Life and Care of the Poinsettia

The Life of the Poinsettia

I used to grow hundreds of thousands of Poinsettias years ago. The greenhouse I was working at started stock plants in late June. We had gotten fresh cuttings flown in from California. We had gotten everyone of them to root. In the weeks that followed, we would take tip cuttings from the stock plants, and root them on a bi-weekly schedule.

In July, we were steam sterilizing the soil and the benches. This was very hot work moving the hand made soil in red clay pots on one wheel greenhouse carts. Late July, we began to receive about 20,000 to 50.000 unrooted cutting a week from California. We had an excellent rooting record of losing about three plants per 9000 starts. We treated plants with root rot resistant chemicals. We never had any insects on the plants, mainly because; we never grew plants that would foster insect’s problems.

As Labor Day approached, the greenhouse looked packed, full of these green plants. Soon we were potting up the plants in singles, or in threes, in fives, and other combinations. We treated them again for root rot. We daily would walk the benches looking for dead leaves that needed to be removed. As the plants grew, they were spaced out, so not to crowd them. The weather was getting cooler as the 8 inch diameter natural gas pipes were turned on for the steam boilers to heat up.

By October, we were worried about light pollution from the parking lot relaying the plants. So we covered those windows with a thick black cloth every late afternoon. Plants now were 80 per cent of their mature height.

The first week of November some of the varieties were starting to turn red. Everyday we would walk the greenhouse walks and see an increasing number of red bracts. By the week of Thanksgiving, we saw the greenhouses filled like a sea of red, pink, and ivory as the plants showed their full glory.

This greenhouse where I worked was a combination Retail-Wholesale store. Nearly 2/3 of the entire crop was sold as wholesale went to a number of mass marketers and church sales programs. The rest were sold as customers came into the greenhouses.

I would like to think that most poinsettia buyers would get about four to eight weeks out of the plants, but most may only get a week or two. Most plants will not rebloom on their own. Be careful, the white sap may cause dermatitis.

Poinsettias Care:

1. Better plants are shown in greenhouses

2. Look for the tiny yellow “flowers” at the center. If present, then the plant is well. If not don’t purchase.

3. Keep plants wrapped and warm when transporting. A little draft will turn the plant brown.

4. Water well at first; pick up plant, and remember the weight and check watering that way.

5. Keep plants in a sunny place, but not on top of the TV.

Have a Wonderful Holiday Season and a Delightful New Year.