Transcript Poinsettia Production

Poinsettia Production
Euphorbia pulcherima
cv’s: Sparkling Punch, Freedom
Marble, Jingle Bells, etc.
Poinsettias
• Poinsettias are a
tropical plant of Mexico
and Central America
• Brought here by a
diplomat named
Poinsett
• Took the plant to South
Carolina and they were
a huge hit!
Poinsettia Facts
• Poinsettias are beautiful
because of the leaves,
not flowers
• Colorful leaves are
called bracts
• Usually grown at
Christmas and then
thrown away
(composted preferably)
Poinsettia flower and bract
Bract
True Flower
Poinsettias: Friend or Foe
Poinsettias just
give me gas!
• Poinsettias are not poisonous.
• Rumor started in 1919 when
an army officer’s child
allegedly died after eating a
poinsettia leaf.
• 50 pound child would need to
eat 500-600 leaves to feel ill.
Want some ranch with that
poinsettia?
• Upset stomach and diarrhea
are side effects.
• Not palatable
• Still a choking hazard
Poinsettia Photoperiod
• They are a short-day
blooming plant:
PHOTOPERIODIC PLANT
– Most plants are long day
or day neutral plants
• Bloom only at Christmas
time (short days and
long nights) naturally
How we do it
• Poinsettias are started
from cuttings in July
• Cuttings are placed in
high humidity in the
greenhouse
• We got our poinsettias
as plugs (already
rooted) from Canada
• Poinsettias arrived on
08/27/2014
What we need to do
• We will need to
transplant the plugs to 4”
pots and 6” pots
• We will need to pinch the
plants (next week) so that
there are lots of flowers
• We need to apply an
insecticide to control
white flies (late when well
rooted)
• We need to fertilize and
give them Epsom salts
every week
What do you need?
•
•
•
•
•
13 or 26 poinsettia plugs
Equal # labels of that plug
4” azalea plastic pots
6” azalea plastic pots
Potting soil (or media)
that has peat moss, bark,
perlite, and vermiculite
• Go to Edmodo for
information about what
plug you are transplanting
Aftercare
• Poinsettias will be grown
in the greenhouse and
sold for $5-7 per pot.
They will also be donated.
• Poinsettias should last for
6-8 weeks during holiday
season.
• Keep them inside away
from drafts and vents.
• Water them as needed
(once they dry out).
Pest Control Today
• Each of your plants will
need to be given Marathon
insecticide (later)
• This insecticide is systemickills from the inside, as pest
sucks sap.
• You will wear a glove (later
date) to apply the pesticide
all over the soil evenly
• Use ½ teaspoon per pot
• Spread over the potting soil
Poinsettia Pests
Pest
Picture
Whiteflies
Mealy Bugs
Fungus Gnats
Spider Mites
Thrips
Fungi
Transplanting Today
Potting
• Each plug will need to be
put into a new 4” or 6”
container
• This container will be filled
with potting soil
• The plant should be tapped
from the bottom
• The soil levels should align
• You will then make a label
for each plant
What goes on label
• Front
– Initials
– Period
– Where does it go?
• Place label with picture
showing on edge of pot
• Make sure it gets a label as
soon as you transplant the
plug
• We will keep all of your
group’s plants together on
bench #3 and #4
Pot Size
and
Group
Enduring Freedom Freedom Freedom Freedom Freedom Ice
Pink
Early
Marble Pink
Pepper- White
Punch
Red
mint
4”
39
13
13
13
39
39
39
2nd
period
Grp 1
Grp 2
Grp 2
Grp 2
Grp 3
Grp 4
Grp 5
Pot Size
and
Group
Jubilee
Jingle
Bells
Jubilee
Red
Prestige
Early
Red
Prestige
Maroon
Red
Glitter
Sparkling
Pink
4”
39
X
X
26
39
X
6”
X
13
26
13
X
39
4th
period
Grp 1
Grp 2
Grp 2
Grp 3
Grp 4
Grp 5
Irrigation/Fertigation Today
• Plants will all be placed
on the bench and all of
the class will water the
plants together,
immediately after
potting
• When we water and
fertilize together, this is
known as fertigation
In the Future
• We will check for pests
• We have to make sure
that they are not
exposed to light after it
gets dark
– This means we can’t turn
on the lights at night,
ever: this will inhibit
changing colors (won’t
reflower)
In the Future: Pinching
• Two weeks after
transplanting, (9/18 for
4” and 9/13 for 6”) we
will pinch
• We will pinch the plant
so that there are only
five to seven nodes
• This means that there
will be four to six
beautiful flowers and
bracts at Christmas
How to pinch… two weeks later.
Remember
• We must keep the
greenhouse clean
• Keep water hoses off of
the ground *especially
the nozzle
• Don’t throw any dead
plant matter on the
ground, put it outside in
the garbage
Aftercare
• Most common
question: How do we
get them to reflower?
–
–
–
–
It’s difficult
Needs fertilizer
Needs to be repotted
Can’t get light at night
after September
– Night temps 70-75F, day
60-70F