Poinsettias are the most popular potted plant in the US, even though most of them are bought in a six week period.

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Quick care overview:

• Put your poinsettia in a sunny window. Don't let the plant touch cold windows.
• Keep poinsettias away from warm or cold drafts (open doors and windows, as well as heating and air conditioning vents).
• Your poinsettia likes daytime temperatures of 60-70°F, night temperatures of around 55°F and about 50% humidity. High temperatures will shorten its life. Move the plant to a cooler room at night, if possible.
• Water when soil is dry. Allow water to drain into the saucer and discard excess water. Do not overwater.

The 'Bloomingdale' is a dwarf ranunculus, with small foliage and a height between 8 and 10 inches. The lovely, fully double flowers are about 3.5 inches in diameter and are borne on short and robust stems. Ranunculus will last indoors about a week after cutting, so they make excellent cut flowers.

• Choose and plant sasanqua camellias and early long-blooming azaleas.
• Purchase poinsettias early in the month.
• Continue to plant winter vegetables.
• Cut off flower spikes that have bloomed from dwarf foxgloves and delphiniums.
• Don't prune tropicals.
• Prune grapes, low-chill raspberries, and native plants.
• Prune wisteria by cutting off unwanted long twiners. Prune roots of vines that fail to bloom.
• Mow cool-season lawns, including bermuda that's overseeded with winter ryegrass.
• Do not mow warm season lawns, except St. Augustine (if it continues to grow).
• Continue fertilizing cymbidiums until flowers open.
• Feed cool season flowers with a complete fertilizer for growth and bloom.
• Feed shade plants for bloom; give adequate light.
• Feed cool-season lawns, but don't feed warm season lawns (except for bermuda that's overseeded with winter ryegrass).
• Don't water succulents growing in the ground.
• Keep cymbidiums damp but not soggy.
• Remember to keep all bulbs, especially potted ones, well watered.
• Water dichondra if rains aren't adequate; water St. Augustine grass if it continues to grow.
• Turn off the irrigation systems of all other types of warm-season lawns once they have gone brown.
• Spray peach and apricot trees for peach leaf curl if you didn't do so in November.
• Protect cymbidiums' bloom spikes from snails.
• Control rust on cool-season lawns by fertilizing and mowing them.
• Control aphids with insecticidal soap and beneficial insects.
• Prepare beds for planting bare-root roses next month.
• Harvest winter vegetables as soon as they mature.

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This Week's Question:  Who was the first person to light a Christmas tree electrically?  (NOT the person to invent Christmas tree lights as we know them.)

This Week's Prize:  6" Poinsettia of winner's choice

Although ponds need little routine maintenance, there are a few end-of-season tasks that are essential if you want to keep your plants and fish in good condition.

• Protect the pond from the worst of the leaf fall with a fine-mesh net. Anchor it just above the surface of the pond. This is not practical for a large pond, but it is useful for a small one. Remove the leaves regularly, and eventually take the netting off.
• If you are not able to cover your pond with a net, or don't like the appearance of one, use a fish net or rake to remove leaves regularly — not only from the surface, but from below the surface as well. Too many leaves in the water can pollute the pond.
• Submerged oxygenating plants, such as elodea and rampant growers like myriophyllum, will eventually clog the pond unless you net or rake them out periodically. This is a good time to thin them simply by raking out the excess.
• Trim back dead or dying plants from around the edge of the pond, especially where the vegetation is likely to fall into the water.
• To divide overgrown water plants, first remove the plants from their containers. It may be necessary to cut some roots to do so.
• Some plants can simply be pulled apart by hand, but others will have such a tight mass of entangled roots that you need to chop them into smaller pieces with a spade.
• Discard any pieces you don't want for replanting, then pot up the others in planting baskets. Cover the top of the baskets with gravel to prevent soil disturbance.

Without a doubt, the freshest Christmas tree is a living tree. Many families choose to buy and plant a living tree each year, then plant it, along with the memories it holds, into the landscape. But bringing a live tree into the house and decorating it increases the risk of killing the tree. For a successful experience, here are a few tips.

Choose the right tree. White pines, blue spruce, noble or Douglas firs are good choices. Store the tree in a cool, wind-protected area such as an unheated porch or garage for at least a week before bringing the tree into your home. For best results keep the tree inside 3-4 days. Using ice cubes is a great way to not only water but to keep the roots cool. (Don't forget a saucer for the excess water.) As with cut trees, be sure to keep your live tree away from heat sources and keep indoor temperatures cooler (60-65 deg). This will help the tree to stay dormant while in the house.

After the holidays, move the tree back to your garage for a week before planting. Add peat moss and organic compost to the hole to give the tree a good start. With proper care you'll have a living reminder of this year's Christmas joy, and a tree ready to serve as an outdoor decoration next year.

Can't decide what to get that special person in your life? Stop fooling around and get the gift everyone is asking for: the absolutely fabulous Blue Hills Gift Certificate! The person you purchase it for will be forever grateful for receiving such a wonderful and incredible gift! Blue Hills Gift Certificates are available in any amount, for any budget.