Did you know The Gardens on Spring Creek grows and sells poinsettias every year? We asked Greenhouse Horticulturist Kelly Kellow about her process of bringing these vibrant and memorable blooms to fruition.
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Timeline is key!
Kelly: From the time of planting to the time they are sold, the poinsettias grown in our greenhouse are on a strict schedule to produce that perfect and beautifully colored plant that everyone is looking for during the holidays. There are three types of poinsettias to choose from: long season (10–12 weeks to develop), medium season (8–9 weeks), and short season (6–7 weeks). Medium season poinsettias work best for me here at The Gardens.
The first thing I do before I buy poinsettia plugs is to pull out the previous year's calendar to remind myself of the prior season's schedule. Then, I begin to make my plan and buy my plants. Working backwards from when I want them ready for selling, I count out the weeks and create goals for each period to ensure I get a nice crop. Here's how the growing season breaks down:
Phase One
Aug. 26: The clock starts ticking the moment my plugs are planted in their final pots. This is also when I start a hearty fertilization program. Poinsettias require a lot of fertilizer while they grow. I have found the perfect mix for poinsettias includes a general-purpose fertilizer, epsom salt, and calcium nitrate.
Phase Two
Sept. 9: Our poinsettia plants get pinched two weeks after fertilization when the plants are fully rooted. A critical step, pinching poinsettias is the process of counting branch nodes (the points where leaves and branches grow from the stem) from the bottom and pinching off the top of the plant. Doing this creates a bushy plant with (hopefully) five bracts that turn colors.
Phase Three
Sept. 23: Two weeks after pinching, I raise the greenhouse temperatures. Poinsettias are native to Central America and prefer a nice warm environment. As our outside temperatures fall, we need to pay more attention to the temperature we're creating in our greenhouse.
Phase Four
Oct. 21 Four weeks after temperature raising, I space the plants. Creating space promotes healthy growth that results in lush and dense foliage with more bracts per plant.
Phase Five
Oct. 31: Now we're just waiting for the bracts to begin their color change. This typically starts around Halloween, with the change finishing around Thanksgiving! From there, the poinsettias get hardened off from heat and fertiziling.
Once they're ready, we keep them healthy and happy until they're bought and taken home with a new loving family! Poinsettias are quite easy to care for; with occasional watering and lots of appreciation, you can enjoy them for 2 or 3 months!
Hot Tip: One of the most essential parts of growing poinsettias is mimicking a day-to-night lighting schedule to trigger their natural response to start turning colors. They need twelve hours of daylight and twelve hours of complete darkness. If they are light-interrupted at night, they will not turn colors.
Be sure to stop by the Gift Shop to snag your own poinsettia!
Kelly: From the time of planting to the time they are sold, the poinsettias grown in our greenhouse are on a strict schedule to produce that perfect and beautifully colored plant that everyone is looking for during the holidays. There are three types of poinsettias to choose from: long season (10–12 weeks to develop), medium season (8–9 weeks), and short season (6–7 weeks). Medium season poinsettias work best for me here at The Gardens.
The first thing I do before I buy poinsettia plugs is to pull out the previous year's calendar to remind myself of the prior season's schedule. Then, I begin to make my plan and buy my plants. Working backwards from when I want them ready for selling, I count out the weeks and create goals for each period to ensure I get a nice crop. Here's how the growing season breaks down:
Phase One
Aug. 26: The clock starts ticking the moment my plugs are planted in their final pots. This is also when I start a hearty fertilization program. Poinsettias require a lot of fertilizer while they grow. I have found the perfect mix for poinsettias includes a general-purpose fertilizer, epsom salt, and calcium nitrate.
Phase Two
Sept. 9: Our poinsettia plants get pinched two weeks after fertilization when the plants are fully rooted. A critical step, pinching poinsettias is the process of counting branch nodes (the points where leaves and branches grow from the stem) from the bottom and pinching off the top of the plant. Doing this creates a bushy plant with (hopefully) five bracts that turn colors.
Phase Three
Sept. 23: Two weeks after pinching, I raise the greenhouse temperatures. Poinsettias are native to Central America and prefer a nice warm environment. As our outside temperatures fall, we need to pay more attention to the temperature we're creating in our greenhouse.
Phase Four
Oct. 21 Four weeks after temperature raising, I space the plants. Creating space promotes healthy growth that results in lush and dense foliage with more bracts per plant.
Phase Five
Oct. 31: Now we're just waiting for the bracts to begin their color change. This typically starts around Halloween, with the change finishing around Thanksgiving! From there, the poinsettias get hardened off from heat and fertiziling.
Once they're ready, we keep them healthy and happy until they're bought and taken home with a new loving family! Poinsettias are quite easy to care for; with occasional watering and lots of appreciation, you can enjoy them for 2 or 3 months!
Hot Tip: One of the most essential parts of growing poinsettias is mimicking a day-to-night lighting schedule to trigger their natural response to start turning colors. They need twelve hours of daylight and twelve hours of complete darkness. If they are light-interrupted at night, they will not turn colors.
Be sure to stop by the Gift Shop to snag your own poinsettia!
