How to Keep Your Houston, Texas Christmas Plants Happy This Season

Christmas plants start out so happy and pretty in the store or at the nursery, but a few days after you get them home they sometimes begin to lose their sparkle. Leaves droop, petals fall off, and some of the merry just seems to evaporate. If you live in Houston, Texas and have trouble keeping your holiday plants alive, don't lose hope! There are some things you can do to keep your plants happy and alive and even thriving long past the holiday season. For tips on keeping holiday plants happy, see below.

Poinsettias. Poinsettias like things cool, so be careful not to put these holiday plants near a heat source such as a vent or your fireplace. Place them as close to the floor as possible, and even consider using them outside to brighten up your front area. In addition to keeping them cool, don't overwater these holiday flowers. Follow these two simple tips and your holiday plants will keep right on blooming until the Houston, Texas spring. You can then plant them in your garden (in a protected spot) where they can reach heights of up to three feet. They will need at least partial sun in your Houston, Texas garden.

Rosemary Topiaries. These pretty holiday plants are a perfect choice for the Houston, Texas climate; once the holiday season has ended and spring has come, transfer these pretty shrubs outside. They do very well in containers or in your Houston, Texas garden. Just be sure they get plenty of sunlight and that their soil has good drainage. Indoors, make sure they get enough light and don't place them near any heat sources (vents, fireplaces, etc.) Keep their soil moist but don't overwater.

Paperwhite Narcissus. These bulbs make beautiful Christmas flowers and they don't need to be refrigerated first. Once they have bloomed you can pot them and keep them to plant in your Houston, Texas garden. These holiday flowers bloom all winter and through the spring, and can grow as high as fourteen inches tall. Once you move them outside make sure these plants get at least partial sun in your Houston, Texas garden.

Norfolk Island Pine. This gorgeous evergreen tree can actually live inside your Houston, Texas home for several years after Christmas has come and gone (and come and gone...) Once you decide to move it outside, be sure it is planted or its container is placed in full sunlight. If Houston, Texas experiences an extended freeze be sure to cover this tree to prevent damage (or move it inside if it is still in a container.) Otherwise this holiday tree can take temperatures down to twenty-five degrees, and it does not mind the Houston, Texas heat and humidity at all. A Norfolk Island Pine can grow as tall as forty feet, but this is a very slow growing tree.

Mistletoe. Think twice before bringing this holiday plant into your home - its berries are extremely poisonous to people and pets. If you love the thought of "kissin' under the mistletoe", there are plenty of artificial choices out there for you. But if you feel your Houston, Texas holiday decorations won't be complete without this plant, hang the clusters high and be vigilant about any berries dropping.

Source list:

Personal experience
http://www.chron.com/apps/chron_data/plants.mpl/search