Poinsettia

[helagumamela]

I am not sure where poinsettias should go, so I'm sorry if I placed it under the wrong category.

When the -ber months set in, my mother always buys poinsettia plants for decoration. Sadly, they are very expensive here in the Philippines. I told her that we should just plant the ones we buy, so we can grow them on our own.

The problem is, every time we try to transplant them, they just die. What should I do to make poinsettias last longer? Our climate is hot most of the year.

 

[Carolyn]

They need fertile moist well drained soil. Maybe you could plant a newly purchased plant that is still healthy? Don't wait until it starts to show signs of stress or begin losing leaves. Just be sure to acclimate it first since it might come from a greenhouse. Take it outside for a few hours every day for a week and let it get used to the climate a little at a time. They are tropical I would think they would do well in that climate. Good luck.

 

[helagumamela]

They need fertile moist well drained soil. Maybe you could plant a newly purchased plant that is still healthy? Don't wait until it starts to show signs of stress or begin losing leaves. Just be sure to acclimate it first since it might come from a greenhouse. Take it outside for a few hours every day for a week and let it get used to the climate a little at a time. They are tropical I would think they would do well in that climate. Good luck.

Thanks! We are going to look for them soon, so it's a good thing that you gave me these tips. Would it be wise if I would plant them directly on the ground instead of pots?

 

[Carolyn]

I may have encouraged you to do something you don't really have time for, I'm sorry I didn't realize.Whether you plant them in the ground or in pots, don't expect the color you would get from nursery grown plants. They have strict requirements for light for several weeks before they bloom. I think its exactly 12-14 hours of total darkness. I had a friend who got hers to color up by putting it in a closet for 12 hours a day for more than a month. She has passed away or I would ask her exactly how she did that. When they come up with all of these requirements it makes me wonder how they ever grew wild.

 

[Rosyrain]

We buy ours directly in the pots and keep them through the holiday season. I have not managed to get them to last much longer than that though and that is probably because they are not native to my area.

 

[LouisFerdinand]

Bachman's Poinsettia Farm

 

[LouisFerdinand]

Colorful Poinsettias

 

[LouisFerdinand]

Poinsettias at Church
https://flic.kr/p/5LBuKq

 

[LouisFerdinand]

Pink Poinsettia

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/3025924739526340/

 

[LouisFerdinand]

White Poinsettia

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/213850682300396333/

 

[LouisFerdinand]

The History of the Poinsettia