I have received so many questions in regards to the care of your houseplants that within the next couple of days I will be posting articles  on the subject and for several weeks after that on how to care for certain types, with a special emphasis on a fun plant for that little gardener to grow .

Until then,

Ms Eudora

Long cool nights are essential for the indoor blooming process, because they tend to bloom when the night temperatures are around 55 degrees and the day time temperatures are around 65 degrees. If the atmosphere is dry place the plants pot on a tray of pebbles and keep the pebbles moist with water in the tray.  During October give the plant no water and carefully start to water it again in November being careful not to over water because this will cause the stems to get flabby.

Flowering will depend on the day’s length and night-time temperatures.  The right temperature for bud development is crucial and the ideal temperature seems to be 55 to 60 degrees for six weeks. If temps start to get above that the plant will then need a minimum of 13 hours of uninterrupted darkness.  It will need to be kept in a completely dark room or covered for that length of time or longer with a dark cloth.

While the buds are forming stop fertilizing and only water enough to keep the leaves from shriveling up.  When the buds develop and are completely formed the plant can be returned to normal light and temperatures.  Keep the soil evenly moist and go back to fertilizing every two weeks with a mild fertilizer solution and you should have blooms by Christmas.  After the plant has completed its blooming, let it rest by with holding water for six weeks.  As new growth appears re-pot the top with fresh soil and start watering again to keep the soil moist.

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