Dear ##firstname[Friend]##,

Crystal Rennicke

Merry Christmas! I hope you are enjoying the holiday season with your friends and family.

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Merry Christmas!
–Crystal

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READ ON TO DISCOVER...

• Plant of the Month
• Yard Smarts
• Question of the Month
• Frugal Backyard Tip
• Submit Your Story

Plant of the Month

Poinsettia
A favorite Christmas plant, more than 50 million poinsettias are sold each holiday season.
Botanical name: Euphorbia pulcherrima
Bloom time: Winter.
Colors: Red, white, pink, yellow and multicolored.
Flower shape: Small berry-like cluster in the middle of the colorful bracts.
Light needs: 6 to 8 hours of bright sun during blooming period.
Soil type: Well-drained potting mix.
Planting: To keep as a houseplant after the holidays, cut it back in early spring and transfer to a larger pot for the summer.
Prize picks: Lilo White branches freely and has creamy white bracts. Monet is a white variety with a rose tinge that darkens as the plant matures. For a unique look, try Winter Rose. Its colorful bracts curl downward to resemble a rose.

Find out more about the poinsettia and other winter favorites.

RDA-GID

Yard Smarts

Playing with Fire and Ice
Eye-catching holiday décor needn’t be expensive or a challenge to create. This unique holiday centerpiece is made from things found in your backyard or a local craft store.
Make a dazzling centerpiece.

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Question of the Month

RDA-GID

At High Altitude
What plants will survive at 9,100 feet in very cold weather and deep snow? –Carolyn Wheeler, Divide, Colorado

Melinda: Short growing seasons, cold temperatures and hungry animals are just a few of the challenges you and others face when gardening at high altitudes.
Consider spring-flowering bulbs like daffodils, squills and grape hyacinths. Junipers, potentilla, Siberian pea shrub and sumac will also withstand the rigors of your area.
Arctic poppy, some bellflowers, columbine, lupine, pinks and penstemon are a few flowers you might want to consider adding, as well. Check with fellow gardeners in the area. Not only will they have great advice, they just may have a few plants they are willing to share.

For answers to your gardening questions, click here.

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Frugal Gardener Tip

Ice Man
I placed this non-traditional snowman near my back door to green my family over Christmas. They just loved it!

The round shapes for his body were made by filling balloons with water and freezing them. —Valeria Moore, Ottumwa, Iowa

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Submit Your Story

Do you have a winter bird tale you’d like to share? Send your inquiries to our Bird Tales section using our Submit Your Story form.

Submit your story»

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