Flower tips : Tips and methods is useful for the healthy growth of the plants.

Choosing your Poinsettia

Consider the following Flower tips while choosing your poinsettia:

» Look for plants with fully mature, thoroughly colored bracts.

» A fresh poinsettia plant is one on which little or no yellow pollen is showing on the flower cluster in the center of the bracts.

» Select plants with an abundance of dark, rich green foliage all the way down to the soil line.

» The leaves and bracts should not be drooping.

» Do not purchase poinsettias with a lot of green around the bract edges.

» Look for plants that are balanced, full, and attractive from all sides.

» Look for plants with large bracts that extend over the lower green foliage.

» Select durable plants with stiff stems, good bract and leaf retention, and no signs of wilting, breaking or drooping.

» Never buy a Poinsettia that has been placed outside or kept in a chilly, drafty spot.

» Do not purchase plants that have been displayed or crowded close together.

» Check the plant’s soil. If it’s wet and the plant is wilted, this could be an indication of root rot.

» Select only plants with small tight green button-like flower parts in the center of the bracts. The flower gardening tip is useful for the growth of the plants. The flower garden tip is necessary for the healthy gardening. If the flowers are green or red-tipped and fresh looking the bloom will last longer than if yellow pollen is covering the flowers. The flower tips are most advantageous for growing plants.

» As with any plant, make sure your poinsettia is free from insects and diseases.

» Avoid ones in wrapped pots.

» The plant should be 2 1/2 times taller than the diameter of the container.

» When you take the poinsettia home, be sure to have it sleeved or covered when outdoor temperatures are

below 50°F.

Poinsettia Care

Poinsettias are easy to care for throughout the holidays. Just follow these simple rules:

» Unwrap your plants carefully and place in a sunny area.

» Keep the plant from touching cold windows.

» Protect the plants from both cold and hot drafts from outside doors, heat registers, or appliances.

» Ideally, poinsettias require daytime temperatures of 60 to 70°F and nighttime temperatures around 55°F.

» Poinsettias need moist, but not wet, soil

» Check the soil daily.

» Poinsettias need a minimum of 6 hours bright indirect sunlight each day.

» Over watering, the poinsettia and letting it sit in excess water will kill the plant.

» Allow your Poinsettia to dry out slightly between waterings.

» Water when the soil is dry.

» Be sure the container has good drainage and discard excess water

» On the other hand, Poinsettias need moist air; mist your plant frequently during the blooming season.

» Your poinsettia should be placed in an area not exposed to heavy traffic.

» Don’t fertilize your plant when it is in bloom.

» The plant should be placed away from small children and animals.

Re-flowering Your Poinsettia

If you want to grow your poinsettia and try to make it re-bloom the next year for Christmas, you just need some hard work, dedication and luck.

» January to March: Keep watering the poinsettia whenever the surface is dry.

» Late March: The plant may start drying; keep it near a sunny window.

» April: Cut the blooms off to about 4-8" in height, repot, continue watering, and fertilize your plant.

» May: Place your plants outdoors. Keep it in a partially shaded location and maintain your watering and fertilizing schedule.

» June to July: Prune your plant and repot if necessary. If you do repot, use high quality potting soil and a little larger pot. Continue watering and fertilizing.

»August: The plant should be kept inside in direct sunlight. Continue to water and fertilize.

» September: Continue regular watering and fertilizing. Make sure the temperature stays above 65 degrees F

» October to December: Poinsettias require 6 - 8 hours of bright sunlight daily and complete darkness for 14 continuous hours each night. You can accomplish this by putting the plant in a closet or putting the plant in a light-tight box. Flower tips is to get more information about the flowers. The wedding flower tip is useful for the preparation for the wedding flowers. Continue the normal watering and fertilizer program. By following flower tips one can grow beautiful gardens in their homes.

The poinsettia is a photoperiodic plant, meaning that it sets bud and produces flowers

as the autumn nights lengthen. By knowing Flower tips it will naturally bloom in November or December, depending on the flowering response time of the individual cultivator. The flwoer garden tip is most valid. Stray light of any kind, such as from a street light or household lamps, could delay or entirely halt the re-flowering process.

If all has gone well, it should be back in bloom.

National Poinsettia Day

By an Act of Congress, December 12 has been pronounced as National Poinsettia Day. The day marks the death in 1851 of Joel Roberts Poinsett who is credited with introducing the flower into the United States.