It is December and it is the season to be jolly, as the old saying goes. But Christmas in the tropics just isn’t the same as it is on the mainland and Europe. ADVERTISING It is December and it is
It is December and it is the season to be jolly, as the old saying goes. But Christmas in the tropics just isn’t the same as it is on the mainland and Europe.
In Hawaii, we often see the same activities we might see in July. The surf and beach are still the big attraction. Folks might even take the holidays to catch up on plant projects.
Some folks miss the snow and the bite of frost in the air. They miss the cold, dark days, when all life is dormant. They long for the coziness of an open fireplace and the smell of turkey, ham or roast beef cooking in the kitchen.
Most of the customs now associated with Christmas have little to do with the real meaning.
In fact, the very day we celebrate probably is not the actual birth date of Christ. In Europe, this particular date was celebrated long before Christ was born. The celebration was associated with the winter solstice, or the shortest day of the year, and the fact that the days were getting longer.
Most of the customs now associated with Christmas go back thousands of years when people worshiped pagan gods.
The use of Christmas trees is thought to have originated in Germany. During the eighth century, a missionary, St. Boniface, was trying to stamp out the rite of sacrificing people to the oak tree. He led these tree-worshiping people into the forest in the dead of winter to show them the only tree with no cursing stain of blood upon it. This was the evergreen fir, which lives and grows when Earth is darkest.
He showed them that the tree pointed upward toward the Christ Child. He told them to take this tree into their homes as a symbol of their newfound faith.
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Now, let’s look at a couple of other plants we associate with Christmastime.
The holly, for thousands of years, has had all manner of mystical charms and qualities attributed to it. The use of holly during Christmas is likely to have come from the Teutonic custom of hanging holly in their houses. They did this so the tree sprites might have a warm, safe shelter from winter storms.
The mistletoe originally had nothing to do with Christmas, it was considered sacred by those same tree worshippers because it grew on oak trees. To this day in Europe, amulets and rings of mistletoe are worn as an antidote against sickness.
Even neophytes claim yields after planting the license-to-kiss greenery. Planting techniques are unimportant. It’s the harvest that counts, they say.
By the way, planting mistletoe over the threshold, also known as Yuletide gardening, will be the top activity for many self-styled farmers through the holidays.
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Since there is little chance that the threshold project will thrive longer than the holiday season, let’s turn our attention to other indoor plantings.
What to plant depends on conditions under which the plants grow. “Cast-iron” plants that will withstand abuse and adverse conditions such as low light intensity and warm, dry rooms include aglaonema, aspidistra, bromeliads, dracaena, monstera, pandanus, peperomia, philodendron, sansevieria and scindapsus.
Plants that will grow under adverse conditions but need more light and more humidity than those just mentioned are dieffenbachia, ficus, palms, syngonium and anthurium.
A few of the many other plants that will thrive indoors are African violets, aspidistra, Norfolk Island pine, Rex begonia, fittonia, wandering Jew, jade plant, Asparagus plumosus and many orchids.
Chances are that even the veteran gardener might have some trouble with indoor plants. Now is a good time to check your plants and make corrections.
Here are a few tips to diagnosing some common plant ailments.
• Brown tips or burned margins of leaves could mean too much fertilizer and plants being allowed to dry out temporarily. Yellowing and dropping of leaves hint at overwatering or poor drainage.
• Small leaves indicate tight or heavy soil, lack of fertilizer or dry soil. Weak growth or light green to yellow color of leaves might mean too much light, lack of fertilizer, root rot or possibly root injury.
• Yellow, wilting or soft growth could come from too much heat or from root injury. Small leaves and long internodes could be from too little light or too high temperatures.
• Adding as little water and fertilizer as possible to keep the plants healthy and growing contributes to the success of the indoor plants. During cool, dark days, plants absorb much less fertilizer than during warm sunny weather. Adjust fertilizer applications accordingly.
This information is supplied by the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources. For more information about gardening and landscaping, contact one of our Master Gardeners at 981-5199 in Hilo or 322-4892 in Kona.
