Indoor Plants Make Great Gifts

Are you still looking for the perfect present for that hard to buy for person? How about an indoor plant to spruce up their home.

The holiday season is known for poinsettias and amaryllis, but there are so many kinds of flowers you can give as a gift such as colorful African violets, orchids and much more, just make preparations before you buy.

Brooke Edmunds of OSU Extension says take a cardboard box and cover the flower after you bought it to protect it from drafts and mimic the warmer climate of a home to protect against cold shock.

Also, check to see if they are badly rootbound and need to be repotted up one container size. If so, be sure to use a well-draining potting soil with perlite or peat moss in the mix. If there’s foil wrap around the bottom, cut holes in it to let water drain.

Generally, potted plants don’t need to be fed for several weeks after purchase, but make sure to check the water. Edmunds says, “Check to see if the plant needs water by sticking your finger two inches into the soil. If it’s dry, go ahead and water.”

Find more of Edmunds tips on the OSU Extension blog.

If you have a story idea for the Washington Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail krounce@cherrycreekradio.com.