      Don’t forget to care for your largest holiday plant – your Christmas tree.  Make sure to keep it well-watered so it doesn’t become a fire hazard.

      October is the time to plant tulips and other bulbs.  Then you wait, and wait, and wait, for April or May for them to bloom.  What if you didn’t have to wait that long?  What if you could have tulips and daffodils blooming in January or February and could enjoy them indoors?  Well, you can!

      Just about any bulb that you would normally plant outdoors in fall can be forced to bloom indoors by Valentines Day.

      The bulbs need a chilling period that simulates their underground winter home in cold soil.  The chilling period ranges from 12 – 20 weeks depending on the type of bulb.  You can find a timetable for chilling at www.bulb.com/spring/timetable.asp. The ideal temperature for chilling is 40 degrees but anything between 33 degrees and 50 degrees is fine.  A refrigerator is ideal except for one thing:  apples and other fruits that may be in the refrigerator emit ethylene gas which inhibits flowering.  A spare refrigerator or a cool, dark spot in your basement or garage will work.

      You can plant the bulbs in pots now and chill them right in the pots, or chill the bulbs in a paper bag and plant them after the chilling period.  Select a deep pot for tall varieties and a shallower pot for shorter varieties.  Make sure the pot has drainage holes.  A fine mesh screen or a coffee filter placed in the bottom of the pot will prevent the soil from washing out. 

      Use as many bulbs as can fit in the pot without touching for the most dramatic flower display.  Instead of planting the bulbs deep in the soil as you would outdoors, bulbs for forcing are planted just below the soil line so the bulb noses are showing.  Use either potting soil or a soilless potting mix.  Plant the bulbs pointy side up and water well.  Mark your calendar with the date when the bulbs will come out of chilling.

      Check the pots occasionally to make sure the soil has not dried out.  It should be slightly moist.  The bulbs are not completely dormant during this time – the root systems are developing so they are ready to explode with top growth when you bring them into the warmth.

      When it’s time to bring the pots out, place them in a warm sunny window.  The warmer the temperature, the shorter the flowering stems and the faster the bulbs will flower.  Expect flowers within two to three weeks.  To extend the bloom period, move the pots to a cool location at night and while you are away during the day.

My husband and I are very lucky when it comes to winning door prizes at various banquets and holiday parties we attend, and sure enough, he won the poinsettia that was the beautiful centerpiece on our table at the Winnebago County Master Gardener Christmas party this year.  Although I do keep a few token houseplants, I am primarily an outdoor gardener, so I had to do some research to find out how to care for my new plant. 

      Not too long ago, I learned on “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” that the poinsettia was introduced to the United States by Joel Robert Poinsett, the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico.  He found the plants growing on a hillside near Taxco, Mexico and sent some of them back to his home in Greenwood, South Carolina.  Regis didn’t provide any care instructions, however.

      My research told me that poinsettias like bright, indirect sunlight in rooms that are about 68–70 degrees F.  If possible, place the plant in a cooler room at night which will extend the bloom time – 55–60 degrees is ideal.  In other words, if I am comfortable, my poinsettia will be happy too.  Poinsettias do not tolerate cold drafts or high heat, so keep them away from cold windows, radiators, furnace registers, fireplaces and heat generating appliances.

      Poinsettias should be watered when the soil becomes dry to the touch.  If you just got your poinsettia for Christmas, the pot is probably still wrapped in foil.  Poke some holes in the foil and put the pot on a saucer before you water it.  Water enough to soak to the bottom of the pot and pour off the water that runs through to the saucer.  If the poinsettia sits in water it may suffer root rot.  In spring, you can replant into a larger pot and take the plant outdoors.

      Wait to fertilize your plant until the bloom season is over and then use a soluble houseplant fertilizer once a month following manufacturer’s directions.