December has arrived, and New England Nurseries is alive with holiday magic! Customers are filling their carts with wreaths, trees, and unique ornaments, while our staff stays busy handcrafting porch pots and helping load up cars with seasonal treasures. The warmth and joy of the season are everywhere, making every visit a festive experience. Stop by soon to pick out your holiday favorites and let us help make your season merry and bright!
New England Nurseries' Monthly Gardening Guide: December 2024
Did you know you can plant spring-flowering bulbs until the ground is frozen solid? If you can dig a hole with a shovel or spade, you can still plant! With a mild New England winter, you could potentially plant into January! With that said, it’s the perfect time to visit New England Nurseries and take advantage of great deals on our remaining bulbs.
Don’t forget another important tip: keep watering your plants until the ground is completely frozen Test the soil around your plants and gardens - if it’s not frozen solid, your plants still need water. Different areas of your yard may freeze at different rates, so check various beds to make sure everything is covered.
Our Top 10: Stocking Stuffers!
Ever have something you are curious about, but never took the time to look up? For me, that was Christmas Stockings, until just now. What is the deal with the stockings or socks hung up on fireplaces?
Christmas stockings are believed to have originated from the legend of Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century bishop known for his generosity. According to the tale, Saint Nicholas heard of a poor widower with three daughters who couldn’t afford dowries. To help, Nicholas secretly dropped gold coins down their chimney, which landed in stockings hung by the fireplace to dry.
Well, that is an interesting tidbit of knowledge to share with the family during the holidays! And, with that, we'd like to share our Top 10 stocking stuffers from New England Nurseries. These small treasures are worth their weight in gold!
This 4x6 Cavallini & Co 2025 planner. It's the perfect size to toss in a bag and keep with you so you never forget an appointment, meeting, or important to-do.
The Cavalinni & Co mini pouch. There are so many uses for this cute canvas bag. It would make for a great pen & pencil pouch, makeup storage, travel jewelry bag, and more.
A small wind chime. Perfect for an office or bedroom window.
Naked Bee products. Save those hands this winter!
This adorable Merry Mini Tree is by (local company) FreshCut Paper.
A pair of Barebones scissors/nippers. These are perfect for the houseplant lover in your life. They are made from stainless steel, with a walnut handle, and an ambidextrous grip, they're rust-resistant and come with a 5-year warranty.
How about a seed ornament for the avid Birder in your life?
For the crafty ones in the family, a Rolife Dreamy Terrace Garden is a great stocking stuffer.
Another one for the Birders of all ages - an Audubon stuffed bird with a real bird call.
And last, but not least, a fun nature-inspired umbrella!
Gardening Trends
We could never give up on gardening, even in the winter. Let's dish about Dish Gardens.
Dish gardens are a delightful way to bring greenery into your home, combining various small plants in a single decorative container. They’re easy to care for and offer endless design possibilities. Here's what you need to know:
Dish gardens date back to Victorian times when terrariums and indoor plant arrangements became fashionable. They are excellent gifts and can be customized for any occasion with themed decorations. And, they are eco-friendly, using less water and space than traditional potted plants.
Which plants to use?
Choose plants with similar light and watering needs. Here are some great options:
Succulents: Echeveria, jade plant, and Haworthia.
Cacti: Small varieties like moon cacti or pincushion cacti.
Ferns: Button fern or maidenhair fern (for higher humidity environments).
Tropical Plants: Miniature versions of pothos, philodendrons, or dracaenas.
Air Plants: These can be tucked into the design for a unique touch.
Herbs: Parsley, thyme, or basil can work for a culinary-themed garden.
How to create your very own miniature indoor garden:
Select a Container: Choose a shallow dish or bowl with or without drainage holes. If there are no drainage holes, add a thick layer of pebbles or activated charcoal to the bottom to prevent root rot.
Add Soil: Use a soil mix appropriate for your plants. For succulents and cacti, a fast-draining cactus mix works best. For tropical plants, use a standard potting mix.
Arrange Plants: Plan your layout before planting. Place taller plants in the back or center, and use smaller plants or ground covers like moss to fill gaps.
Plant: Carefully remove each plant from its pot, loosen the roots slightly, and plant it at the same depth as it was in its original pot.
Decorate: Add decorative stones, moss, or small figurines to enhance the garden's aesthetic.
Tips on watering and plant care:
Succulents and Cacti: Water sparingly, allowing the soil to dry out completely between waterings.
Tropical Plants and Ferns: Keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy.
Check Soil: Always check the soil moisture with your finger before watering.
Lighting: Most dish gardens do well in bright, indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight unless you’re growing succulents or cacti.
Humidity: Tropical plants may appreciate occasional misting.
Pruning: Trim back overgrown plants to maintain balance and prevent overcrowding.
Fertilizing: Feed every 4-6 weeks during the growing season with a diluted liquid fertilizer.
Did You Know? Fun Plant Facts.
Aside from our fresh-cut Christmas trees, the magic moves indoors in December, where our greenhouse truly shines this season. Let's take a look at Poinsettias. We've posted about this misunderstood plant in the past, and it's worth revisiting.
Fact, fiction, or old folk tale? Are poinsettias toxic to your pets or children? Let's look deeper at this festive, yet often avoided, flowering plant. Poinsettias (pronounced poyn-seh-tee-uh) are indigenous to Mexico and Central America, where in hardiness zones of 9 – 11, they can grow up to 13.1 feet tall as a perennial shrub! Known for their vibrant red petals, called bracts, Poinsettias come in a wider variety of reds, pinks, and whites. You can even find novelty poinsettias that boast a red and white spray-painted, speckled, look. In its native land, the poinsettia is called Flor de Nochebuena, or Christmas Eve flower. This holiday favorite was introduced to the US in the 1820s by the first US Minister to Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinsett. (Wikipedia, n.d.)
So, are Poinsettia toxic? The answer is a surprising – no. In 1919 there was one death that occurred in the vicinity of a poinsettia plant. That implicated the plant as the cause, and from there urban legend and erroneous reporting spread the misinformation across the United States. Since then, scientists have tried to find the toxicity threshold of the poinsettia but quit after the subject ate upward of 500 – 600 leaves with no significant ill effect. Ingestion of the plant by humans or pets can, however, cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. (Poison.org, n.d.) Like any house plant, it could also pose a choking hazard.
The takeaway? Go on out and grab yourself one of these cheery, holiday plants and display it confidently! But, still keep it out of reach of curious little creatures.
Greenery or Gear: Product Spotlight
You have to travel for the holidays but are concerned about the dry air and your precious indoor plants? Check out this wick-based watering system by Wicked Waterer. It comes with four units in a package, and all you need to do is place the spiked end into your plant’s soil and the other end into a jar or bottle of water.
Comments