My amaryllis has stopped
blooming. Now What?
After the flowers fade,
cut of the flower stalk just above
the bulb.
Sometimes new leaves will appear before the flowers fade.
Most of
the time, leaves appear after the bulb has finished blooming.
You want to
encourage these leaves to grow, so place your plant in a sunny window, water
and feed them. These new leaves will gather energy to help replenish the bulb,
grow new roots and help the bulb rebloom again.
Water your plant enough to keep
the soil moist. Try to avoid extremes by not over watering to the point the
soil is soggy or allowing the soil to dry out completely between watering. Make
sure the pot does not sit in water. If excess water runs through, be sure to
empty the sauce under the pot.
Feed your plant every two weeks with a balanced
fertilizer such as Fertilome’s 20-20-20. Don’t worry about repotting, Amaryllis
like to be snug, so they should do fine in this year’s pot. Amaryllis can be placed outside in the shade
after the last frost date, usually Mother’s Day. You can leave them in their
pots or plant them directly in the garden, up to their shoulders. There they
will stay until late in the fall when you bring them in before the first frost.
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Christmas at The Flower Bin
This time of year, The Flower Bin is full of everything Christmas. Along with our spectacular poinsettias, our fresh Christmas trees, wreaths and garland, our gift house offers an excellent variety of candles, lotions,
ornaments,
wind chimes.
Sun Dials
St. Nicholas
Handcrafted Bolga baskets,
birdbaths, bird feeders.
Jim Shore collectables.
We strive to carry unique gifts and holiday decorations. Shopping at the ‘Bin means great gifts for everyone. We invite you to make us a part of your Christmas tradition.
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
How to grow Rosemary indoors.
Rosemary is an excellent
choice for your indoor herb garden. Rosemary is a highly fragrant herb you grow
indoors with just a little care. Rosemary likes bright light, so a bright
window with morning sun would be a great location. Rosemary will also do well
under artificial light, such as a grow lamp or fluorescent grow bulbs.
This CFL
bulb will fit in any standard lamp socket.
A light stand is another easy way to
supplement natural light for your herbs. Rosemary does best in a location where
the daytime temperature is around 70°, with a little cooler night-time
temperatures. Good air circulation is important to help maintain plant health.
The simplest solution is to make sure you don’t overcrowd your plants. Leave
some space between them so that air can circulate freely. Avoid drafts. Keep
your rosemary away from fireplaces, doors and cold windows. It’s important to
keep the soil consistently moist, so check your plant daily. You want to avoid
letting the soil dry out completely. Poke your finger into the pot to see how moist (or dry)
it is. Another easy way to check moisture level is with a moisture meter.
Feed
your rosemary with a fish emulsion fertilizer. Neptune's Harvest and Age Old Organics are goods choices for organic fish emulsion.
Increase humidity around your
plant by placing it on a pebble tray. Put some pebbles in a tray, add water and
place your plant on the rock.
Make sure the bottom of the pot is above the
water level in the tray. You don’t want the plant to sit in water all the time.
Turn your rosemary frequently to help maintain its shape.
Regular pruning will
also help the plant. Rosemary can sometimes get powdery mildew. The leaves on
your plant will look like they have a white or grey colored dust on them.
If
you do get powdery mildew, spray the plant with Neem oil. Neem is safe to use indoors, on your herbs. You can still use the herb
in your cooking. If you have questions about growing rosemary or other herbs
indoors, come in and talk to us. We’ll be glad to help you.
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Caring for your Flower Bin Poinsettia
Poinsettias are native to Mexico and Central
America. Poinsettias were introduced in the United States by Joel Roberts Poinsett,
the first U.S. Ambassador to Mexico. They were soon a very popular Christmas
plant. Poinsettias are not poisonous, though some people are sensitive to the
white sap they produce. Poinsettias have
thin foliage leaves that vary in color from pale to dark green.
The showy parts
of the poinsettia that most people think of as flowers are actually specialized
leaves, called bracts.
The actual flowers are these tiny yellow clusters found
at the very center of the bracts.
Poinsettias are available in a wide variety
of breathtaking colors from solid red to variegated leaves.
We also dye a few
poinsettias for added color and interest. Our dyes are safe for the plant and
people. Proper care for your poinsettia begins before you leave the store.
We
will gift wrap your poinsettia in foil and ribbon at no charge. We cut a drain
hole in the foil on the plants we wrap so your plant will drain properly. We will carefully bag your poinsettia when
it’s cold to protect it on its way home. Once you get your poinsettia home, unwrap
it and place it in a room where it will get bright light, but not direct
sunlight. Poinsettias don’t like drafts,
either hot or cold, so keep away heater vents, fireplaces, doors and cold
windows. The ideal room temperature should be around 72°F during the day and no
cooler than 60°F at night. Place the plant high enough to be out of the reach
of children and pets and away from traffic. Set the plant in a water-proof
saucer. Water your poinsettia thoroughly when the soil surface is dry to the
touch. Poinsettias don’t like to sit in water, so discard any water that may
collect in the saucer under the plant. With the proper care, your poinsettia
will last through the holiday season and retain its beauty well into the New
Year. At The Flower Bin, we grow all of our own poinsettias, so you can be assured
that the plant you are purchasing is locally grown and of the highest quality.
Polar Bear
Dyed Poinsettia