Lakeshore Advance, 2013-12-25, Page 5Wednesday, December 25, 2013 • Lakeshore Advance 5
Get the most from your seasonal plants
Whether you received some
plants this season as gifts or you
purchased them to stress up your
abode, now is the time to consider
how to extend the life
of each one of thele to
maximize the pleasure
that you get from
them.
POINSETTIA. The
classic Christmas flow-
ering plant is easy to
maintain and even to
grow !frill understand
st a few things about
They love a bright
n. A south or west
facing window pro-
vides the perfect place
to call home.
They do not like to
be overwatered. Let
the surface of the soil dry about a
centimeter or two down between
watering. Do not let the plant sit in
water for more than a few hours. If
you experience yellowing leaves
and leaf drop, this is usually the
cause.
Fertilize with 1/2 strength Plant
Prod 20-20-20 every 2 or 3 weeks to
maintain healthy green leaves and
bracts (the red that you see is not
the flower, these are the top
leaves).
Poinsettias do not like drafts,
especially cold ones. 'Ihey are rela-
tively insect -free but white fly are
known to frequent them from time
to time. If this occurs spray with
insecticidal soap and put in a plas-
tic bag for a day. Make. sure that
you also spray the
bottom of the leaves.
Come summer I
recommend that you
sink the pot and all
into it sunny spot hi
your yard and treat it
like an annual. The
bracts will lose their
colour and the plant
will continue to grow
through the heat of
the season. Collie
Labour Day, give it
the 'short day' treat-
ment by putting it in
14 hours of darkness
and I0 hours of
bright light until you see red occur-
ring on the uppermost leaves. 'Ibis
will take about 6 to 8 weeks. Leave
it in a bright window and enjoy the
increasingly intense red leaves for
another Christmas season.
AZALEA. The gorgeous 'rose'
shaped blossoms of the azalea are
to die for. And the plant is perma-
nent: you can expect it to bloom
each year come fall or winter with
the proper care. It will bloom for 2
to 4 weeks and makes a great foli-
age plant otherwise. It is ever-
green. If it loses its leaves this is
not a good thing. Rather, it is a sign
COI
umn
Mark
www.ma
letters to the editor
Cullen
rkcullen.com
that there is some stress in its life.
Azaleas are a bit spoiled that way -
they experience stress often and
seemingly without cause. This is
where it is to your advantage to
think like a plant.
Azaleas like their soil to be
'damp' but not soggy. When the
surface of the soil gets dry that is
your sign to add water. Make sure
it is tepid water (not too cold or too
hot).
'they like to be fertilized every 3
weeks when they are out of bloom
with Plant Prod 30-10-10 water sol-
uble at 1/2 strength all winter and
full strength from May through
early full.
If you detect white powdery mil-
dew, cut hack an watering and put
in a well -ventilated room. If you
sec' 'scale' insects on the stems
brush dormant oil or rubbing alco-
hol on theta using a Q tip or artist's
paintbrush.
If all of the leaves turn yellow
and fall off cut the plant back by i/
and let it dry out 70%. Put 1t in a
sunny window and ignore it except
for watering once every 2 or 3
weeks. Likely you have given it too
much love and attention. Get a
pet.
To reblooni an azalea; leave it
out of doors next fall during the
early frosts. When temperatures
drop to minus 3 Celsius bring it
indoors and place it in a sunny
window. It has now been shocked
into blooming once again.
CYCLAMEN. 1 love the new
varieties of this exotic looking
indoor flowering plant best of all.
Perhaps it is the ease of care that
has biased me over the years, but
who can deny that the new colours
and colour combinations are eye -
poppers.
Cyclamen like:slight drying
between waterings
indirect sun while in bloom to
prolong the blossom time
mild fertilizer application every
3 weeks (i/l
works well)
A rest when out of flower: cut
back on watering and place in
direct sunshine.
With a little attention your sea-
sonal plants can really perform.
Some judicious ignorance also can
work.
Mark Cullen appears on Canada
AM every Wednesday morning at
8:40. He is spokesperson for Home
Hardware Lawn and Garden. Sign
up for his free rnonthly newsletter at
www markcullen.com.
strength 20-20-20
Tips for having a truly Merry Christmas
Dear Editor,
We wish you a Merry Christmas,
ilitish you a Merry Christmas,
ish you a Merry but wait...
things have changed for me and I
don't feel very merry right now. In
fact, 1 would like to hibernate
untii....sometirne when all the hurt
and emptiness and loneliness will
go away.
As we enter this Christmas sea-
son of planning for parties, and
family get-togethers, and purchas-
ing gifts, and keeping secrets, and
going to concerts, andand...and
- my heart is not in it this year. You
see, a loved -one of mine died this
past year and 1 am not sure how 1 •
will get through this season of'col-
oured lights, special baking, wrap-
ping gifts in shiny paper: My heart
aches, I can't stop the tears, and
the memories - oh how they flood
my mind and pre -occupy the so
much that I can't. seem to focus,
nor get ordinary things done,
never mind the thought of Christ-
mas. 1 feel exhausted, over-
whelmed and so out of tune with
what is happening all around me. 1
Just need to get off this train that
doesn't seem to stop going. 1 Just
need....oh, 1 don't know what -
this loud silence that [ am feeling.
If you have lost a loved one, had
to say goodbye to someone spe-
cial, this may be a time of unrest
and struggle and confusion. Many
people believe they need to con-
tinue doing all the things they
used to do before the loss but their
hearts are so broken and raw they
have no energy, no desire to be in
crowded stores, nothing seems to
matter the same. Sometimes peo-
ple shut the world out and hide
and others keep so busy they are
spinning circles around everyone
else. I've heard it said that the
anticipation of the Christmas sea-
son Is harder than the actual da .
It is important to pace yourself,
plan and choose wisely what you
wish to spend your energy on.
1 iuron 1 lospice is inviting you to
a 'I lope for the Holidays service' -
a time when you can stop all the
rush and scurry of the season; a
time to take care of yourself and
give yourself permission to ponder
about your loved one -- what they
meant to you, how much you miss
theta, and what memories you
want to keep In your sacred space
about them.
Some ideas that might help you
focus on both the Christmas sea-
son and the meaning of your loss
include:
• Start a new tradition
• Put a flower or special
metnento on the dinner table in
memory of your loved one
• Change some of your plans to
more low-key events
• if you don't feel like shopping
for gifts, be ok with that decision
- there are other ways to show
someone that you love and care
about them
• Allow time for yourself
• Visit the place of burial or
where internment has taken place
• Chose only a few activities to
do instead of feeling obligated to
attend all events
• invite those who are close, who
are special to you together for a
time of remembering and sharing
- perhaps a potluck meal
• if you don't feel like decorating
your home, be ok with that
• It is ok if you do not feel like
sending Christmas greeting cards
this year
• Listen to music with a friend
SOME DON'TS
• Don't be alone all the time
• Don't do more than your body/
mind/spirit has energy for
• Don't force yourself to do
things that are not meaningful
• Don't use other substances to
.IJI),'ui' li'ib �`i'��� til wilin `ItJ'Nl1tl7) ~!.f,'�ti.t, �'��."3 ��1 "�I %i,l,i /"�/'►. .1(1 t,'1I1I' ''.' tr i 111;1 I 11', I0,' r + , i1 ,
'cover your pain' (alcohol, drugs)
Christmas is about spending
time with friends, sharing with
others, and remembering - what-
ever your belief is. Give yourself
the same gifts that you give to
others.
Huron Hospice has invited
Eugene Dufour, author and inter-
national speaker to come and
share some insights on how to
make the Christmas season the
mo^t meaningful time you can. We
will be holding this event on Mon.
Nov. 25 at the Betty Cardno Memo-
rial Building, 317 Huron Road,
Clinton. Special music, candle
service and refreshments are
planned. Bring a family member
or friend. There is no charge to
attend this service. For further
information please call Huron
(lospice 519-527-0655 or 519-357-
2720
Huron Hospice Volunteer Service