In the second grade classroom, the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas break was about 150 days long!
Learning about Christmas customs around the world helped keep the students alert and inquisitive.
One of the traditions we studied still brings a smile to my face.
Our beautiful poinsettia has a sweet place in a Mexican legend. The story is told that a young child had no means to purchase a grand gift to place at the altar on Christmas Eve. She gathered weeds along the roadside, formed a small bouquet and placed it in the church. On Christmas Eve, the congregation witnessed a miracle! The weeds turned into bright red and green flowers.
The flower that we know as the poinsettia was named after amateur botanist, Joel Roberts Poinsett in 1828. He was the first United States ambassador to Mexico. Today poinsettia is the top-selling flowering plant in the United States.
The bracts or colored parts are really modified leaves. The flowers are a bead-like yellow center, known as cyathia. Flower experts continue to work to develop more colorful, longer-lasting bracts.
As the poinsettia will show signs of stress at temperatures below 50 degrees, it should not be used in an outdoor exhibit. They make a stunning display in large groupings for churches and businesses.
Select plants have partially opened yellow cyathia in the center. Dark green foliage should cover the stem to the soil line. Watch for drooping or wilting leaves and bracts.
If you have been gifted or purchased a poinsettia for your home or office, place it in a bright location to get indirect light. Be alert to drafts, vents and heaters.
Placing them too close to the windowpane can damage the bracts and leaves.
Keep the poinsettia moist. If the leaves and bracts begin to drop, you are overwatering. Often the plants are wrapped in bright and festive foil. Water often catches in the foil, as it has nowhere to go. The roots and eventually the plant will rot. Punch a few small holes in the foil and set it in a plant saucer or tray to catch the water. Or you can remove the foil and water from the sink.
After draining, return the poinsettia to the bright foil and enjoy!
Poinsettia will do best in 68-to-72-degree environments during the day and 60-to- 65-degree environments at night. Do not fertilize when in flower.
The poinsettia is NOT poisonous, but not recommended for human or animal consumption. It might cause an upset stomach. The fibrous leaves may present a choking danger to young children and pets. The milky sap might irritate the skin and eyes in some individuals. As with any houseplant, use common sense.
Some of you may have been blessed to have a cutting from your family’s prize Christmas cactus. Facebook gardening sites have been filled with arguments over what makes a Thanksgiving cactus versus a Christmas cactus. Well, there is also an Easter cactus.
They are succulents which do belong to the same genus but different species.
There are more than 300 named hybrid varieties. The Thanksgiving cactus has clawed edges on the leaf. The Christmas cactus has notched edges, which are not as pointed. They form a more scalloped or tear-drop shape. The Easter cactus has very round edges which are centralized on the leaf.
All three are considered short-day plants. This means they need 12 or more hours of darkness and cool temperatures to set buds. After about six weeks, blooms should appear on the Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti and the Easter cactus may need up to 12 weeks. After buds are noticed, move to a warmer area and enjoy.
Our wish is that you and your family have a very blessed Christmas. Enjoy the time together for when the outside gardening projects begin, they will have something else to do!
Former elementary teacher and avid gardener Olivia Sansing lives in the New Hope community and shares timely tips on behalf of the Lowndes County Master Gardeners.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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