3+ hour, 9+ min ago (26+ words) National Poinsettia Day is Dec. 12. The day honors Joel Poinsett, the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico, who is credited with introducing this beloved Christmas......

13+ hour, 29+ min ago (672+ words) Keep your tree festive and fresh for the holiday season. You've corralled the family, walked the lot, looked at every last tree, debated which was too'Charlie Brown'and which looked like it belonged in the center of town. You settled on one that was'juuust'right, brought it home,'trimmed it to your heart's content, and now it's time to simply enjoy, right? Not so fast. Unlike most holiday decor, it's not just about easy setup and'smart storage. Opting for a living Christmas tree over an'artificial tree'comes with a bit of maintenance, mostly in the form of watering. As experts at the Department of Horticulture and Department of Forestry at'Michigan State University advise,'there are three essential factors to having a tree that's festive for the whole season: "Fresh tree, fresh cut, fresh water." Here's what you need to know. Before you ever…...

18+ hour, 9+ min ago (327+ words) The weather service differs from the calendar by defining winter as being the months of December, January and February, and conversely, autumn is September, October and November. According to their measurement, we are now at the end of fall. The days of bare trees in November made seeing late migrants easier. The local mammals were preparing for the coming cold, and with the early darkness, we had great stargazing and auroras. But the weather of these months showed more. All three fall months shared temperatures above normal, and all three recorded precipitation below the norm. (This year's moisture is far under expected.) So far, very little snow has fallen. Among others affected by the arid conditions have been the mushrooms. Usually, these fungi are a big part of the autumn scene. Some were found early in the season, but most…...

19+ hour, 22+ min ago (825+ words) The countdown to Christmas is already here, and unless you're a real early bird, you probably haven't put up a real tree just yet. For many of us, it's a cherished festive tradition, and signals the start of the celebrations to come. Unlike an artificial tree, a real tree will fill your home with the scent of pine and add to the overall ambience of the occasion. However, alongside those twinkling fairy lights, and glittering decorations, there could be a few unwelcome surprises lurking among the needles. And it's all thanks to an unusually warm summer that saw ladybirds and wasp numbers soar. Apart from these mini beasts, the spider population has also gained momentum, and these eight-legged creepy crawlies are looking for a cozy retreat. According to Sophie Thorogood, pest prevention specialist at Pest-Stop, your Christmas tree could be…...

22+ hour, 9+ min ago (151+ words) Now that Thanksgiving is over, we will all be getting our holiday decorations out, if you haven't already started. It's a great time to go out on Thanksgiving weekend to pick out a Christmas tree for the holiday season. As a plant lover, it is difficult to get through the winter with no plants, but never fear, there are options: Herbs are often grown indoors i" Frost is certain this time of the year. We made it a lot longer in the season before the first hard frost than usual this year. Frost impacts " It's the middle of October now, which is prime time for fall weather, fall activities and, of course, all the Halloween preparations. There ar" It is now fall and the weather will become more comfortable soon before it's just cold. Here are a few things to…...

1+ day, 2+ hour ago (915+ words) Poinsettias may be planted in the garden and can grow to be large shrubs for next year's holidays. Although we have been seeing Christmas decorations in some stores, the Christmas holidays don't seem real until our Thanksgiving leftovers are thoroughly digested. The poinsettia and its close relative, Euphorbia leucocephala or "Snow on the Mountain," are now in spectacular color. They are at their best in dryer areas like Kona, Ka'u and Kohala. However, they do not like strong winds. Although mainland folks think of the poinsettia as a Christmas flower, for us it blooms November through March. They are originally from dryer regions of Mexico so they do best with less rain during their flowering season. The poinsettia, or Euphorbia pulcherrima, was introduced to the United States in 1828 by Joel Roberts Poinsett, a botanist and first U.S. ambassador to Mexico. There…...

1+ day, 2+ hour ago (915+ words) Poinsettias may be planted in the garden and can grow to be large shrubs for next year's holidays. Although we have been seeing Christmas decorations in some stores, the Christmas holidays don't seem real until our Thanksgiving leftovers are thoroughly digested. The poinsettia and its close relative, Euphorbia leucocephala or "Snow on the Mountain," are now in spectacular color. They are at their best in dryer areas like Kona, Ka'u and Kohala. However, they do not like strong winds. Although mainland folks think of the poinsettia as a Christmas flower, for us it blooms November through March. They are originally from dryer regions of Mexico so they do best with less rain during their flowering season. The poinsettia, or Euphorbia pulcherrima, was introduced to the United States in 1828 by Joel Roberts Poinsett, a botanist and first U.S. ambassador to Mexico. There…...

1+ day, 6+ hour ago (1091+ words) Scroll down to win a "200 Dobbies Garden Centre voucher DID you know that the carbon footprint from manufacturing and disposing of a single plastic Christmas tree is the equivalent to around 88lbs of greenhouse gasses? While the impact on the planet of disposing of a real tree by chipping it and recycling it into bark is pretty much zero. Of course I'm biased " but if you're thinking about buying a real tree there's a few top tips you should know about. B&Q sell thousands of trees every year, and their chief horticulturalist Mark Sage told Sun Gardening: "In a nutshell, installing proper care from the offset will save money. "To maintain the appearance and freshness, it's crucial to water it daily. "A dehydrated tree will quickly begin to droop and wilt. FIT FOR A QUEEN Inside Queen Elizabeth II memorial…...

1+ day, 6+ hour ago (1088+ words) Scroll down to win a "200 Dobbies Garden Centre voucher DID you know that the carbon footprint from manufacturing and disposing of a single plastic Christmas tree is the equivalent to around 88lbs of greenhouse gasses? While the impact on the planet of disposing of a real tree by chipping it and recycling it into bark is pretty much zero. Of course I'm biased " but if you're thinking about buying a real tree there's a few top tips you should know about. B&Q sell thousands of trees every year, and their chief horticulturalist Mark Sage told Sun Gardening: "In a nutshell, installing proper care from the offset will save money. "To maintain the appearance and freshness, it's crucial to water it daily. "A dehydrated tree will quickly begin to droop and wilt. FIT FOR A QUEEN Inside Queen Elizabeth II memorial…...

1+ day, 9+ hour ago (305+ words) Published 4:04 pm Friday, November 28, 2025 The plants winter "flower" intrigued him so much so that in the 1830s, he transported it with him to his home in South Carolina for cultivation. During the Christmas Holiday keep your Poinsettia in a bright (indirect light) location inside and water the plant when the potting mix begins to feel dry to the touch, keeping them away from hot and cold drafts. Begin fertilizing after their color begins to fade and always protect from temperatures 55" or below. Poinsettias prefer soil marginally moist but not overly wet and saturated. Well-drained soil is imperative for them, or they will quickly suffer from root rot if water is allowed to stand at the plants roots. Soil which is dry to the touch (1" from surface) indicates watering is necessary or when bracts & leaves droop. Did You Know" The festival foil…...