Crocus care tips for January
How to look after gift plants at Christmas
Pot plants make excellent Christmas presents and will give many months or even years of pleasure if they are cared for correctly
Potted jasmine
This beautiful indoor climbing plant has gorgeous white trumpet flowers, that are pink in bud and wonderfully fragrant when open. Place it in a room with a temperature of 10-16ºC, choosing a bright, well-lit position away from direct sun which can cause scorch and drying out. Ideal for a cool greenhouse or shaded conservatory. For best results:
- Keep moist
- Feed regularly (weekly) with a good quality houseplant fertiliser during the flowering period.
- Repot annually in a loam based compost such as John Innes No 2
- It can be moved outside for the summer months and likes to be kept well fed and watered.
- In winter, it should be kept in the coolest but frost-free position and watered very sparingly.
Mixed herb basket
A stylish rattan container filled with classic turkey stuffing herbs including rosemary and sage to go with onion, as well as parsley, thyme and marjoram. Ideal for the kitchen windowsill or it can even be placed in the garden, but should be moved to a sheltered spot if frost is expected. For best results:
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Keep in a cool, bright position indoors.
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Feed frequently (weekly) with a houseplant fertiliser
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As the herbs grow and become to large for their container they can be potted on into individual pots and containers – use a loam based compost such as John Innes No 2.
Gardenia
This beautiful bushy gardenia will produce lots of flowers over the coming weeks if you keep it in a warm room where the temperature does not fall below 18ºC. Position it in a lightly shaded spot that does not get any direct sun. For best results:
- Use rain water.
- Mist regularly with a hand sprayer (again using rainwater if possible).
- Feed frequently (weekly) with a weak houseplant solution.
- Repot each year in spring using ericaceous fertiliser.
Phalaenopsis orchid (moth orchid)
Orchids make excellent and unusual house plants that add an exotic touch to the room. They are surprisingly easy to look after and will produce a succession of flowers over several weeks if placed in a warm room with a temperature of 18-21ºC, in a position that’s in light shade, away from direct sunlight in summer. For best results:
- Avoid damp or very humid conditions which will cause marking of the petals.
- Move to a well-lit spot during the winter months.
Potted olive
It can be kept either indoors or outside. If kept indoors choose a cool bright windowsill but away from direct sunlight. Outdoors the olive will need a sheltered spot and care should be taken that it isn’t allowed to dry out during the summer months. You will need to bring it indoors over winter and whilst there is a risk of frost. As this olive is grafted and has been grown in a small pot its growth has been stunted and it will retain its small habit even when potted on in future years. And sadly due to our not-so-sunny climate the olives this tree will produce will never ripen enough to eat!
- Water sparingly
- Feed every four weeks through the summer months.
- Prune off any unwanted stems in spring and summer
