If you’ve filled your home with festive house plants for the Christmas holidays, you’ll want to know how best to care for them. With just a little special attention, these indoor plants will last long into the new year and beyond. Here are some top tips from our horticultural team.
In the meantime, browse our full range of house plants for inspiration.
General winter house plant care tips
Winter-flowering house plants like this azalea make beautiful festive decorations
Image: Azalea standard – Gift from T&M (© Branded Garden Products)
- Many flowering house plants last longer if kept a little cooler, something to bear in mind if you turn the heating up for a few days over Christmas.
- House plants thrive at a constant temperature, which depends on the variety. Protect your plants from the extremes of overnight chills, drafty doors, raging radiators and fires, as well as direct daytime sunlight.
- Indoor plants tend to prefer moderate, indirect light, so position near windowsills for maximum light during the short winter days.
- Remember that direct sunlight can still scorch plants in winter, so thin or voile curtains can help. Why not invest in a grow light to keep your plants thriving?
- Remove any fading or dead leaves, plus any decorative paper, film and foil sleeves – this will maximise the light and air flow your plant receives.
- Water your plants approximately twice a week – use plant saucers to catch extra water and pour it away or invest in soil moisture indicators.
- Ethylene produced by fruit can cause flowers (and cut flowers) to fade prematurely. Keep your plants away from the fruit bowl for a longer floral display.
Looking for all year round advice? Read our expert tips for healthy house plants for more help.
Caring for amaryllis
Amaryllis is a popular Christmas decoration
Image: Amaryllis ‘Jolie’ from T&M
Amaryllis is a great addition to your festive scheme but, with a little care, it will bloom again in future years! Snip off the dead flower stalks 3-6cm above the bulb, repot the bulb (if it has outgrown its container) and place in a brightly-lit spot indoors. Let the compost dry out between waterings.
When summer arrives, move your amaryllis outdoors, feeding weekly with liquid fertiliser. Stop watering entirely in August, which will force the bulb into dormancy for around eight weeks causing its leaves to die off. Bring indoors again mid-October and recommence watering to initiate new flower buds to form.
Caring for hyacinths
Forced indoor hyacinth bulbs can be planted out in the garden to flower again
Image: Hyacinth Lit Glass Bowl – Gift from T&M
Hyacinth bulbs are specially “forced” into producing early displays for winter. To keep their fabulous fragrance flowing, the plants should be kept cool and their compost moist.
Although your bulbs won’t flower again in wintertime, they will flower in spring! Gradually acclimatise/harden off the bulbs to outdoor conditions after the flowers have faded, and plant them out into containers or borders.
Caring for gardenias
Gardenia makes an excellent evergreen house plant
Image: Gardenia ‘Snowball’ from T&M
Although they look magical at Christmas, gardenias also make lovely, all year round, house plants. Through the winter, position them in bright, indirect sunlight near a window. In summer, you’ll need to protect them from direct sunlight – they appreciate morning sun and afternoon shade.
Gardenias need regular re-potting in spring, as they dislike congested roots. Use ericaceous compost as these plants love acidic soil. To maintain humidity, stand the potted plants on a pebble tray full of water or mist the leaves.
Caring for indoor azaleas
Azaleas thrive indoors with cool and humid conditions
Image: Azalea ‘Pink & White Bicolour’ – Gift from T&M
Indoor azaleas need cool conditions, with plenty of indirect sunlight, humidity and moist compost. To maintain humidity, stand potted plants on a pebble tray full of water.
Re-pot your indoor azalea in April with ericaceous compost and feed weekly during the growing season. Plants may be moved outdoors for the warm summer months.
Caring for cyclamen
Cylamen offer pops of pretty colour, flowering again each winter
Image: Cyclamen ‘Crispino Mix’ – Gift from T&M (© Branded Garden Products)
Cyclamen thrive in bright rooms, away from heaters and direct sunlight. After the flowers have faded, pluck away the flower stems right down to the base to avoid rot.
Water and feed your plants regularly until the leaves turn yellow, then reduce watering over the dormant summer period. Once you notice new growth, top-dress the pot with fresh compost and recommence watering.
Caring for a Christmas cactus
Christmas Cactus plants offer festive flowers for many years
Image: Christmas Cactus ‘Tricolour’ – Gift from T&M (© Branded Garden Products)
Christmas cactus plants are easy to care for, even withstanding a few weeks of neglect. Given the right conditions, these beautiful winter-flowering plants mature into amazing arching specimens that live up to 20 years.
When the blooms have faded, stop watering your plant for 6-8 weeks to allow it to rest. Once you see new growth, add some fresh compost to the top of the pot and restart watering. Place your plant in a bright spot, away from the direct glare of the sun, in a saucer filled with pebbles and water to maintain humidity.
Beware of overwatering and moving your plant, as both can cause the delicate flower buds to fall off.
Caring for tropical hibiscus
Tender hibiscus plants flower many times during the year
Image: Hibiscus ‘Festive Flair’ (© image courtesy of Phyllis Price)
With wonderfully exotic blooms, tropical hibiscus plants are suited to a bright indoor position, away from strong sunlight. Plants require a minimum temperature of 7-10°C and high humidity, so they’re a great option for a bright bathroom.
Grow in moist but well-drained compost, and your plant will re-bloom multiple times during the year. Tropical hibiscus may be moved outdoors onto a sheltered patio during the warm summer months.
Whether you’re new to keeping house plants or looking for specific expert advice, find everything you need to know about house plants over at our dedicated hub page.
Lead Image: Christmas Cactus ‘White’ – Gift from T&M (© Branded Garden Products)
Since the first seed catalogue was published in 1855, Thompson & Morgan has grown to become one of the UK’s largest Mail Order Seed and Plant companies. Through the publication of our catalogues and the operation of our award-winning website, Thompson & Morgan is able to provide home gardeners with the very best quality products money can buy.