FOR RELEASE THE WEEK OF DEC. 28, 1998:
How can I get my holiday cactus to rebloom?
Native to the humid forests and jungles of Brazil, holiday cacti thrive on rich, well-drained, damp–but not soaking wet–soil and bloom best when somewhat pot-bound. Now here’s the catch, says Kelly Hanson, University of Idaho Advanced Master Gardener: to rebloom at Christmas, they need 6 to 8 weeks of short days beginning in mid-September.
For its flower-prompting "time-out," move your holiday cactus to a basement, porch or spare room that stays between 55 and 60 degrees and that gets no more than 9 hours of light–normal or artificial. Or, cover it with a dark cloth for 15 hours each day. Once the flower buds begin to form, return the cactus to an area of normal daylight and 60-70 degree temperatures, wait a few more weeks and prepare to enjoy those gorgeous, fuchsia-like blooms.
Hanson says your holiday cactus is no throw-away plant: his wife still tends one she got from her great-grandmother, who brought it over from Sweden.
I’m tired of losing weight and then gaining it all back. What’s the best way to lose it and keep it off in 1999?
After you’ve checked with your doctor to make sure it’s safe for you to lose weight, plan to meet with a registered dietitian for a detailed diet history and individualized diet recommendations, says Martha Raidl, University of Idaho extension nutrition specialist. To ensure that you’re losing fat–not water and muscle–aim for a slow, gradual weight loss of one to two pounds a week.
Exercise is essential, Raidl says. According to the National Weight Control Registry, 2,000 individuals who lost an average of 66 pounds and have kept it off for an average of six years do so by exercising about an hour a day. "Many of them walk four miles a day," she says. "You don’t have to join a fancy gym to exercise."
Finally, Raidl says studies indicate that people who keep daily food records are more likely to stay on their diets. They not only get a grip on what they’re actually eating but on why they’re eating it. Here’s what your record-keeping should include: 1) the food item, 2) its method of preparation (baked, fried, etc.), 3) the amount eaten (1/3 cup, 3 ounces, etc.), 4) the time of day, 5) how long it took to eat it, 6) how you felt (angry, happy, hungry, bored, etc.), and 7) how hungry you were before you ate it (starved, moderately hungry, not very hungry).
What’s the best time to prune our hardwood trees?
The rule of thumb is that species that have a large sap flow in the spring–such as beech, birch and maple–should be pruned in December or January, whereas other hardwood species like black cherry, walnut and oak can be pruned in February or March. According to Yvonne Carree, University of Idaho extension associate in forestry, the colder temperatures of late December and January slow down the amount of sap oozing from pruning wounds. Winter pruning also gives these species time to seal off pruning wounds before their sap starts flowing heavily in the spring.
"It’s not necessarily bad for excess sap to flow from trees during pruning," says Carree, "but it is rather unsightly."
How should I care for my poinsettia after Christmas? Can I make it bloom again?
To encourage your sad-looking poinsettia to rebloom after its November-December peak, University of Idaho Master Gardener Debbie Cook recommends you reduce watering in March or April and cut back its stems to about 4 inches above soil level. As the plant’s new growth forms, resume regular watering and begin fertilizing for the length of the growing season.
Now, here’s the tricky part: Beginning in late September and continuing for eight weeks, keep your poinsettia in total darkness for 14 hours a day–from early evening until morning. Set a box or a plastic bag over it or move it into a light-sealed closet: use whatever means necessary to prevent light from reaching it. Keep its night temperatures at 60-65 degrees. As a reward for your troubles, bracts should begin to change colors and flowers to form–and your poinsettia should be in bloom again by next Christmas.