Suicidal Poinsettias

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Well we will see how this years crop fares. Been out of town for a bit, noticed HD had their $1.98 poinsettias in already.  Called my brother and asked him to pick up 10 for me before they are gone.  They are sitting in my cool house till I get back in a few days.
 
Tom, except for small tips of leaves that existed when the cutting was in a suspended state while in water for a couple of months, all of the growth you see in that picture developed after I potted it up.   If anything, presuming it survives under a timed grow light in the basement until spring, I will pinch it back when I put it outside again next year.  The pot got knocked over by a squirrel but it didn't faze the cutting.  It's been a trooper so I have high hopes for it.
 
3 down agin...

As I mentioned earlier I had my brother pick up a dozen poinsettias at HD.  Well, 3 weeks in and 3 are goners.  All treated the same, all the same light, weird.  Might see if HD will replace them.

 

Side note a few of my hold over from last year are showing signs of color.  Small red bracts  are forming.  Did nothing special, they spent the summer outdoors, came in in early Oct. kept them in my morning room  North and East facing large windows.  Moderately dark at night but occasionally I turn the lights on in there plus it faces the corner of my streets so there are a fair amount of headlights turning the corner at night.  I'll try and post a pic tomorrow.
 
Matt, I think if they can survive past the holidays, even if they go into shock after being in an ideal environment at the grower's facility, they'll become acclimated like yours and mine from last year did. 

 

My buddy gave me a huge plant -- really three of them in one large pot -- before Thanksgiving and it's doing fine in a west facing window that up until last week was having its blinds almost completely closed on sunny afternoons.  I've only watered it sparingly, like two or three times, and barely a cup full each time.

 

Even my little cutting has some small leaves at the top that are turning red.  It's in the basement under a grow light with other tender plants, likely for the next few months.
 
Well, these two little guys seem to be bucking the trend. They've been outside since going into larger pots over a year ago (originally came in 3" or so pots). I think they may be a dwarf variety and have definitely been genetically modified for color, yet they are performing better than any of the standard red ones left over from last season. I'm no fan of pink, but the survival factor can't be ignored. The smaller one needs food and/or iron and I'll be looking into when is the best time for that. If temps start flirting with mid-30s, I'll bring them inside until the cold snap passes.
 

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I've not had a poinsettia for several years. I usually buy one at the church in memory of my parents, but instead of picking it up after Christmas, I tell my friend Patty - who is the church secretary - to keep it in her office.

The past few years when I worked at the plant place doing commercial Christmas decorations, we had them. There were always extra, so a couple times I brought one home. I didn't have much luck with them, so gave them to my neighbor. Unfortunately I didn't work there this Fall, due to them losing a major contract, so I won't have have any to give out.
 
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