Blooms for your holidays

I hear that in many places something has happened to Christmas; that it is changing from a time of merriment and carefree gaiety to a holiday which is filled with ... obligation to give Christmas presents.

-- Julia Peterkin

A lovely thing about Christmas is that it’s compulsory, like a thunderstorm, and we all go through it together.

-- Garrison Keillor

The fabulous autumnal skies have led us into December, beginning with clear, crisp mornings and continuing with sunsets, which rival the best in Baja. I helped fasten Christmas lights and purchased a poinsettia and star pine. I tossed thick holiday catalogs into the trash and barely heard the yuletide music.

What I appreciate most about the holidays are the lights. They represent the spirit of Christmas, the original reason for a celebration.

Meanwhile, as you plan for the holidays, you had questions for the Plant Man:

Q. Are Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti the same?

A. No. Thanksgiving cactus has flat joints and blooms reliably in late November, and its flowers are less symmetrical than those of the Christmas cactus (which often waits to bloom until the New Year).

Q. How do I care for my Christmas cactus after it stops blooming?

A. Allow it to rest for 6 weeks by withholding water. When new growth appears, keep the soil moist.

Q. Do I need to repot my holiday cactus?

A. Probably every two years or whenever its pot is filled completely with roots. However, many plants thrive without ever being repotted.

Q. Is Christmas pepper poisonous?

A. No, but the fruit is hot! The fruits of Jerusalem cherry, also available around the holidays, are poisonous.

Q. My poinsettia from last year has grown but not blossomed? What happened?

A. One possibility is light. The poinsettia is a “short-day” plant, and if grown in a room with several hours of light at night, it won’t bloom.

Q. Are the pink and white poinsettias more difficult to grow than the red ones?

A. The newer hybrids are as easy to grow as the originals.

Q. What type of Christmas tree would you recommend?

A. Only a living one!

The tug that I felt for holidays past has been replaced with travel down south. My only obligation is to relax and unwind in a slower and warmer clime. While I appreciate that others may fret about perfect presents, my gift to Catharine, Lynn, Emma, James and Mike is my friendship as a fellow traveler. Happy holidays, and see you next time.

* Steve Kawaratani is happily married to local writer Catharine Cooper and has two cats. He can be reached at (949) 497-2438 or [email protected].

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