Poinsettia Growth

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Poinsettia Growth
An Introduction to Poinsettia Cultivation
By Becky McGuire
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         Getting started

• A. pot immediately after arrival to eliminate
  stress
• B. provide shade to reduce heat and light
  intensity
• C. mist cuttings during hottest part of day to
  reduce stress
• D. humidity levels 75-85
• E.temperature night 60-65 F, day 75-80 F

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Watering

• A.  keep evenly moist
• B.  dont water on leaves they rot and wilt
• C.   avoid over-watering root rot FAST DEATH

4
Photoperiod certain amount of day length
(certain amount of light and dark)

• A. low light plants have weak stems and small
  bracts
• B.  BRACTS top leaves of plant that change
  color and act as flowers
• C.  Maximize space between plants so light
  reaches lower leaves encourages outward branching

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Photoperiodism, continued

• D. Long days (more light) vegetative growth
• E. Short days (less light) flowers start
• F. Plants need 20-25 days of at least 12 hours
  of darkness

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Fertilization

• A. Poinsettia Mix 20-10-20 (less Phosphorus)
• B.  Soluble salts

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Pinching

• A. encourages lateral growth instead of vertical
  growth
• B. also encourages more branching and more bracts
• C.  pinch top of plant leaving 4-6 leaves below
  pinch
• D.  pinch in the middle of September

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Marketing

• A.  have ready to sell immediately after
  Thanksgiving
• B. stop fertilizing 2 weeks before selling
• C.  plants must be in full color
• D. water plants before selling
• E. maintain even temperature
• F. sleeve plants if exposed to outdoors
• G. remove dead leaves, clean pots, wrap