How to Water Christmas Plants

Have you ever received a new houseplant as a Christmas gift? Houseplants are a popular gift, with poinsettias being one of the most popular, but also amaryllis, Christmas cactus, cyclamen, azalea, in fact one in seven houseplants sold annually in the UK in garden centres are bought in December, with many becoming a long-lasting gift to family or friends. With this in mind we have chosen some of the most popular ones and provided you with some hints and tips on how to water and care for them so they are a ‘gift that keeps on giving’.

How to Water a Poinsettia

With its festive red and green foliage there is no wonder that the poinsettia is considered the most popular houseplant at Christmas time. If you are lucky enough to be given one as a gift, or buy one or more to decorate your home throughout the Christmas period, then to make the most of this annual and keep it looking its best, it’s important that you get the watering right.

Native to the warm, tropical climate of southern Mexico and Guatemala this is reflected by their sensitivity to being overwatered. If you keep their soil constantly wet and don’t let excess water to drain away then their roots will start to rot, their leaves will droop and start to turn yellow and start dropping from the stem starting at the base of the plant.

To avoid this and make sure your poinsettia looks bright only water when the top inch or so of the soil is dry, which in the warm conditions of your home over Christmas can mean you will be watering every 3 or 4 days. Simply touch the surface of the soil every day if you don’t want it to run out of water. The easiest way to water your poinsettia is from the base, placing it into your sink or a bowl containing tepid water. Leave for about 30 minutes and then allow it to drain before returning back to its saucer or cachepot. Watering in this way ensures the foliage is kept dry and the roots get the water they need to keep the poinsettia healthy.

How To Water a Christmas Cactus

A Christmas cactus makes the perfect gift as it’s a low maintenance plant that will rebloom year after year and will live for decades with the proper care, so is really a ‘gift that keeps on giving’. Unlike the majority of cactus which originate in dry, desert conditions, the Christmas cactus originates from the tropical rainforests of southeastern Brazil so thrives in humid, shaded environment and this is reflected in how you should care for them - keeping their free-draining soil consistently moist, in temperatures ranging from 16 to 21 degrees celsius during the day and humid atmospheres.

Most Christmas cactus will be in bloom when gifted at Christmas time which affects how often it should be watered. It’s critical that you don’t overwater at this time as this can cause the buds to drop. Check the soil frequently with the aim of keeping it moist but not soaked. Once the top inch of soil is dry you should water and you can do this from the top or the bottom. When watering from the top water the soil not the foliage and ideally use room temperature water to avoid shocking the roots. Provide sufficient water that you see water coming out of the base drainage holes, then stop. Leave for about 15 minutes and then empty the saucer or cachepot of excess water.

How to Water Cyclamen

Cyclamen persicum, also known as the ‘florist’s cyclamen’ are the type which make perfect houseplants and come in brilliant shades of red, pink, purple and white making them perfect for Christmas cheer! They combine attractive heart-shaped, dark green leaves often with attractive silver or white markings. Whilst the flowers are suspended high in the air on straight stems and feature multiple blousy, upright petals often said to resemble butterflies.

Another ‘gift that keeps on giving’ cyclamen gifted at Christmas should normally bloom for around 6 to 8 weeks and with proper care can bloom for up to three months. Part of this care is getting the watering correct, with overwatering being the most common mistake. The best way to water them is to place them in your sink or a bowl of water and allow the plant to soak for between 10 to 20 minutes depending on the size of the plant. This not only ensures that all the soil will be moist, it also prevents water getting on the foliage or the crown, which can lead to rot.  Whilst your cyclamen is actively blooming you will probably need to water it like this every 5 to 7 days, checking to see if the surface of the compost is drying before watering again.

How To Water An Amaryllis

Amaryllis always start to appear in shops in the lead up to Christmas, in fact most amaryllis are sold from October through to January as they are sold as both Christmas gifts or as decorations, with vibrant red or classic white blooms. With a single amaryllis bulb producing either one or two sturdy stems and each stem producing between two to six blooms, even one amaryllis in a pot will make a striking Christmas decoration. With the blooms lasting between 7 to 10 days and opening in succession, you can have a gorgeous display of colour for weeks.

If you are growing your own amaryllis as Christmas decoration then you only need to water once after planting the bulb to settle the compost and trigger germination, then only water again once the bulb sprouts, watering when the top inch of compost is dry as you want to avoid overwatering which could cause rotting. If you are gifted with an amaryllis in bloom then you need to water thoroughly every time the top 1 to 2 inches of soil are dry, allowing any excess water to drain away to prevent the bulb from rotting. Always use tepid to room temperature water when watering your amaryllis as this encourages vigorous growth, whilst cold water can shock the roots of the plant.

How to Water a Pottled Azalea

Although azaleas are most commonly grown as garden plants there are indoor varieties which have been specially bred to be grown indoors, often referred to as ‘florist’ azaleas. These azaleas are forced to produce their gorgeous blooms over the holiday season, with ‘Christmas Cheer’ a popular variety with beautiful red blooms or you can even get indoor azaleas which features blooms of different colours, such as ‘Quartet’ with white, pink, salmon and red blooms.

Unlike the other Christmas houseplants we’ve looked at which were easy to care for, azaleas are considered to be high-maintenance. Their soil needs to be kept consistently moist - both under watering or over watering can be equally devastating to the plant. Check the top of the soil daily and when it feels dry water from the top until water drains from the base of the pot, remembering to not leave it standing in water as this could cause the roots to rot. Azaleas are also sensitive to the alkaline salts found in hard tap water so it’s best to use either rainwater, filtered or distilled water.

Watering Wisdom

One way of overcoming over or under watering azaleas or other house plants is to use a drip irrigation system. These are designed to deliver water slowly and consistently to the soil your plant is growing in, keeping the foliage free from water drops which could cause disease and ensuring the azalea gets the water it needs even in the limited soil of its pot.