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Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Christmas Cactus

Christmas Cactus

Caring for Christmas Cactus

Christmas Cactus
Christmas Cacti are easy to grow. When they bloom, they produce colorful tubular flowers in pink or lilac colors.  They bloom a long time indoors and they are low-maintenance houseplants, which makes them popular. We’ll bet someone in your family has a Christmas Cactus!
Despite their name, Christmas cacti are not desert cacti.  Their natural habit is one of an epiphyte living in tree branches in the rain forest of Brazil!  In others, they prefer a humid climate, not a dry one. It’s important to water these cacti! (See more detail below.)
Also, note that there are several types of Holiday Cacti:  Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. They bloom closest to the holiday of their name. Christmas cacti have flattened leaves with rounded teeth on the margins as opposed to the Thanksgiving cactus that has pointed teeth. Easter cacti have pointed teeth with fibrous hairs in the leaf joints.
To confuse matters further, most of the Christmas cactus sold are actually Thanksgiving cactus. If you find your Christmas cactus blooming near Thanksgiving, guess what?

Planting

Christmas cacti grow in most container soils. Ensure the soil drains well and your pots have drainage holes.
Plants should be kept in bright, indirect light.
A daytime temperature of 70 degrees F and an evening temperature of 60 to 65 degrees F is preferred.
In the summer, Christmas cacti can be placed in a shady spot in the garden or in an unheated porch until temperatures get below 50 degrees.

Care

  • As soon as the top inch of soil in the container feels dry to the touch, soak the soil until water runs through the pot’s drainage holes; discard water in the tray so the plant doesn’t sit in water. It’s especially important to water well during flowers.
  • From spring through early fall, feed every 2 weeks with a complete houseplant fertilizer. During the fall and winter feed the cactus monthly
  • Once flowers fade, continue to grow the plant as a houseplant.
  • Prune plants in June to encourage branching and more flowers. Simply cut off a few sections of each stem. Of you wish, root the cut-off pieces in moist vermiculite to make more plants. 
  • If your cactus is not blooming, it may due to amount of daylight or temperature. Flowers will only form when the temperature is between a cool 50 to 55 degrees F.
  • Nights need to be at least 14 hours long and daylight periods are between 8 to 10 hours for 6 weeks—for six weeks. If you have strong indoor lighting, you may need to cover your cacti at night.
  • If the cacti sheds its buds in a winter, it will bloom the following year.

Pests/Diseases

If your Christmas Cacti is exposed to any type of stress, the plant will drop its blossoms.  This could be related to amount of light, or a sudden change in temperature, as discussed in above plant care section. Also, ensure that your soil doesn’t get too dry.
The plant may be susceptible to mealy bugs and, if over-watered, root rot. If you have problems, cut out infected areas and repot in clean soil.

Recommended Varieties

Wit & Wisdom

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LadyBug Garden Tidbit Of The Month

LadyBug Garden Tidbit Of The Month

St.Lukes Indian Summer~Tidbit Of The Month

http://www.almanac.com/fact/st-lukes-little-summer-lovely-summerlike-days-saint
Lovely, summer like days that occur around October 18 are called Saint Luke’s Little Summer in honor of the saint’s feast day. Around this time, Saint Luke’s feast day, there is a period brief period of calm, dry weather. Of course, it’s difficult to generalize today across the vast continent of North America, but the temperature is usually mild and the leaf colors are turning a gorgeous color. It’s a good time for a brief vacation or visit to a park. In Venice, Italy, they say: “San Luca, El ton va te la zuca” (Pumpkins go stale on St Luke’s Day), but here in North America, pumpkins are enjoying their finest hour. Saint Luke is the patron saint of physicians and surgeons so it seems only fitting that the good doctor give us these calm days. In olden days, St. Luke’s Day did not receive as much attention in the secular world as St. John’s Day (June 24) and Michaelmas (September 29), so it was to keep from being forgotten that St. Luke presented us with some golden days to cherish before the coming of winter, or so the story goes. Some folks call this Indian Summer, but that officially occurs between November 11 and November 20.

When To Plant Mums

When To Plant Mums
Tip of the month

How To Make A Succulent Wreath

How To Make A Succulent Wreath
This turns Out So Pretty! Click on picture for directions

LadyBug Painted Rocks

LadyBug Painted Rocks
For Your Garden

Painted Garden Rocks

Learn to make these adorable ladybug painted rocks. use special outdoor paint for this adorable garden craft so you can keep garden ladybugs…

Ingredients

  • Patio Paint in colors of your choice (I used Larkspur Blue, Petunia Purple, Fiesta Yellow, Fuchsia, Citrus Green and Salmon)

  • Smooth rocks, preferably oval or round in shape

  • Paintbrush

  • Toothpick

  • Outdoor sealer or Patio Paint Clear Coat

Do It Yourself Projects

Do It Yourself Projects
Harvest~Autumn Costume

LadyBug Directions

Ladybugs are the one crawly creature most kids find fun, cute and friendly. Any child will feel the same wearing this simple, comfortable costume.

Materials Needed:

2 pieces (12 x 18 inches) stiff red felt
1 piece (12 x 18 inches) black felt
2 hook-and-loop stick-on buttons
2 large black chenille pipe cleaners
1 regular black pipe cleaner
1 square (12 inches) stick-on black felt
1 black headband
1 black turtleneck top
1 pair black leggings


Step 1

To make the ladybug's wings, draw a semicircle on each piece of stiff red felt. You can attach a 12-inch piece of string to a pencil and, holding the string end midway on the 18-inch side of the felt, draw a semicircle by swinging the pencil in an arc. Curve the top of each wing as shown at right.

Step 2

To make the yoke, fold the black felt piece in half lengthwise. At the center of the folded edge, cut a 5-inch, curved neck opening. Curve the outer edges of the yoke and cut the center open as shown in the photo.

Step 3

Attach the top of the wings to the back of the yoke with glue or needle and thread. Add hook-and-loop buttons to either side of the yoke opening. Sew or glue the large chenille pipe cleaners to the outside joints between the yoke and the wings: these are the bug's extra legs.

Step 4

Use a glass to trace 7 black dots on the stick-on black felt. Cut out the dots and stick them to the ladybug wings as shown in the photo.

Step 5

Glue the center of the regular black pipe cleaner to the center of the headband. Reinforce it with a strip of black stick-on felt. Curl ends of pipe cleaner to complete the antennae.

Step 6

Dress the child in the black turtleneck, leggings, wings with yoke and headband.


Cute Harvest Costume

Cute Harvest Costume
Click on photo for directions

LADYBUG PHOTO'S

LADYBUG PHOTO'S

LadyBug Recipe Today

LadyBug Recipe Today
I love to search, find, share recipes to cook,bake and serve.