Death on Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

Dead-ish Poinsettia

For me, Garden Bloggers Bloom Day is a bust this month. This poinsettia has been living happily on our dining table, in front of a big southern window since Christmas.  At night we close the lined curtains, to slightly moderate heat loss. I’ve kept it watered, but yesterday I came downstairs and when I opened the curtains I saw that it was withered and drooping. I don’t think it was below 32 degrees in our living space, but it was cool.  Did several nights of zero degree temperatures prove too much for it?  What happened?  Any ideas?

Cyclamen

This cyclamen did pretty well on this uncurtained windowsill, but a couple of weeks ago I noticed that the window side of the plant was dying. I suspect the plant will recover. In the fall. Unlike poinsettias, cyclamen don’t mind cold weather, although putting it right next to  window was probably too much to ask.

That is my sad report on this Garden Bloggers Bloom Day in February 2014, but I am sure you will find many happier stories if you click here.  I can always count on our hos Carol over at May Dreams Gardens for optimism.

This Post Has 12 Comments

  1. Lisa at Greenbow

    This has been a sad winter unless you ski or snowshoe I guess. Poinsettas never last for me. They all die a slow ugly death. Your cyclaman is gorgeous. Happy GBBD.

  2. Pat

    Lisa – I never try to hold over poinsettias, but this demise was so sudden.

  3. Lea

    My Poinsettia only lasted a couple of weeks, so don’t feel too bad about yours. The stems may leaf out again. Pretty cyclamen!
    Happy Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day!
    Lea

  4. PlantPostings

    Awww, bummer about the sudden changes. I’ve had similar things happen with Poinsettias in the past, so I never try to keep them going now. I wonder if your Cyclamen will come back if you cut off the brown parts and pull it away from the window a bit? Maybe the sun by the window was too bright, too? (I’m not a Cyclamen expert, just wondering.)

  5. Pat

    Lea – I never worry much about poinsettias. A short lived annual as far as I’m concerned.
    PlantPostings – I do think the cyclamen will come back. I will remove it from that windowsill, and then they go dormant in the summer to revive in the fall. I’ll site it better next winter. Usually my problem is finding a cool enough place for it to live.

  6. It probably got too cold for your pointsettia but they are seasonal. Cyclamen are seasonal as well and do go dormant for periods of time so it should be fine. Cut off any dead foliage and it will sprout some new growth in the center. 🙂

  7. Rose

    I completely forgot about my poinsettia for Bloom Day–that would have given me one bloom, at least:) Mine never last either, Pat; they usually wind up on the compost pile by February. Hope your cyclamen recovers, though; it’s been a tough winter for everybody.

  8. _emily_rose

    Aww, I hate your poinsettia is drooping, it’s such a pretty speckled plant!!

  9. Michele in Salem

    My poinsettia looks similar, and no GBBD post for me this month since there’s a mountain of snow out there… March is coming and it will be better!

  10. Helene

    Thanks for visiting and commenting on my blog, sorry to see your poinsettia taking a dive – I must admit I never try keeping mine for much longer than round about this time so I can’t give much advice. Mine are definitely for ‘Christmas and a bit’.
    As for indoor cyclamens, they are much more fiddly than the outdoor versions that I grow, requiring the right amount of light and water while quite tender. I would think the flowering season is far from over yet so just pick off anything dead and put it on your table instead of on your window sill. Cyclamens don’t need direct sunshine, in fact, you can fry the laves in very crisp, warm sunshine, but I suppose that’s not what has happened to yours.

  11. Pat

    Lee – I have every confidence that the cyclamen will recover.
    Rose – a rough winter indeed. The sun was shining at 4 pm and my husband asked if I wanted to take a walk. but the temperature was 15 degrees and windy. I declined.
    Emily Rose – I did like those speckled bracts!
    Michele – March will be a better month!
    Helene – You sure know your cyclamens. Thanks for visiting.

  12. Craig

    I think it’s just been too cold for plants like these to survive. Especially keeping them near windows. Maybe you should move them away from windows during the nights and mornings until it warms throughout the day. Good luck with spring!

Leave a Reply