librarian2003 (librarian2003) wrote in weagardening, @ 2010-01-19 11:19:00 |
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Week 1 - Plant of the Week - Poinsettia
The academic year says that it's Spring Term, but in week one, Spring seemed very unlikely!
Here we are though, and here's our Plant of the Week. We're doing houseplants this term, and we're starting with poinsettia:
GARDENING FOR PLEASURE
Plant of the Week
Poinsettia : Euphorbia pulcherrima
This is the UK's best selling house plant for Christmas - not bad considering it is technically classed as a shrubby Mexican weed that can reach large proportions. The name "poinsettia" is after Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States Minister to Mexico, who introduced the plant into the US in 1828. The Aztecs used them for medicinal purposes and for making dyes. The plant's association with Christmas began in 16th century Mexico, where legend tells of a young girl who was too poor to provide a gift for the celebration of Jesus' birthday. The tale goes that the child was inspired by an angel to gather weeds from the roadside and place them in front of the church altar. Crimson "blossoms" sprouted from the weeds and became beautiful poinsettias. From the 17th century, Franciscan friars in Mexico included the plants in their Christmas celebrations.
Take care when handling poinsettias. They contain a white milky latex which may cause skin irritation.
The trademark bright red colouring is not, in fact the flower, but the leaf-like bracts. When buying a plant, try to find one that has not been left outside in the cold (for example, on a garage forecourt). Plants will discolour and start to drop their leaves and bracts if they get too cold. Avoid buying one with green edges on the bracts because this is a sign that the plant was packaged before it had matured.
Poinsettias need warmth – minimum night temperatures of 16-19°C – to prevent premature bud, bract and leaf drop.
The Do’s
Place your plant in indirect sunlight for at least six hours per day. If direct sun can't be avoided, diffuse the light with a shade or sheer curtain.
Provide room temperatures between 68 - 70° F. Generally speaking, if you are comfortable, so is your poinsettia.
Water your plant when the soil feels dry to the touch.
Fertilize your plant after the blooming season with a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer.
The Dont’s
Place plants near cold drafts or excessive heat. Avoid placing plants near appliances, fireplaces or ventilating ducts.
Expose plants to temperatures below 50° F. Poinsettias are very sensitive to cold.
Overwater your plant, or allow it to sit in standing water. Always remove a plant from any decorative container before watering, and allow the water to drain completely.
Expose your plant to chilling winds when transporting it.
Fertilize your plant when it is in bloom.
To get the plant to flower again
When the poinsettia's bracts age and lose their aesthetic appeal, allow the plant to tick over until late March or early April. Cut your poinsettia back to about 8" in height. Continue a regular watering programme, and fertilize your plant with a good, balanced all-purpose fertilizer. By the end of May, you should see vigorous new growth.
If possible, place your plants outdoors for the summer, when night temperatures average 55° F or above. Continue regular watering during the growth period, and fertilize every 2 to 3 weeks.
Pruning may be required during the summer to keep plants bushy and compact. Late June or early July is a good time for this step, but be sure not to prune your plant later than September 1. Keep the plants in indirect sun, and water regularly.
Around June 1, you may transplant your poinsettia into a larger pot. Select a pot no more than 4 inches larger than the original pot. A soil mix with a considerable amount of organic matter, such as peat moss or leaf mould, is best.
The poinsettia is a photoperiodic plant, meaning that it sets bud and produces flowers as the Autumn nights lengthen. Poinsettias will naturally come into bloom during November or December, depending on the flowering response time of the individual cultivar. Timing to produce blooms for the Christmas holiday can be difficult outside of the controlled environment of a greenhouse. Stray light of any kind, such as from a street light or household lamps, could delay or entirely halt the re-flowering process.
Starting October 1, the plants must be kept in complete darkness for 14 continuous hours each night. Accomplish this by moving the plants to a totally dark room, or by covering them overnight with a large box. During October, November and early December, poinsettias require 6 - 8 hours of bright sunlight daily, with night temperatures between 60 - 70° F. Temperatures outside of this range could also delay flowering.
Continue the normal watering and fertilizer program. Carefully following this regime for 8 to 10 weeks should result in a colourful display of blooms for the holiday season.
Sources include poinsettia breeders, the Paul Ecke Ranch:
http://www.ecke.com/html/h_corp/corp_pn
Jo Hanslip
January 2010
Images are at Photobucket:
Poinsettias
Have you lost yours yet?
Jo