Care of Flowering Potted Plants
Flowering potted plants are often purchased throughout the year as gifts or for interior decoration. These greenhouse‑grown flowers make colorful displays, especially during holiday seasons. Proper care can increase the display period of flowers, but few of these plants can permanently be kept in bloom inside.
Flowering potted plants are grown under ideal greenhouse conditions. Their growth is optimized so that they will flower when they are sold. Under home conditions, most of these plants should be considered much like fresh cut flowers.
B-1146R
Revised April 2020
Karen Panter, Extension Horticulture Specialist,
Department of Plant Sciences, University of Wyoming
PURCHASING TIPS
There are several things to look for when purchasing a flowering plant.
LIGHT
Plants seldom receive as much light in a home environment as in a greenhouse, so give them as much light as possible by placing them where they will receive several hours of natural sunlight each day. South, east or west windows are preferred. Gloxinias and African violets can be kept in bright light without receiving direct sunshine. Plants often receive poor light in the best display location. It is helpful to keep them in an optimum growing location whenever they are not on display.
TEMPERATURE
Most homes are warmer than is desirable for plants. Cool temperatures will lengthen the blooming period. Temperature requirements for plants vary. However, temperatures of 55-65°F at night and 65-70° F during the day are best for most plants.
WATER
Plants in a home should be watered regularly so the soil moisture level stays uniform. Actively growing and blooming plants that are in small pots may require daily watering. All plants should be watered before they wilt. It is helpful to estimate moisture content by comparing the weight of a well-watered pot to a dry one. The best way is to simply feel the top of the growing medium. If it is dry, water the plant. Keep a saucer under the pot to catch extra water. Always discard the water collected in the saucer so the plant is not sitting in it for any length of time.
HUMIDITY
The humidity of air in a home is usually much lower than in a greenhouse. Potted plants need high humidity to grow well or even survive. It is often necessary to raise the humidity by misting the leaves of plants, by placing them in groups or by setting them on moist gravel in trays. A mist spray may leave an unsightly gray salt deposit on the leaves after it has dried. These salts can burn leaf tissue if allowed to build up over time. Any salt coating should be removed occasionally by washing with plain or distilled water. Setting plants outside in the rain on a warm summer day is a good way to wash the leaves and also leach salts out of the growing medium. The overall humidity of home air may also be raised by other means. Do not allow pots to stand in water in an attempt to raise humidity.
FERTILIZER
Most flowering potted plants will not need fertilizer when they are received. They should be fertilized after they have been on display for about two weeks. Use a soluble houseplant fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium at the recommended rate on the label. This should be repeated every two to four weeks while plants are on display in a home.
GENERAL CARE
Many potted plants are sold with a foil wrapping around the pot. This foil should be removed. If it is not removed, make several holes in the bottom of the foil to allow rapid drainage of water. Never allow a potted plant to stand more than a few minutes in a saucer of water. Complete removal of standing water is important to prevent root rot. Use room temperature water whenever possible. It is often best to take plants to a sink for watering. Water them thoroughly and allow them to drain for 20 to 30 minutes before returning them to their display or growing location. Do not use water softened for household use. City water is satisfactory. Enough water should be applied at each watering to allow one- quarter of the volume of a pot to run through and away. This helps avoid the buildup of too much salt in the soil.
A plant growing near a window will need to be turned once a week to give good light exposure to all sides. This keeps the plant from growing toward the light and becoming one-sided. Artificial light can be helpful in prolonging the period of best appearance. Fluorescent lights are adequate.
Remove flowers as they fade to prolong the life of the remaining blooms. Keep plants away from either hot or cold drafts. Locations near doors and heat outlets are especially damaging. Plants near windows in the winter may be frosted on cold nights, especially if the leaves touch the glass. Most plants, when received from a greenhouse, should be free from insects. Observe plants carefully for the first few days when they are brought into a home. The foliage can be washed in the sink to minimize insect problems.
CARE AFTER BLOOM
When the flowers fade, most plants should be discarded because they generally don’t make good houseplants. However, some types can be kept alive in a home and may bloom again. The following sections give directions for the care of several plants after they bloom and some suggestions for bringing them into bloom again.
HARDY BULBS
Hardy bulbs such as tulips, crocuses and daffodils should be kept growing as long as possible. One application of a soluble houseplant fertilizer should be made after the blossoms die. When the leaves mature and wither, the bulbs should be stored in a cool, dry place until their fall planting season when they can be planted outdoors. The following year, blooming may be poor but should improve over time. At planting, incorporate a slow- release fertilizer in the bottom of a planting hole. Mix it in with soil but do not set a bulb directly on fertilizer as it may burn tender new roots.
EASTER LILIES
Easter lilies are started in greenhouses, usually in December. They are in peak condition and are ready for sale by Palm Sunday. Many greenhouses in the Rocky Mountain region grow Easter lilies and other flowering potted crops, and most retailers should be able to point out regionally grown plants.
At home, place Easter lilies in a bright area away from drafts and heat sources and keep the soil moderately moist. Remember to discard extra water from saucers because lily roots shouldn’t be waterlogged. Removing the orange/yellow pollen sacs from the flowers keeps them from discoloring their pure white petals or family heirloom linens. If well cared for, Easter lilies will bloom for 10 to 14 days.
After Easter, lilies can be planted outside. Until the danger of frost has passed, continue to care for the plants indoors, as described above, and remove the flowers from the stems when they die. After frost danger has passed, plant the lilies outdoors in a sheltered, partly shady spot. A lily will not bloom again the same year it is planted because it needs 1,000 hours of cold for the flower buds to form again. As autumn approaches, cut the foliage back. If the winter weather is not too harsh and the soil around the bulb is kept moist, a lily should sprout again the next spring, complete with flower buds. For more information on how Easter lilies are grown, see UW Extension bulletin B-1185, Easter Lily Production and Care, at bit.ly/B-1185.
Be aware that certain lilies may cause renal failure in cats. Check this Web site for further information: bit.ly/FDAEasterLily.
Bulbs may not survive the winter in locations with severe weather. In this case they should be dug up in the fall and placed with moist peat moss in a container that holds in moisture. Keep the bulbs in a refrigerator (40°F) until spring. Gardeners can try to force the bulbs indoors or replant them outside after frost has passed.
HYDRANGEAS
Hydrangeas should be cut back to a height of three to four inches in the spring. They also require a cold period in the fall to develop flower buds. Light is not required during a cold treatment period of 40°F for six weeks in November and December. After the cold treatment, grow the plants at a temperature of 55-60°F in high light. They will often bloom for Easter.
AZALEAS
Azaleas can be kept growing in the spring and summer with frequent watering. They should be grown at about 60° F. Pinch the new growth occasionally to keep the plants bushy and compact. In the fall, azaleas need about two months at 45°F to ripen their flower buds. Grow plants at 45°F until the buds are starting to swell and then move to a 60°F temperature for blooming. Azaleas should be repotted in the fall in pure peat moss. They require an acid soil, acid fertilizer and constant moisture. Never allow them to dry out.
AMARYLLIS
Tender amaryllis bulbs can be re-flowered annually for many years. Remove the faded flowers and keep the leaves growing in full sunlight. Apply a soluble houseplant fertilizer
monthly. The plants may be set outside after the danger of frost is past. The leaves will die down in late summer. Stop watering and fertilizing at that time and store the bulbs in their pots at 50°F for three months. About December 1, set the plants in a window and begin watering them. Repotting is not necessary until the bulbs completely fill the pots.
POINSETTIAS
When shopping for a poinsettia or any other of the familiar holiday plants, keep some tips in mind. Look for plants with healthy green foliage. Remember that some cultivars have leaves that are naturally lighter green than other varieties. This doesn’t mean a plant is not healthy.
Also, look for the brightly colored poinsettia bracts to be clean and free of spots or bruises. The flowers are small and are in the center of the bracts. The flowers should be visible with small yellow centers. If the flowers have dropped off, the plant is old and won’t last long at home.
Check to see if the lower leaves are green and healthy. If lower foliage is yellowing or has dropped off, pick another plant. If possible, check the root system. A healthy root system will be white with few brown areas.
Once a plant has been selected, follow some easy guidelines:
One more item needs to be mentioned: Poinsettias are not poisonous! Research at The Ohio State University has shown the poinsettia plant is not harmful to human or animal health if parts of the plant are eaten. Visit bit.ly/OSUPoinsettias for more information.
After Christmas it is possible to try to get a poinsettia to bloom again the next year. This involves first cutting the plant back in spring and again in late summer. Then give the plant at least 14 hours of darkness every night from early October until buds emerge. Better yet, support a local horticulturist by buying another one next year!
B-1146R
Revised April 2020
Karen Panter, Extension Horticulture Specialist, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Wyoming
Editor: Katie Shockley, University of Wyoming Extension
Design: Tanya Engel, University of Wyoming Extension
January 2004. Karen Panter, Extension Horticulture Specialist, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Wyoming. Editor: Vicki Hamende, College of Agriculture, Office of Communications and Technology. Layout: Tana Stith, College of Agriculture, Office of Communications and Technology
Issued in furtherance of extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Kelly Crane, director, University of Wyoming Extension, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071. • The University’s policy has been, and will continue to be, one of nondiscrimination, offering equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment on the basis of their demonstrated ability and competence without regard to such matters as race, sex, gender, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, political belief, or other status protected by state and federal statutes or University Regulations. • Shutterstock.com: Nitchakul Sangpetcharakun, Irina Fischer, InfoFlowersPlants, znmystery, Radovan1, vnlit, Chiyacat.