Here are some tips for caring for Christmas trees and how to keep your Christmas tree alive throughout the holidays. Caring for Christmas trees is important because the holiday season is synonymous with Christmas trees. Whether you’re a fan of classic pine, fir, or spruce, cut Christmas trees bring the magic of the holidays into your home. However, once a Christmas tree is cut, it begins to lose moisture and can quickly dry out. Proper care is essential for keeping your tree looking fresh and vibrant for weeks. Follow these simple yet effective tips to ensure your tree stays green, fragrant, and safe throughout the festive season. Editor's Note: Finding the right gift for a gardener or homeowner can be a challenge. Read our Best Gifts for Gardeners story for some great ideas. 1. Choose the Right Tree The first step in ensuring your Christmas tree stays fresh is to choose a healthy one. When shopping for a cut tree, look for: 2. Caring for Christmas Trees: Make a … [Read more...] about Caring for Christmas Trees: How to Keep Your Christmas Tree Alive Longer
Christmas
Best Gardening Gifts for the Holidays
Here's the Home Garden and Homestead list of the Best Gardening Gifts for the Holidays The holiday season may be the most wonderful time of the year, but the holidays bring their own stresses. What gifts do you buy for everyone on your holiday shopping list? Don't worry, We've got you covered--at least for the gardeners on your gift list. Here is are our choices for the best gardening gifts for the holidays for all of the "green thumb gardeners" on your list! Editor's Note: Click on the photos in this story to buy any of these best gardening gifts for the holidays. Plant Life Support for Indoor Plants Here’s a gift for anyone who has ever forgotten to water a houseplant. (That’s pretty much everyone who has a houseplant.) The Plant Life Support for potted plants looks like a small hospital saline bag. Simply add water to the 350ml “IV bag” and it will drip water into the soil for up to 7 days. This handy gift prevents houseplant guilt caused by bone-dry plants. … [Read more...] about Best Gardening Gifts for the Holidays
How to Take Care of Holiday Gift Plants
Take care of holiday gift plants with these helpful tips! If you received a holiday gift plant, you are in good company. Countless thousands of people receive beautiful, living gift plants every year . But (especially if you’re not a “green thumb” gardener), the next question involves how to take care of holiday gift plants. Sure, it was delightful when the doorbell rang to announce the arrival of a gift box that contained your live plant. Straight out of the box it was gorgeous. What a nice surprise! Thoughtful as the gift was, it could lead to a potential disaster. Your thoughts shoot forward to the fateful day next month when that same friend calls and asks brightly, “So how is the plant doing?” Will you have to confess you killed it? Thankfully, no! Because in this article I will reveal the five keys to gift plant survival—so you can take care of holiday gift plants like a pro. The tips below apply to all types of holiday gift plants. If you want more information … [Read more...] about How to Take Care of Holiday Gift Plants
Why We Kiss Under Mistletoe–Christmas Mistletoe Plant Facts
Why do we kiss under mistletoe at Christmas? What are the Christmas mistletoe plant facts? The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe started way back in 16th century England. The custom traveled to early America, where kissing under the mistletoe was mentioned in a Washington Irving short story, “The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.” In Irving’s day, whenever a couple kissed under a mistletoe sprig, they took off one of the white berries. When all of the berries were gone from the sprig, the kissing power stopped. How’s that for good luck? Mistletoe Once Symbolized Romance, Fertility, and Vitality At Christmastime, we think of kissing under a sprig of mistletoe. In the 21st century, that mistletoe sprig might be artificial. Yet, most folks (like me!) prefer the real thing and order fresh or dried mistletoe to carry on the "kiss under the mistletoe" tradition. Some scholars believe that the ancient Greeks started the kissing tradition when they celebrated … [Read more...] about Why We Kiss Under Mistletoe–Christmas Mistletoe Plant Facts
Frankincense and Myrrh: History and Uses
Frankincense and myrrh are two ancient resins with rich histories and profound cultural significance. But what exactly are the frankincense and myrrh history and uses? And why was the baby Jesus given these two substances as birthday gifts? Frankincense and myrrh history and uses have captivated human civilization for thousands of years. These aromatic substances, harvested from the resin of specific tree species, have been cherished for their diverse uses and symbolism throughout history. Frankincense: Origin and Plant Source Frankincense is not an herb. Rather, it is a resin obtained from trees of the Boswellia genus, predominantly the Boswellia sacra and Boswellia serrata species. These trees grow in arid regions of the Middle East and Africa, including countries such as Oman, Yemen, and Somalia. The resin is harvested by making small cuts in the tree's bark, allowing the aromatic sap to ooze out and harden into droplets, which are then collected. Myrrh: Origin and … [Read more...] about Frankincense and Myrrh: History and Uses
