Gardening

Tips to consider when celebrating the holidays this December

BY NATALIE GILLILAND

Poppies Flower Shop

Oh, the holidays are nally here! If you are anything like me, I cannot wait until there’s a crisp in the air (even if it is just at night!), and the last few months of the year are upon us.

More than anything, I love having the fresh Christmas greens in my home as the smell of pine lls the air. With the holiday season, comes the annual tradition of putting up a Christmas tree.

Fresh Christmas trees hold a special place in my heart. My grandfather owned Tahoe Christmas Trees in Southern California. I was raised that as soon as the turkey was put into Tupperware, we all loaded up in my dad’s truck to prepare the Christmas tree lots across the valley for the rush of the rst big weekend.

Although arti cial trees have taken over the holiday market, there are still many people that take pride in having a real, fresh Christmas tree.

Here are a few things to consider that I have learned along the way to help make the fresh tree last all the way through your holiday season.

First and foremost, you will want to place your tree in a deep tray of water. Your tree will drink a lot of water throughout its’ stay in your home, with nearly a gallon in the rst 24 hours. If your tree starts to dry out quickly or drop needles, you might want to consider giving the bottom a fresh cut to reopen the trunk to soak in the water.

Another important factor is keeping it away from the heater vents. Although it is rare that we have the heater on in Phoenix, ensure that your tree is in a cool spot in the house that is not getting the heat of the sun or of the heater. This will help slow down the process of the needles drying out.

If you do not like the idea of cleaning up pine needles, you can always bring home a fresh pine wreath to hang on your door. You can keep the wreath fresh by keeping it somewhere cool and spraying it with a water bottle every few days. Keeping it out of direct sunlight also helps keep it moist and healthy.

Another holiday alternative is the classic poinsettia. These beautiful red plants adorn front porches, dinner tables and replaces. These plants can be a little bit fussy, so it is important to keep them in a bright place for most of the day. They also do not like to be too cold (perfect for Arizona homes), with their ideal temperature being between 65 and 75 degrees. Finally, allow them to dry out during your watering schedule. Their root systems do not like to be soaked in water. If they get too dry, their leaves will droop, so keep on eye on what their ideal schedule is for that plant that you bring home.

No matter what you choose to adorn your home with this holiday season, it is certainly a season of joy and thanksgiving. Be sure to enjoy the cool weather, spend time with those you love and enjoy the season of twinkle lights and that wonderful pine smell. Happy holidays from the Poppies family to yours!

Poppies is located at 2450 W. Happy Valley Road, Suite 1147, Phoenix, in the Shops at Norterra. For more information, call 480-649-7100 or visit poppies owershop.com.

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