The DO'S and DONT'S of POINSETTIA care

Here are the DO's of poinsettia care
• DO place your plant in indirect sunlight for at least six hours per day. If direct sun can't be avoided, diffuse the light with a shade or sheer curtain.
• DO provide room temperatures between 68 - 70° F. Generally speaking, if you are comfortable, so is your poinsettia.
• DO water your plant when the soil feels dry to the touch.

• DO cover your plant when transporting it from church or your office to home
• DO fertilize your plant AFTER THE BLOOMING SEASON with a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer.

And here are the DON'Ts of poinsettia care
• DON'T place plants near cold drafts or excessive heat. Avoid placing plants near appliances, fireplaces or ventilating ducts or the top of a television.
• DON'T expose plants to temperatures below 50° F. Poinsettias are sensitive to cold, so avoid placing them outside during the winter months.
• DON'T over water your plant, or allow it to sit in standing water. Always remove a plant from any decorative container before watering, and allow the water to drain completely.
• DON'T expose your plant to chilling winds when transporting it.
• DON'T fertilize your plant when it is in bloom.

Christmas Open House

Florafinos Christmas Open House is on
November 22 4-8PM and November 23 12AM-4PM

We’re excited to bring you a host of new items this year!

Amaryllis Bulbs are IN! Big and Beautiful we have colors from red, white, pink and green. Jumbo Bulbs with 2-3 stalks and 3-4 blooms per stalk! Awsome!

-A new gift line from Transpac International with fun snowman and women to choose from!

-Fun and upscale glassware from Accent Décor to make different or even unusual arrangements that speak of fun and to the inner soul.

-Gourmet goodies including chocolate covered biscottis, tea biscuits and teas, Ghirardelli hot chocolate (to be used in our hot chocolate mug specials), chocolate spoons, sugar stirrers, crackers, cheese, and more. All for use in our many different gift baskets which will be available

-Mouthwatering goodies from the “Mississippi Cheese Straw Factory: Asiago cheese straws, (the original Italian masterpiece) Original Lemon straws, (delightfully tart), and Mud puppies (bite size cookies rich with chocolate chips, flaked oats and pecans!!YUMM

-Health minded products to sooth the aching feet of the holidays and everyday from Smith and Van diver; intense moisturizing shea butter cream, gift packs for the footsies, and fun fizzing cupcakes that dissolve in the bath to sooth the aching body and mind…

- New lines of Quality silk products from 3 different manufacturers, something new for every taste and budget!! Stems, wreaths, swags, arrangements, baubles and bows.

-Our new organic Bamboo pots which are made from bamboo fiber and are 100% natural; no chemicals or artificial components (sounds good enough to eat!), in an array of colors and sizes. Come check them out!!!

-New Root candle line, I love it, in addition to our oldie but goodie line of Swan Creek candles (both made here in good ol” Ohio!!

- Oodles of wonderful Holiday plants including Italian cypress vines, Rosemary cones, Creeping rusica vine, kissing balls, ivy wreaths(yes, ivy formed into wreathes that may be hung on the wall or used as a centerpiece on a table, also the ever popular “Poinsettias” in a multitude of colors and price ranges.

- Annnd “Hammonds”, “authentic candy canes” I think I might be most excited about these, because they bring out the kid in me and all of us! As seen on “Good Eats”, these canes are made the old fashioned way and are hand crooked!

Come check ‘em out!

"Fall" in for Fall

"Mums" the Word

A very popular plant for late season color is Fall mums, sometimes called "Garden mums" or "Hardy mums". Fall garden mums are available in a wide selection of colors, flower types... shapes and sizes. Fall garden mums are a low maintenance easy to grow plant that can be kept in containers or grown in beds. They are drought resistant and generally free of insect and disease pests.

Planting

Most Fall mums are purchased and planted from late August into September. Fall mums prefer to be planted in an area that receives full sun, but most cultivars can get by with a half day of direct sunshine. For ultimate growth, plant your new fall garden mums in fertile well drained soil. Poorly drained soil is the leading cause of winter mortality.

Watering

Fall garden mums should never be allowed to wilt... especially newly transplanted plants. Check your fall garden mums every couple of days for watering until you become familiar with their needs, particularly during dry spells. Be sure to thoroughly water-in your new transplants.

Summer Time is HERE

There are so many blooms out there that are just ripe for the picking and are screaming to be arranged. Flowers reflect the freshness and warmth of summer and it always nice to have a flower arrangement at home. Certain flowers only bloom in the summer and it is best to feature them in your summer flower arrangements.
Here is a list of summer flowers that you can use in flower arrangements:
-Sunflower. Representing the brightness of the summer season, sunflowers are considered the primary summer flowers. These big, eye-catching, and vibrant flowers only bloom completely during the summer. They are great for big and elaborate arrangements.

- Aster. Aster attracts bright and colorful butterflies in the summer. These flowers come in beautiful shades of white, pink, blue, and purple. According to flower myths and traditions, aster signifies patience, variety, and delicacy.

- Sweet Pea. You can add sweet pea to your flower arrangement to give it a nice, sweet scent.

- Daisy. This summer flower denotes innocence, gentleness and purity. Sometimes called "the marker of summer", the daisy is also called the "day's eye" because it opens up and closes along with the sun.

- Lily. The sensitizing effect of lilies will never fail to lighten your mood or bring a smile to your face so add them in your flower arrangement.

- Snapdragons. Snapdragons make beautiful cut flowers. They are great hung from a basket or kept in a tall, slim vase.

Make the best of summer by putting summer arrangments in your house, garden, and office with these summer blooms. They will not only beautify your room, they can lighten up your mood as well.

Mood-boosting Blooms

Improving mood and boosting energy may be as simple as getting flowers. They smell dreamy, flowers increase life satisfaction, certain mixed color arrangements can trigger specific emotions. When you receive flowers there is a quick mood lift, and within a week you can get a rise in compassion and kindness and a drop in sadness and anxiety. Especially in the workplace, where you can feel more enthusiastic and energetic than the others, just with flowers on your desk or in the office. For energy bold tones boost spirits, bright primary colors like red, yellows and blues are beautiful together but when you mix them with purples and greens the unexpected pairing is playful and stimulating. For a calming sense, cool clear colors like light green, misty blue and pale lavenders resemble nature at its best like the sea and sky that give you a sense of constancy that may help reduce stress. Flowers are great to have around in any situation, when your sad bright colors with boost your playfulness, when your stressed cool colors will help you relax, and when your happy anyway a fun colored arrangement with give you more energy.

Easter Lily Care

In spring, Easter lilies fill our homes with bright blooms and fragrant aromas. While the flowers seem to quickly come and go, there are some guidelines that may extend the life of your lily.

It is important to leave the plant indoors until the last frost, usually sometime after April. Keep the plant in a sunny location, but away from direct sunlight, heat, or heavy drafts. Easter lilies prefer cooler temperatures, usually around 60-65º during the day, and 55-60º during the night. Be sure to water the plant if the surface of the soil feels dry. Empty the saucer regularly to avoid having the lily sit in water. Also keep in mind that the Easter lily is highly toxic to cats.

Have a Happy Easter!

From all of us at FLORAFINO'S.

St. Patricks Day March 17 2008

There are literally hundreds of types of oxalis and several of them make very nice indoor blooming plants. The variety most commonly grown as shamrocks for St. Patrick's Day is Oxalis acetosella. It is a three-leaf clover with pure white blooms and a compact growth habit. Another wonderful variety for indoors is Oxalis deppei with red blooms and quartered leaves that have a dark zone near the center of each leaf. There is a variety that has huge maroon leaves and pink blooms and another with delicate yellow flowers. Most oxalis have 3 or 4 divisions to the leaf, but they can have up to 9 parts.

What are the light requirements for shamrocks?
All oxalis need lots of light to grow and bloom well. This can even be full afternoon sun in the winter time, but not in the summer. If you are using artificial light, try to provide at least 12 hours each day.

How much water do they need?
They need to be kept just barely damp. Whenever possible, let them dry slightly between waterings.

Do they have any special temperature requirements?
Shamrocks and other oxalis prefer cool temperatures, especially while in bloom. Keep them in a cool room at night (between 50-65º) and avoid letting them get any warmer than 70-75º during the day. Warmer temperatures will encourage them to go dormant earlier.


Do shamrocks need much humidity?
They do fine with average household humidity. Mist occasionally or place them on a humidity tray.

Sweet Valentine

Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones. The holiday is named after two among the numerous Early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Middle Ages when the traditon of courtly love flurished.
Nothing says it is Valentine’s Day better than red roses. The meaning of Valentine’s Day flowers with red roses is love. It is an ideal, but unoriginal, way of telling her that you love her without saying a word. You have to have the mindset of what type of flower arrangement, including color and type of flower, would personalize her best. When choosing flowers for this lover’s holiday, do keep in mind the type of person that you are buying for. Roses come in a variety of colors and meanings. While the red rose is all for love, the yellow has a meaning of friendship and the pink is all about happiness.

Give a bouquet to your special valentine. She will know instantly that you thought of her first on this holiday and hopefully her sentiment is the same for you. You both will be bursting with love and this day will be forever remembered. Now we have discussed the red rose as an option for Valentine’s Day. It is a flower that has been given over and over again and has lost some of its love appeal. Consider a sunflower for the person in your life. The meaning of this Valentine’s Day flower is admiration. Your special someone will feel adored by you all day long. A tulip given on Valentine’s Day has a meaning of the perfect lover. Now that is a desired compliment.
The meaning of Valentine’s Day flowers can be what ever you would like. The person receiving them will get an overwhelming feeling of appreciation that you thought of them on this day. No matter what type of flower you give her, one thing is for sure, she will love the thought behind this gift that speaks ever so loudly to the heart without ever saying a word.

Cyclamen Plant Care

Water:
~ When leaves are present, the plant is actively growing. Water whenever the soil feels dry. Avoid getting water on the crown of the plant.
~ As the flowers begin to fade, gradually allow the plant to dry out for 2-3 months. It's going into a dormant stage (see below) and any excess water will cause the tuber to rot.
~ New growth will probably start to appear around September. At this point, resume watering and feeding. Bring it back indoors before the cold weather.
Humidity:
~ High humidity, especially during winter, is crucial. Keep the cyclamen on a tray of water with a layer of pebbles or something else to form a shelf for the cyclamen pot to sit on. Do not let the cyclamen itself sit in the water.
Fertilizer:

~ Feed with a low-nitrogen fertilizer every couple of weeks while in full leaf.
Light:
~ Give cyclamen bright, indirect light in the winter. While your plant is dormant during the summer, keep it out of bright light.
Temperature:

~ Cyclamen do not like heat, but they are not frost hardy. Do not expose to temperatures below 50 degrees F. Avoid drafts as well as hot, dry air.
Dormancy Period:
~ Cyclamen generally go dormant for the summer. They don’t like the lack of rain and excess heat, so they take a siesta. By April cyclamen start getting tired and the leaves will begin to yellow and die. When they go fully dormant depends on their growing conditions. If they are houseplants and the heat is kept high, they’ll peter out more quickly. On the other hand, some don’t ever appear to go fully dormant. During the summer, dormant cyclamen can be kept indoors, in a cool, dark spot with good air circulation or outdoors, in a shady spot. If you put yours outdoors, be sure to turn the pot on its side to keep the rain out. If the soil gets too wet during dormancy, the tuber will rot. A little water isn’t going to do any harm, but you don’t want the soil to remain wet. You can repot with fresh soil and a slightly larger pot while the plant is dormant.
Begin watering again in September. By then you’ll probably be seeing new growth starting.
Make sure you bring the pot back indoors before a frost.

Bulbs, Bulb's, and more Bulb's

There is nothing quite as beautiful as seeing

your spring flowering bulbs burst into color after the long cold winter. You can add beauty and color almost anywhere in your landscape or home with a little time, planning and effort in the fall. Back in September Florafinos potted Crocus, Daffodils, Hyacinths, and Grape Hyacinths.

For those of you who don not know what a crocus bowl is...

~It's crocus bulbs in a ceramic container that have holes punched around the sides, reminiscent of a strawberry jar. This gives you a ball of crocus blooms

~Beautiful crocus bloom indoors during the winter!

~Great for any occasion or just to cheer someone up.

Valentines Day is Thursday Feb 14th!

Wedding News

Book you wedding flowers now for 2008.

Stop By January 12 down at Secrest Auditorium for the 2008 wedding show to see Florafino's display on all the hottest colors, trends, and bouquets.
www.coz.org/secrest.cfm- Secrest Auditorium

For more about the show- http://www.whiznews.com/prom.php


Need Advice on Wedding flowers? Your welcome to stop by anytime at Florafino's to view our books and pictures and speak to one of our designers to get what your looking for, and we'll help you visualize and get the right look, colors and flowers for your wedding.

New Year Notes

First of all, happy and healthy New Year to all.

Still have bulbs to plant? As long as the ground is workable you can get them into the ground. For those of you forcing bulbs inside, like tulips and hyacinth's, make sure they have had enough cold weeks before you begin forcing them, typically anywhere between 10-15 weeks is sufficient. Indoor bulbs, if your amaryllis have flowered all ready make sure you fertilize the remaining plant and keep it actively growning until summer.