Poinsetta help please

[IBE]

I have a large poinsetta plant bought at Cosco last year. Then it was red at the proper time.

It sat on the North side of the trailer in a chair for a year. Has big healthy leaves and just a little red leaf coming out.

Am I going to have the red flowered leaves by Christmas.. I never looked too close all during the year to see if they pop out red a tad and turn green.

When I had a house, I had lots of them in the ground that would bloom now. but this on is in a plastic pot in which it was brought.

Thought Tylergirl and other master gardners could help

Thanks in advance

IBE

[IBE]

Should I put on some liquid fertilizer like 20-20-20 or something that makes a plant bloom fast... what would that be?

[Mere]

IBE....this will not be the answer from one of the master gardeners...lol...

but I wanted to tell you that every year someone gave my parents a poinsettia at christmas time....Dad planted each one in a garden along the south side of the house....and he did nothing from then on....

those plants started turning red at the end of november and were spectacular in december....after he died and I sold the house i saw that the new owners cleared that garden....too bad....

one of the important things is that this happened in southern louisiana....so they never froze.

[klaasend]

Just looked this up:

Forcing Poinsettias
Forcing Poinsettias to bloom is a difficult task. Many have tried, but few succeed. But, if you have kept them around and healthy all year, you've just gotta give it a try.

The concept is simple enough. Any time from late September to October first, you need to put the plant in total darkness for 12-14 hours a day. Here is where it's tricky. Any small light can upset the process. During the day, it should get six hours or more of sunlight. Continue this process daily until early November, then bring it out into the room. Now with a little luck (some will say a lot of luck) and your personal green thumb, it will be in full bloom during the Christmas holiday.

Tip: A black plastic bag works well. Place the plant in the bag and use a twist tie. Each morning, remove the twist tie and carefully lower the bag to the floor.

http://www.gardenersnet.com/flower/poinset.htm

[klaasend]

Another thing IBE - I think you mentioned something like using the poinsettia instead of a tree.  You might be able to get a tree REAL cheap Christmas eve and make it a family thing to pick it up and decorate it that night.  Could be fun!

[Mere]

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/poinsettia/


Ibe...here is a good site....there are many....if you google....

[IBE]

MeMere Thanks!

Am going to follow the sun over it tomorrow. Might have to move it (South) out back for a few days... but it's not as safe there, but then again the dog and cat would hear things.. will but bells on the pot. Thanks

[klaasend]

Then again, you could always buy a can of red paint, LOL  

[IBE]

Klaas that you for that! Will blackbag it tonight and with my insomnia it should get 6 hrs. of day light ... heh  heh

Not too sure how to black bag it in S. CA without killing it  Might put it under the trailer... oh it's scary there!

Keep you posted!

[Mere]

Ibe...hope you are in the south....and i am not sure if instructions would tell you to plant on the south side....but that side of my dad's house got no light...while the north side of the house was next to a busy road...as Klaas says....it has to do with the light....good luck....

[Mere]

oh...last thing....these plants got huge....! and everytime he got a new one...no matter when....it went into that garden...so many different colors...will ask if anyone in the family has pictures....

[IBE]

YEH GOTS lots of red paint from an old Z I used to have and some really Patriotic paint from volunteering.

A fake poinsetta sounds good about now.. and a candle that smells like a Christmas tree. Will aim for more room next year as I am coming out of my previous cocooning... but never cocoon on SM!!!

Love the tree Klaas... I have already bought a stein (as I love lots of iced tea and too lazy to get up from the computer) plus a sweatshirt.

All the people at the American Legion have heard 10+ mos. about Scared Monkeys and Natalee, now they can see all our avatars! Neat, thanks.

[Tylergal]

I am sorry I am late to the poinsettia party.    What Klaas said is right but what Memere said is right.  I have long given up on poinsettias but have friends in Florida who grow them to enormous gigantic proportions as does a SIL near Mobile.  She brings them home from church (attends a large church) each Christmas, takes the best ones to nursing homes and plants the paltry ones.  When the time is right, she puts them in pots, brings them indoors and has a houseful of poinsettias for her Christmas parties for church, bridge club, garden club, social and business affairs.  They have a big house with winding staircase and each stairstep has a poinsettia on it.  I am so jealous.

[IBE]

There are little red leaves!!

We have had a "cold" snap (for us) but I think it's turning red.

Will know in a few days. I took my plants from my home (ground gardening) and had to put them in containers at the mobile home. Lost all the roses, but a neighbor near the entrance has almost every rose that I lost (hers are in the ground)

I have one plant, I prize for my mother gave it to me over 20 years ago... it's a night blooming spinning Persian Primrose she got at a campground in MO.

Has roots like a parsnip. My whole front yard was covered with the plants in the summer. Some of my neighbors didn't think "it belonged" in the neighborhood; didn't like my camper either.

Anyway.. the plant only blooms in the second year.... starts popping out at dust with big yellow flowers opening, spinning right in front of you!

I lets the plants go to see at the end of blooming. This plant is the first year. Hope it makes it to the 2nd.

I hear another truck.. hope it's UPS with my Monkey Christmas stuff.

Thank you Monkeys for all of your help!

[IBE]

Klass thank you for the suggestion. Have no family, per se, and over cluttered my living space re: depression. Am coming out of it; going for a home improvement grant the city has. Designing my own kitchen.. just big enough for me, the dog and cat.

Lots of good times have to do with this blog; I love the Monkeys.

Anyway, Good news... my adopted-by-love family just had a baby boy, 8 lbs 8 op and 22 inches.

Wonder if that is long for a boy?

Waiting for sun tomorrow (warm!) and will move the poinsetta off the rocker and put the lighted snowman there with the poinsetta on one of those decorated popcorn cans.