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April Gardening Tips
The temperatures are rising, the birds are singing and the sun is shining- Spring is here! The weather, rather than the calendar, dictate when to start working in your garden.
April 1, 2024
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All About Poinsettias
Flowers make the best decorations for the holidays! By far, one of the most popular holiday flowers is the poinsettia. A native plant from Mexico, poinsettias offer festive color to your holiday decorating.
How to Select a Poinsettia
The colorful part of the poinsettia is the bracts; while the flower is the small yellow center. To select healthy poinsettias, look at the bracts and select those that are thoroughly colored and expanded.
Pick plants that have dense and plentiful foliage all the way to the soil line. Look for strong, stiff stems with no signs of wilting. Plants should be about 2 ½ times larger than the pot size.
When you browse our selection of poinsettias, you will see that we choose only the finest quality plants.
Types & Colors of Poinsettias
Our stores carry three types of poinsettias:
– Christmas Day – a traditional poinsettia layered with dark, lush bracts that encircle the flower.
– Prestige – this poinsettia typically has one layer of bracts that spreads around the flower for a simply beautiful look.
– Winter Rose – looks exactly like a rose if you opened up the blooms. The bracts are layered tightly around the flower to resemble a rose.
Choose from traditional red, pink, white foliage, bi-color & tri color plants. We also have a marbled poinsettia that is pink and white speckled foliage. For a unique look, try poinsettias painted in blue, yellow or purple. They’re a great conversation starter.
Poinsettias are available in a variety of sizes for every decorating need:
– mini sizes in decorative pots that are great for desks or other small areas
– Single stem plants in 4 ½ and 6 ½ inch pots; great for tables
– Two-stem plants in 7 ½ inch pots or three to four-stem plants in 8 ½ inch pots, which are great for tables, or clustered near the Christmas tree or hearth
– Large full 4-stem plants in 10 inch pots, available as a table top or hanging basket
Care Instructions
-When taking your poinsettia home, be sure the plant is well wrapped before you take it outside. Never leave a poinsettia or any plant in a cold car for even short periods. Remove the sleeve as soon as you get your plant to its final destination, as keeping the sleeve on too long will permanently damage your plant.
-Poinsettias do not like temperatures below 50°, so keep your poinsettia inside between 68° – 70° and away from cold drafts. Place your poinsettia near a sunny window or other well-lit area. Do not let any part of the plant touch cold windowpanes.
– Poinsettias do not let drafts, so keep them away from radiators and air registers, as well as open windows and doors.
-Keep the plant moderately moist. Examine the soil daily and water when it is dry to the touch about one inch down. Always water enough to soak the soil to the bottom of the pot and discard any excess water. If you don’t water enough, the plant will wilt and the lower leaves will drop. With too much water, the lower leaves will yellow, then drop.
To prolong after the holidays
– Fertilize poinsettias with a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer after they stop blooming.
– By early April, when the colored bracts begin to turn or fall, cut the plants back leaving four to six buds.
– Keep the plant near a sunny window, water and fertilize regularly and by the end of May, there will be strong new growth.
– Around July 4th and again by Labor Day, cut your plant back to promote full growth.
– In order for the poinsettia bracts to color up for the holiday season, you’ll need to provide long night starting October 1. Keep the poinsettia in complete darkness for 14 continuous hours each night either in a dark room or placing a large box over the plant. During the day, allow 6 to 8 hours of bright sunlight. Do this for 8 to 10 weeks, so your plant will be ready for your holiday season!
The Poinsettia Myth
It’s a myth that that poinsettias are harmful to humans. According to the Society of American Florists, the poinsettia is the most widely tested plant and research has proven over and over again that the plant is not harmful. Just like all ornamental plants, poinsettias are not intended for human consumption. Poinsettias are also only mildly toxic to pets.
For more information about poinsettias, talk to one of our sales associates.
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