LADYBUG: YULE FLOWERS NEED WORK THIS MONTH

Two of the most frequently asked questions are "How can I get my poinsettia from last Christmas to bloom again this year" and "How will I be able to get my amaryllis to bloom again?"

September seems a bit too early to be thinking about the holidays, particularly when it is still hot and dry. Any plant expected to produce well-developed flowers by December should be healthy and vigorous at this time. Plants that have been kept outside this summer, properly watered and fertilized, should be in good shape for the coming months.

Poinsettias belong to a group called short-day plants. They might more correctly be called long-night plants, because it is long dark periods that cause them to flower. Poinsettias begin to flower when days and nights are almost equal in length.

Indoors, poinsettias need bright light during the day and either completely natural long nights or artificially produced long nights. to create a 14-hour period of darkness, it is necessary to cover the plants with a light, tight-fitting box about 5 p.m. and uncover the plant each morning about 7 a.m., or set them in a completely darkened room to create the same atmosphere.

These are among the most sensitive plants in regard to darkness. Light only a little brighter than moonlight can keep them for flowering. As has been mentioned in this column time and time again, this is a whole lot of trouble and as we have found in past years, really is not worth it. It is easier to purchase them at the holidays.

When we tried to get them to rebloom, it did not matter where were or what we were doing, we had to dash home by 5 p.m. to put "the poinsettias to bed" in the garden room closet. Sometimes then, they did not bloom for the holidays, but around Valentine's Day and then the blooms (on a very long stalk) were only about the size of a grapefruit half.

Another factor in poinsettias flowering is temperature. Most development of buds takes place when night temperatures are 60 and 65 degrees. If temperatures are higher or lower, the process will occur but will be delayed.

The short-day treatment must be started by Oct. 1 to ensure flowering in time for the holidays.

Remember, the most assured way to get beautiful blooms by Christmas is to let the professionals do it for you.

CHRISTMAS CACTUS

One of the most cheerful plants of the holidays is the Christmas cactus in white, pink and shades of red. This plant, like the poinsettia, will need short days beginning in October, but is not quite so particular or fussy about its requirements. There are three types of this cactus, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, all blooming at different times.

The Thanksgiving cactus has broader leaves than its cousin, Christmas cactus, and blooms in many bright colors and white. Flowers come at the end of what looks like flattened stems, but are actually joints. Buds form as early as September and may open anytime from then on until February.

Christmas cactus is a multi-stemmed plant. Each of the dark green stems is segmented at about an inch to 2-inch intervals. Tiered flowers are born on the end of the stem. One way of encouraging it to bloom is to expose it to light night temperatures in autumn as close to 55 degrees as possible. It has been our policy to leave them outside as long as possible, often until buds are forming. It is one of the last house plants to be brought in.

The Easter cactus, which blooms much later, is likely to bloom between the stem segments.

AMARYLLIS

There is nothing tricky about buying an amaryllis bulb and getting it to bloom. Many are already planted when purchased. The tricky part comes in when carrying the bulb over and persuading it to flower the next year.

Friends and my brother have had excellent luck, but the track record here is not so good. It is necessary to treat the amaryllis as any other flower by keeping it inside where it has been watered and fertilized until summer when it is put outside. Continue to treat it as any other house plant until the foliage starts yellowing naturally. Stop watering and turn the pot on its side and soon the stalks will yellow and die down. This is the time to cut them off.

In order to prepare for the flowering cycle, dormancy must be induced. This is done by withholding water and moving the bulb to a cool, dark spot where it should rest about two months. My good friend, and a great horticulturists, Henry Ochs, takes the bulbs from their resting place about two at a time when needed and is rewarded by colossal blooms.

~Mary Blue is a resident of Cape Girardeau and an avid gardener.