Happy Holiday Houseplants

‘Tis the season for indoor gardening! So here are a few of our favorite tips, tricks, and (of course) trusty tonics that will keep your houseplants gorgeous, green, and growin’ all winter long:

Pretty up your plants. Never use water to clean the leaves of your houseplants. If your African violets, gloxinias, poinsettias, or other hairy-leaved plants are looking a little dusty, you can give them a gentle going-over with a soft baby’s hairbrush instead.

Get rid of the wrap. If you were lucky enough to receive a beautiful potted plant as a holiday gift, keep in mind that the colorful foil wrapping that covers the pot is just for display. It can actually be harmful if it’s left on too long, so make sure to remove it after a few days. Until that time, cut a small hole in the foil on the underside of the pot so excess water can still drain out.

Give poinsettias a boost. Keep them lush and lovely even after the holidays are gone with this power-packed potion: 1/4 cup of beer, 1/2 tbsp. of unflavored gelatin, 1/2 tbsp. of fish emulsion, 1/2 tbsp. of vitamin B1 plant starter, 1/2 tbsp. of ammonia, 1/2 tbsp. of instant tea granules, and 1 gal. of water. Mix it all up in a watering can, and use it every time your plants need a drink.

Spread the green. It’s easy to add to your plant collection—and you won’t even have to spend a dime! African violets, gloxinias, rex begonias, and peperomia are a few houseplants that root in a flash just from leaf cuttings. All you have to do is snip off a mature leaf with 2 or 3 inches of leafstalk attached, and insert the cutting into a new pot of soil. Make sure the leaf is standing straight up in the pot and that the cutting is planted deep enough that the leaf blades are touching the soil. As an added bonus, you might even get two or more new plants from a single leaf!

Feed your indoor garden. To keep your indoor herbs, veggies, and potted citrus trees happy and healthy all winter long (plus prevent pests!), mix up this terrific tonic in a handheld sprayer: 1 tbsp. of liquid kelp, 1/8 tsp. of dishwashing liquid, and 1 gal. of water. Then, just spray your plants every 2-3 weeks.

For more houseplant helpers and green growin’ secrets, check out our bestselling book, Green Thumb Magic. You can even try it out for FREE for a full 21 days with our Free Preview!

4 Steps to Perfect Poinsettias All Season Long

There’s no plant more popular this time of year than the poinsettia — except perhaps the Christmas tree itself! If you’re the lucky recipient of one of these room-brightening flowers, keep it lush and lovely through the season—and beyond — by following these tips:

1. Poinsettias like full sun, so keep them near a light source, but sheltered from drafts. If you set your poinsettia on a windowsill, place a piece of cardboard between the plant and the window at night to protect it from chilly air.

2. Water your plant regularly and thoroughly, but don't ever let it stand in water.

3. If your poinsettia’s foliage starts to yellow, the plant is probably not getting enough light or nitrogen, or is being watered too much. Set it in a brighter location, give it a dose of fertilizer, and hold off on the watering until the top of the soil has dried out.

4. Leaves will start to wilt if the plant is too dry or is exposed to a draft. Move it to a more sheltered spot and perk it up with a drink.

To enjoy your poinsettia for another season, stop watering it after Christmas and store it in a cool, dry place when the leaves fall off. In spring, water it again and cut the stems back to 6 inches tall. From early October until blooming starts, place the plant in a dark closet for 12 hours each night, say from 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. Keep the plant in a sunny window for the other 12 hours a day, and it should be in full color again for Christmas 2015!