365 Days of Floral Education - Days 31-35

As part of our 125^th Anniversary celebration at Stein Your Florist Co. we are sharing a year of floral education, November 1, 2012 thru October 31, 2013. Each day we will post something new on our Facebook page to share our knowledge of our favorite things, flowers and plants and we'll be updating our blog every 5 days or so. No need for pencils and notebooks, just sharing some simple lessons in floristry.

Ficus Tree

Day 31 - Ficus plants are wonderful, but can be a little temperamental while adjusting to a new home (or even a space within your home should you choose to move it). While adjusting it may drop a noticeable amount of leaves. This is normal, and with proper care, it will begin to thrive again in no time. Just pick up the fallen leaves, remove the yellow ones still on the plant, and cut off dead and dry twigs. This will help the light penetrate to the inside foliage and promote new growth. Be careful not to over water your ficus. Feel the soil with your finger tip, and if it feels dry to the touch one inch below the surface, it's time to water it – but if the soil feels moist, hold off for a day or two. Keep in mind that your ficus will need less water during the winter. When your ficus is new, mist it daily as well. To provide proper humidity and prevent the roots from standing in water, place the planter on a plant tray or saucer filled with gravel. Display your ficus in a bright spot with indirect light, away from drafts and large windows that change temperature throughout the day. Use plant fertilizer monthly throughout the growing season, but not during the winter months.

Bromeliad

Day 32 - Native to Central and South America, bromeliads are a large family of plants – all with a similar rosette of stiff leaves and some kind of bright central flower spike or colored leaf area. They're tough, easy-going plants, preferring bright, indirect light or direct sun. Keep their soil moist to dry, and pour the water in the center of the plant where the leaves join together, allowing it to drain into the soil. Avoid letting the plant sit in water. If you live in a hard water area, use rainwater or distilled water whenever possible, as bromeliads are very sensitive to salts, which may cause their leaves to turn brown at the tips.

Dandelions

Day 33 - Dandelions might seem like weeds, but the flowers and leaves are a good source of vitamins A and C, iron, calcium and potassium. One cup of dandelion greens provides 7,000-13,000 I.U. of vitamin A.


Tulip Bulbs

Day 34 - It’s a good thing we are not living in 17th century Holland, as the tulip was considered a true exotic and used as currency during the era known as "tulipomania” (search tulipomania on Wikipedia, it’s an actual time in history, we can’t make this stuff up!). Tulips were worth more than gold! Anyone got change for a tulip?? Today in the 21st century the tulip is still highly valued for its simple, yet elegant beauty.

Double-Flowered Rose

Day 35 - Ornamental roses have been cultivated for millennia, with the earliest known cultivation known to date from at least 500 BC in Mediterranean countries, Persia, and China. Many thousands of rose hybrids and cultivars have been bred and selected for garden use as flowering plants. Most are double-flowered with many or all of the stamens having mutated into additional petals.