Rocky Mountain States Holiday Checklist: Shopping and Winter Garden Care

Shopping

• Poinsettia alternatives: Azaleas, bromeliads (Guzmania hybrids), Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera × buckleyi), kalanchoe, Phalaenopsis orchids.
• Living Christmas trees: Hardy: alpine fir, Colorado blue spruce, Engelmann spruce, white fir. Care indoors, then move to cool bright porch; transplant when soil workable. Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla)—subtropical, stays indoors year-round.

Maintenance

• Poinsettia care: Choose fully colored, dense green foliage to base. Wrap in plastic/paper bag for transport. Place in cool, non-drafty room, away from heat, with 6+ hrs bright indirect light. Water when soil dry—don't soggy or puddle saucer. No fertilizer during bloom.
• Indoor whitefly control: Spray infested plants every 5–7 days: neem oil (2 treatments), summer oil (3rd). Hit leaf undersides for eggs. Yellow sticky traps for adults. In greenhouses/sunrooms, release Encarsia wasps (Planet Natural: 800-289-6656, www.planetnatural.com).
• Identify microclimates: Note where snow lingers longest—good insulation for broadleaf evergreens (boxwood, arborvitae, yew) and tender perennials.
• Prevent snow damage: Tie conifer branches loosely with twine in natural bend direction. For delicate shrubs (daphne, holly, rhododendron), build a "tent" with snow fencing or hinged plywood/lattice. Small plants: burlap on stake frame, top open.
• Study winter landscape: Mark spots for evergreens (needle-leaf for sun, broadleaf for shade) and ornamental grasses. Stake future planting sites; install next spring.