Give new life to Christmas flowers – repot or plant outdoors

Whether you put away Christmas right after New Year's or wait until the 13th or 20th day of Christmas, you don't need to throw away the Christmas plants. With simple steps, you can enjoy them a little longer - or reuse them.

Is there anything that shines as beautifully during the Advent season as the Christmas stars? They are the very essence of Christmas. Unfortunately, they often wither quickly and lose their leaves, but it doesn't have to be the end for the Christmas star. If you cut off the flower and a pair of leaves below, and replant in new soil just as new leaves begin to develop, you can overwinter the Christmas star in a bright spot until next Christmas - and maybe even longer than that.

If you also top the plant regularly, it will become dense and strong - a beautiful green plant even when it is not blooming.

Keep the soil moist and provide nutrients occasionally. When you want the poinsettia to turn red, pink or white again as it once was - let it stand in the dark for twelve hours a day and then in light for the rest of the day.

Amaryllis bulbs are grateful to store. After flowering, cut down the flower and seed pods, but leave the stem to wither on its own – this way it gives nutrients back to the bulb. The plant is then cared for like a regular potted plant with nutrients and water next to the bulb.

Shortly after on late spring the plant will produce a new stem with a flower. Unfortunately, it's not so easy to determine exactly when it will bloom again, but the flower is still strikingly beautiful when it arrives.

Lilies can advantageously be planted outside in well-drained soil when they have withered in their pots - then nature will take care of the rest. They get a little help against the cold if you cover the ground around them with dry leaves. If the frost has not yet left the ground when the flowers have withered inside, you leave them in their pots, but do not water them until the weather allows for planting them outdoors.

The flowering may be delayed a couple of years, but it will come slowly, so it's just a matter of being patient. They are well worth the wait!

The azaleas we have indoors are called "romazaleas", and they come in a variety of colors, double or single varieties. The best way to overwinter them is to leave them outside during the frost-free period of the year. They will bloom in vibrant colors when you bring them back inside.

The plants originate from China, Taiwan, Burma, and Thailand where the humidity is high, and daily rain washes over them. This means that they thrive if sprayed with water regularly. Because of their need for moisture, they can be a bit tricky to keep alive in our dry indoor climate, but it is possible. Place the plant in partial shade and keep it moist, but not waterlogged. Repotting it in a larger pot, preferably in a plastic pot, will make it easier to maintain a good moisture level. Azaleas also like to have nutrients, but not during flowering. The flowers last longest when kept cool and bright.

The primrose is a delicate flower that ranges from white to pink and red, and is equally beautiful indoors as outdoors. Indoors, it should be placed in a bright but cool spot - and it should never be allowed to dry out, but also not to be overwatered. After the flowering season, you can cut off the stem. Then, place the plant in a bright spot, at around five degrees Celsius, with minimal watering until the weather is suitable for planting outdoors (it can withstand a few degrees below zero).

In the garden, Christmas rose thrives best in partial shade and in deep nutrient-rich soil, preferably with a high pH value, where it can bloom for as long as a couple of months.

Another way to extend the life of the Christmas rose is to plant the seeds - this must be done right after the seeds develop. If you are lucky, the Christmas rose can sow itself, and then you will get a lot of small free plants in the pot.

The most magnificent of all Christmas plants is the Christmas tree. The classical one often has no roots, but there are still many ways to reuse it. Here are some of them:

Use the fir tree in cultivation, as a base in a so-called hugelkultur.Use the branches as protection against cold-sensitive perennials in winter.Use the trunk as a rustic garden border.Use the whole or parts of the tree as a natural plant support for climbers.Chip the fir tree and use it in garden pathways.Take the fir tree to a recycling station, where it can be turned into biochar, biogas, biofuel, or part of new compost soil.In several cities and towns, public and/or voluntary organizations offer to pick up your Christmas tree after the holidays. Check what options are available where you live.

A final important advice: Do not burn the Christmas tree in the fireplace. The needles are highly flammable and can create both sparks, dangerous gases, and chimney fires. You can use the trunk as firewood eventually, but it must be allowed to dry for a good while first. Wet firewood burns poorly, creates a lot of soot, and increases the risk of chimney fires.