Christmas and the holiday season are coming! Which “festive” plants should you grow and how can you help them stay alive? For many people, nothing makes the holidays lovelier than getting a beautiful poinsettia or holiday cactus during this time. But there’s absolutely nothing worse than seeing the holiday plant that you fell in love with just wither before your very eyes because they need a different care than you’re used to. So today we’ll talk about how to care for classic holiday plants with horticultural expert Farid Khalil from Mahoney's Garden Center.

In this episode, we learn:

[04:32] Who is Farid Khalil from Mahoney’s Garden Center?
[08:04] What do the holidays look like at Mahoney's?
[10:20] What is a poinsettia and how do you care for it?
[14:48] Give your plants the light they deserve this winter with Soltech Grow Lights!
[16:12] Pre-order Square Foot Gardening, 4th Edition now and get new plans, tips, and updates!
[19:21] How to care for poinsettias successfully?
[25:52] Are poinsettias toxic to pets and children?
[27:24] What are some poinsettia alternatives?
[30:04] Repot your holiday plants with Espoma Organic’s premium quality products!
[31:20] Why Cyclamen is a nice holiday plant
[32:51] How Cyclamen become associated with Christmas
[34:39] How should you care for Cyclamen?
[38:35] Christmas cactus vs easter cactus
[40:20] How to care for a Christmas cactus
[44:19] How to care for a Norfolk Island Pine
[49:30] Why Lemon cypress is a good holiday plant
[51:46] Get to know about Mahoney's Garden Center!

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Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants) by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

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How to Care for Poinsettias

Poinsettias are probably the most recognizable holiday plant. In warmer climates, they are outdoor plants, sometimes growing up to 8 feet tall! The red, white, or pink leaves you see aren’t flowers—they’re actually bracts (colored leaves)—and the shorter days of fall and winter cause these leaves to change color.

Care Tips for Poinsettias:

Keep them warm and away from drafts (cold drafts or even close to heat sources)
Let the first 1 to 2 inches of soil dry out before watering again (not too dry, not too wet)
They like bright, indirect light areas.
You don’t need to feed it right away. Fertilizer is needed when the weather warms up, and the plant becomes active again.

Note: Poinsettias are not toxic to pets and children. The white milky sap they produce may cause a little stomach upset if consumed in large amounts, but it’s not poisonous at all.

How to Care for Holiday Cactus

Holiday cacti (Christmas cactus or an Easter cactus) are fun plants because they’re often passed down from generation to generation. They’re long-lasting, and I’ve seen people come into stores with their great-grandmother’s Christmas cactus asking for help repotting because it’s become so large.

Care Tips for Holiday Cactus:

Treat it like a succulent so let the soil dry completely between waterings
Bright, indirect light works well.
Don’t overfeed them — this promotes more leaves rather than flowers.
To get your cactus to bloom, keep it drier, give it a cool environment, and reduce light exposure in the fall to encourage the flowering process.

Note: Holiday cacti are adaptable so don't worry if they stay in the same spot for years – they actually prefer not being moved around!

How to Care for Norfolk Pine

This plant usually breaks hearts during the holiday season because while it looks like a mini Christmas tree, it’s actually a tropical plant, so it grows up to 200 feet and not ideal indoors.

Care Tips for Norfolk Island Pine:

Give bright light but not direct sunlight because they can get limp and lose their fresh appearance.
Keep the soil consistently moist!
They love humidity.
Repot regularly so the root system has room to grow.

How to Care for Cyclamen

In the last five years, Cyclamen has become a major item in the houseplant world. It's gaining huge popularity right now, not only in the States but in Europe in particular. What makes cyclamen special is its timing—they thrive during fall and winter when other plants struggle.

Care Tips for Cyclamen:

Water them from the bottom (not on the leaves/flowers) or pour water at the outer rim of the pot to avoid damaging the bulb.
They need bright, indirect light.
After blooming, cyclamen go dormant. Don’t toss them! Let the leaves die back, reduce watering, and store them in a cool plac...