Most of us associate the holidays with poinsettias — and maybe a horrible fruit cake the neighbor always brings to the annual party. But often, everyday plant care routines can fall to the wayside amid shopping, cooking, celebrating, and traveling to see loved ones. Meanwhile, growers are in peak preparation season to seed inventory for early spring. Whether you’re at home, in the nursery or designing landscapes for installation after winter breaks, there are many ways to do all-the-things while saving time, water and money.

Soil Moist for Staycation or Vacation
Whether you’re hunkering down at home or headed out of town, the busy holiday season takes us away from routine and even simple tasks like watering houseplants can fall off the radar or feel like “one more thing.” Soil Moist Vacation Mats to the rescue! If you’ll display festive plants like poinsettias or amaryllis into containers, first line them with a soil moist mat. The mats work a lot like a sponge, holding water in and releasing it as roots signal thirst. You’ll reduce plant waterings by 50%.

Before traveling, arrange Soil Moist Vacation Mats on a tray such as a baking sheet. Apply water as directed. Place houseplants on the mats to allow for containers’ drainage holes to drink in water while you’re away. (Be sure the pots have holes in the bottom to wick in water.) Vacation Mats water plants while away for two to three weeks. Be sure to place plants thoroughly before your departure on a tray (as mentioned, possibly a baking sheet). Pour 2 quarts of water per mat before placing plants on the mat-lined tray.

And, if you use regular Soil Moist Mats, when added to the soil outdoors in containers or landscape beds, they can reduce waterings by 50%.

Deco-ed Out and Well-Watered
Add vibrant color to floral arrangements and dive into a variety of cool holiday STEM and craft projects with Deco Beads, a water-storing marble-sized gel bead or cube that you can layer for stunning effects. As for colors, you have options — a dozen standard colors and more than 20 custom colors including Christmas Green and Current Red. Get the kids involved. Deco Beads are non-toxic and environmentally safe.


A bonus: Deco Beads are a convenient, colorful water source that keeps floral arrangements and plants hydrated and looks good doing it. Deco Beads packaging displays for garden centers and retailers include a 90-count floor unit for a 1½-quart retail package and a space-saving shelf display that holds 24 packets. Eight-ounce jars sold separately or in bulk are also options that appeal to holiday crafts and floral customers who appreciate the creative possibilities Deco Beads offer during this season and year-round.

On Pines and Needles
You know that feeling when you touch a beautifully decorated live Christmas tree and a cascade of needles drops to the floor as a reminder that you forgot to replenish the treen stand’s water supply? The tree you selected and decked out with the family’s favorite ornaments was once a lustrous emblem of the holiday, and now it’s lack-luster. There’s a solution that will preserve your live tree’s longevity and health. Tree Moist and Tree Moist Plus store water in a crystal form to reduce tree waterings and spillage. The crystals act like tiny sponges, absorbing and releasing water when needed over an extended time period.


Tree Moist is ideal for locations that do not allow water in tree stands such as buildings and commercial environments and for households that are constantly wiping up splashes from refilling the tree stand. Plus, you can give leftover crystals a second life by mixing them into soil for plants to reduce waterings.

Nurseries, Get Set for Spring
Baby, it’s cold outside. But greenhouses, garden centers and nurseries are in think-Spring mode with a range of preparations to get ready for a Mother’s Day kickoff to the planting season. From soil prep to organizing stock and ordering plants, garden centers rely on early spring sales to fuel growth. As a nursery, stock must be ready for shipping as early as March when the weather begins to warm up and consumers are readying to return to outdoor living.


Soil Moist for commercial growers saves time, labor and plant loss to help maximize productivity and reduce risk. Available in a range of formulations for different applications, growers can go boldly into the season’s start with environmentally friendly winter prep to secure a healthy inventory of plants.

What’s in Store for the Holidays?
How about “storing” more water so you can save time, money, and resources? Tell us how you use Soil Moist products at home or in your business. We look forward to hearing from you! We are grateful for your business and wish you a happy holiday season!