Winter Flowering Plants

Winter Flowering Plants

By Susie Klepinger Guest Writer, Michiana Master Gardener

Can you believe it? The Christmas season is here, and we’re wondering if we can be ready. The stores are filled with colorful displays of Poinsettia plants, Christmas cactus, amaryllis, cyclamen, miniature roses, and many more flowering plants to brighten our homes until crocus peek through the snow.

We somehow manage to keep our treasures alive through December, but then the reality of their winter care sets in. Now what? Nurture or compost pile? I vote for nurture and give some helpful suggestions below. By far the most popular Christmas plant is the Poinsettia. I’ll bet you have one or more gracing your home right now. One of the most important things you must do now is poke holes in the base of the decorative foil that surrounds it. Put a leak-proof protective plate under it, but do this first so excess water can drain. The best water tester is our finger. Poinsettias do not like to remain wet, so make sure the top two inches of soil is dry before watering thoroughly and allowing to drain. They also like bright light, but can tolerate less until the season is past. I have chosen to grow mine as a houseplant this year. It has received bright light throughout spring and summer, but now a routine has begun. In order to bloom again, it needed to receive 14 hours of total darkness and 10 hours of light each day starting in October. Even a car headlight can interrupt the cycle. In truth, it will not look as glorious as when it first arrived last December, but even a little red leaf color can make me proud of a green thumb. The Thanksgiving and Christmas cactuses are also favorites. Many are even passed through generations. Two kinds differ in their leaf shape. (I’m omitting the Easter cactus here because it is a different genus.) The Thanksgiving cactus has clawed edges, and the true Christmas cactus has a more rounded leaf. According to Michigan State University, both plants need the cool-short day cycle in order to set bud. This means several weeks of at least 16 hours per day in cool, dark conditions. (Could be coordinated with the poinsettia schedule, but this absolute darkness is not so strict.) Sometimes an unused room where no lights are turned on will suffice. Our trusty finger watering test still applies, but as fall and winter approach, less water is recommended. One of the main reasons a plant blooms is to make seeds in order to perpetuate the species. If the plant feels endangered from less water, it is more likely to set buds. Once those buds have formed, do not rotate the plant as the bud will lean to follow the light source, weaken at the joint, and fall off. Rest the plant after blooming. One of the most striking flowers is the amaryllis. Soak the bulb in lukewarm water before planting. (I always look for a bulb that already shows the beginning of a flower stalk.) Keep the shoulders above the soil level, and place it in a sunny location. Flowering may take a few weeks, but it is great fun to watch it grow daily in front of your eyes. When blooming has finished (often multiple flowers), cut off the spent stalk and allow the leaves to develop. I set mine outside for the summer, fertilizing often. When dormant, I put it in a cool, dark area to rest until the cycle begins again. The tropical cyclamen has an interesting flower shape. It is a bulb which will bloom for about 8 weeks. It needs a cool, bright area with moist, but not wet soil. Water it from below and drain when satuated. This technique is becoming popular for houseplant care as well. Bottom watering allows the whole plant to absorb moisture rather than only the top one-third. When it goes dormant, put it in a cool, dark place for at least 2 months. At the first sign of growth, water, and hopefully it will rebloom. We could add so many more winter flowering plants: the narcissus which blooms and is discarded, and the miniature roses we see in plant stores. The miniature roses can be planted outside in the spring. If you check, there is a theme at work here: lots of use of the words cool, dark, day length, rest, etc. The point is these plants can be nurtured to repeat their show if we just know how to treat them. The internet is a great source of information. Winter doesn’t have to be dull. Add some color to both your living area and your spirit. n

Deck the Halls

historic homes get ready for the holiday season

Twitter@TheHistoryMuseumSB

By Julie Young House and Home Writer

southbendtribune.com

There is no place like home for the holidays, especially if that home has a rich and colorful history intrinsically connected to the community. While these houses have a lot to live up to all year long, the holidays are a time when they really sparkle and shine. Owners and curators are hard at work decking the halls to make these South Bend institutions ready to welcome you this season, so be sure to stop in to celebrate old traditions or create a new one with your family and friends!

southbendtribune.com

CHRISTMAS AT COPSHAHOLM

Christmas in the Oliver mansion is an experience like no other. Once the Halloween decorations are put away, the curatorial staff gets to work festooning Copshaholm with over 15 decorated Christmas trees that can be found in rooms on all three floors. There are also decorated mantles, table tops and special programs throughout the holiday season so the whole family can enjoy the house and see Christmas the way the Olivers might have celebrated it.

According to Skylar Stasney, curator for Copshaholm, the Oliver family placed a Christmas tree in the den and there is a photo of one in the library as well, so there is an effort to recreate an aesthetic that would be in line with the family’s customs.

“The museum does not have any original Christmas decorations that belonged to the Oliver family, (but) the tree in the den is decorated to be period appropriate for the Victorian era,” she said.

“Christmas at Copshaholm” is presented on Dec. 11 where visitors can enjoy self-guided tours of the mansion, enjoy live music and participate in an “Elfon-the-Copsha-Shelf” scavenger hunt. Reservations are strongly recommended. Call 574-235-9664 or visit www.historymuseumsb.org for more information.

visitindiana.com southbendtribune.com

TIPPECANOE PLACE RESTAURANT

Built by Clem Studebaker from 18861889, the Tippecanoe Place Mansion has 40 rooms and approximately 24,000 square feet of living space. According to restaurant owner and manager Kevin

Jakel, his team begins decorating for the holidays in mid-November to get ready for their busiest time of the year (between

Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve.)

“We use the same décor year after year, but we work to refresh parts of it,” he said, noting all the management team as well as four others work over several days to complete the transformation. “It’s a labor of love, but seeing the kids and families enjoy it makes it all worthwhile.”

Jakel said his guests enjoy the themed trees found in various areas of the restaurant and especially get a kick out of the 4 foot by 8 foot gingerbread house on the bar/lounge level. He said it’s not uncommon to welcome the same guests year after year as they take part in a beloved ritual of the holiday season.

“Some of them have visited Tippe over multiple generations from 1980 on,” he said.

Book your holiday reservation by calling 574-234-9077 or visit www.tippe.com. n

Creating Coziness

HAVE A HYGGE HOME ON A BUDGET

By Julie Young House and Home Writer

Hygge (pronounced Hoo-gah), a Danish concept for cozy living, is more than a decorating style – it’s a way of life. Hygge allows you to find happiness in small things while connecting you to your surroundings and above all, can make your home feel like a warm hug. Best of all, it’s a concept you can achieve on a budget!

Debbie Hochstetler ASID and owner of Sweet Water Interiors in Goshen says a Hygge home is warm and comfortable, but it is not dark and deary. It brings together a variety of textures, good lighting, and a hint of the outdoors to offer homeowners a sensory experience like no other. For those looking to add some coziness to a room without breaking the bank, she suggests a few simple pieces can make a big difference.

“A runner can add color to a table and really warm the room,” she said. “There are also some well-priced area rugs that can add texture and make a huge difference to a space. Wall color is another inexpensive way to make a room feel cozy and canvas art is very affordable these days. I also recommend stationary panels at the windows in various fabrics as well as some live greenery if you have a green thumb. If not, there are some wonderful silk selections.” For Andrew Miller at Legacy Wood Creations in Syracuse Hygge is all about natural elements making your house feel like home. And there is nothing more Hygge than creating a book nook to relax after a long day. While this nook can range from a corner chair and table to a full library with built in shelving, the wood (and paper) you incorporate connects you to the larger world.

“A lot of the woods we incorporate are walnuts or white oak,” he said. “Walnut has always been a timeless choice and while white oak isn’t as warm as other choices, both have nice grain patterns that offer a nice texture to a space.”

shutterstock.com

A SIMPLE SPACE

While the concept of Hygge is designed to evoke a feeling of coziness, it is not merely an atmosphere and it’s not a spectator sport. Tracy Magyar, interior designer at C Kramer Interiors in Granger said pillows, blankets, music, photos and soft lighting are all part of achieving Hygge in your home. The latter sets the tone and feeling for the space and is probably the most minimalistic way to add ambiance to your bedroom, family room or book nook.

“Any room can be made to feel cozy, but the bedroom and family room are usually the ones that evoke the most coziness,” she said.” n

OTHER TERMS TO KNOW

Lykke (pronounced Loo-ka): a Danish word for happiness that can found in everyday pleasures such as togetherness, money management, healthy living, kindness, and more. Lagom: Scandinavian term for balance in every aspect of life. Not too much and not too little, Lagom literally translates to “just right.”