We’re expecting a lot of questions following the holiday weekend from customers that want to know how to maintain the holiday plants that they received for Easter and Passover. In an effort to stick with our mission of being your garden resource center, we decided to provide you with everything you need to know in advance!
The plants you receive on Easter are more than likely grown under very controlled conditions in a greenhouse. This is why they’re called “Florist Hydrangeas” or “Easter Bulbs”. The growers take great effort to make sure the time of the blooms corresponds with the holiday demands. After all, what good is a pot of soil with an Easter Lily that’s not grown yet.
There are several different types of flowers given each year and each type should be handled slightly different. Hydrangeas and Lillies will commonly bloom in warmer temperatures of June and July. Even the “greenhouse” mums are used to warmer days when they’re blooming. Placing any of these type of plants outside before the chance of a frost is gone may lead to their demise. Consider planting these outside in your garden after Mothers Day.
Bulb plants, Daffodils, Tulips and Hyacinths are also very popular plants. In most years, bulbs are blooming outdoors around Easter. These plants are much more hardy for March and April conditions. Don’t place these plants outdoors until the blooms have faded. They’ll handle the cold temperatures however the blooms may fade pre-maturely.
Enjoy all the plant gifts you receive indoors for as long as they allow. Remove the spent flowers when it becomes apparent that they’re done.
Keep your plants watered and be careful not to over water. Make sure the soil dries out in between waterings. Don’t guess, put your finger in the soil and feel if there’s moisture beneath the soil line.
With all bulb flowers, keep the foliage on the plant. This allows the bulbs to re-charge for the following year. When the leaves yellow and wither, you can cut them off and wait until the following spring.
Same thing goes with the Lillies, Mums and Hydrangeas. You’re going to lose the flowers prematurely in comparison to the naturalized plants in your garden. They don’t have the ability to flower for the entire season. Just be sure to leave all the foliage on the plants until the plant decides it doesn’t require them any more.
Then you can leave it to Mother Nature to take care of them outdoors. Irrigate the plants as you would any new plantings. Fertilize in the fall to encourage root development and make sure you mark their place in the garden so you can remember where you placed them.
It’s a shame to not re-use your gifts in the gardens. They can absolutely survive as long as you maintain them. As with any planting, don’t plant and forget; this won't provide a high success rate.