Christmas and the holiday season are coming! Which “festive” plants should you grow and how can you help them stay alive? For many people, nothing makes the holidays lovelier than getting a beautiful poinsettia or holiday cactus during this time. But there’s absolutely nothing worse than seeing the holiday plant that you fell in love with just wither before your very eyes because they need a different care than you’re used to. So today we’ll talk about how to care for classic holiday plants with horticultural expert Farid Khalil from Mahoney's Garden Center.In this episode, we learn:[04:32] Who is Farid Khalil from Mahoney’s Garden Center?[08:04] What do the holidays look like at Mahoney's?[10:20] What is a poinsettia and how do you care for it?[14:48] Give your plants the light they deserve this winter with Soltech Grow Lights![16:12] Pre-order Square Foot Gardening, 4th Edition now and get new plans, tips, and updates![19:21] How to care for poinsettias successfully?[25:52] Are poinsettias toxic to pets and children?[27:24] What are some poinsettia alternatives?[30:04] Repot your holiday plants with Espoma Organic’s premium quality products![31:20] Why Cyclamen is a nice holiday plant[32:51] How Cyclamen become associated with Christmas[34:39] How should you care for Cyclamen?[38:35] Christmas cactus vs easter cactus[40:20] How to care for a Christmas cactus[44:19] How to care for a Norfolk Island Pine[49:30] Why Lemon cypress is a good holiday plant[51:46] Get to know about Mahoney's Garden Center!Mentioned in our conversation:Mahoney's Garden CenterThe history of the Morel company, creator of cyclamenSchoneveld BreedingFor Farid's garden center-tested holiday plant care tips,check out the full show notes and blog here!Follow Mahoney’s Garden Center:WebsiteInstagramFacebookPinterestXThank you to our episode sponsors:Soltech SolutionsCheck them out at soltechsolutions.com and get 15% off with code "bloom15".Quarto: Square Foot Gardening, 4th EditionGrab the 4th edition of Square Foot Gardening at your favorite local bookstore, bookshop.org, Barnes and Noble, quarto.com or amazon.com.Espoma OrganicVisit espoma.com to find your local Espoma dealer or check my Amazon storefront.Follow Maria and Growing Joy:Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants) by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha LeungJoin the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet! Get your FREE 2-week trial here!Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!Instagram: @growingjoywithmariaTiktok: @growingjoywithmariaSubscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmariaWebsite: www.growingjoywithmaria.comPinterest: @growingjoywithmariaOur Sponsors:* Check out Manukora: https://manukora.com/BLOOM* Check out Uncommon Goods and use my code BLOOM for a great deal: www.uncommongoods.com* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/BLOOMAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
